brechfa worth the trek?

Chillyonacid
Chillyonacid Posts: 39
edited March 2013 in Routes
hey i'm wondering what peoples opinions of brechfa is. thinking of going with a mate but i live in ebbw which is like 1hr 30 mins away quite the beginner at the mo and the blue trails have perked my interest. what you all think?

Comments

  • jimothy78
    jimothy78 Posts: 1,407
    Yep, great.

    Did it the other day and had great fun. The blue loop starts/finishes halfway round the green and you can just go round and round as many times as you like (each lap took me about 25mins, and I'm not quick).

    The green route itself was a lot of fun, too - lots of interest, a few tabletops, berms and singletracky bits. A couple of protracted descents thrown in which you can fly down as fast as you dare - I'm only a beginner really, but I imagine that even seasoned riders would really enjoy it, they can just go faster and hit the jumps harder.
  • Simon photo
    Simon photo Posts: 7
    Definite yes!
    I recently got back into the mountains after a 15 year break..bad accident with my bike and a ford sierra lol
    Anyway, i bought an old trek 7000 with some rockshox indy xc forks, hardly up to date but i like a challenge HAHA
    I made the gorlech trail at brechfa my first run. Im seriously out of fit and managed to get round in two hours and still smashed the downhill bits.
    There are a couple of good old climbs but they make the down bits that more worth it!
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    yep, do it :D
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Yep, great fun.
  • Chillyonacid
    Chillyonacid Posts: 39
    Thanks for the replys you convinced me!
  • wmorgs
    wmorgs Posts: 113
    Deffo worth it, i'v only been MTBing 5 mths and enjoyed it 'COUGHS' :)
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    It's awesome. Did it on the weekend. Stopped at Cwm Rhaeadr first, 4.5 mile loop, really good fun. Then drove on to Brechfa for the Gorlech, trail is really good. Bit more black than red though I would say? Compared to Afan anyway! Came off on the 2nd downhil, black eye etc. Spoiled the rest of my ride really but will go back as the trail is great fun.
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    Concorde wrote:
    It's awesome. Did it on the weekend. Stopped at Cwm Rhaeadr first, 4.5 mile loop, really good fun. Then drove on to Brechfa for the Gorlech, trail is really good. Bit more black than red though I would say? Compared to Afan anyway! Came off on the 2nd downhil, black eye etc. Spoiled the rest of my ride really but will go back as the trail is great fun.

    yeah, i did reply to someone else on here about the gorlech being 'tricky' in places. nothing major, just bits that'll catch you out if you're not concentrating - as it did my brother in law when we rode it :lol:
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    Yeh it can be tricky in spots,

    but i'd say its rating as red is spot on, red meaning tricky in spots... Black should be really hard. Afan on the whole is generally blue as its becoming more and more sculpted which is a shame.
  • jimothy78
    jimothy78 Posts: 1,407
    Just a quick note to the OP - if you're looking for interesting Blues then also look at Verderers in the Forest of Dean - about the same distance for you in the opposite direction to Brechfa . Went there for the first time yesterday and had an absolute blast. The Verderers trail is actually very similar in style to the Derwen blue and greens, though the surface is less "groomed" (more rocky and natural seeming), and the descents and jumpy bits even more flowy and fast (actually felt the benefit of "pumping" the trail for the first time).
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    jimothy78 wrote:
    Just a quick note to the OP - if you're looking for interesting Blues then also look at Verderers in the Forest of Dean - about the same distance for you in the opposite direction to Brechfa . Went there for the first time yesterday and had an absolute blast. The Verderers trail is actually very similar in style to the Derwen blue and greens, though the surface is less "groomed" (more rocky and natural seeming), and the descents and jumpy bits even more flowy and fast (actually felt the benefit of "pumping" the trail for the first time).

    were you with the HWU lot? so was i :lol:
  • jimothy78
    jimothy78 Posts: 1,407
    welshkev wrote:
    were you with the HWU lot? so was i :lol:
    yes, though i arrived late due to factors beyond my control. Arrived about 11.15 so set out alone and eventually caught up with up Dave B and the tail-enders about 2/3s the way round the first lap. Then after lunch was in the group with Dale, Elliot etc that rode up the downhill "push up" path to charge down the Verderers descent a second time.

    Really must introduce yourself next time, I'm the geeky looking chap riding this:
    viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12908865

    PS - check your pm inbox isn't full - i sent you a mesage about carshare a few days ago :roll:
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    Yes Verderers is a wicked blue, agree on the pumping the trail bit, first time I felt the benefit in a big way too when I was there.
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    Hmm its ok, ridden it a good few times, and it kinda just feels a bit like a swoopy road graveled into the woods than a trail to me.. But then also i guess it is a blue.

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