Cafall, Cwmcarn - first impressions.
Work got cancelled today, so took the opportunity to check out the new Cwncarn XC loop, "Cafall".
For those of you that don't know yet, it's on the opposite hill from the Twrch Trail, shares the first section of climb (from lower carpark to Forest Drive Toll Booth) then splits and heads up the hill on the left, whilst Twrch continues up the valley, then onto the hills to the right.
After the split, there's a lot of cimbing, at times very steep, but much less technical than Twrch. The climb gains height quite abruptly, and is hard graft, although it is broken up by the odd little flattish section and one or two mini downs. After swooping down through a little open valley disected by a brook (watch out for the stones just after the little wooden bridge- snakebite!) it's back into the trees for more natural climbing (including one really muddy section, that will make you glad you brought your winter tyres). After that , there a fun swoopy descent, another little climb and then you're into the main descent. It's not full-tilt downhill all the way, though, but a more thoughtful, natural kind of thing, and broken up a bit by some slower sections and road crossings.
Overall, i thought it was a great trail, and a lot of fun. It's almost entirely natural bench-cut singletrack, and makes a really refreshing change from the hard-pack-surfaced, berm-roller-berm type trails that there have been so many of recently. In many places it feels just like the sort of rider-built trails you find in your local woods. Only the very last section looks at all out of place, as it seems to have been surfaced with that tarmac-looking crushed slate/shale stuff that's been popping up elsewhere recently. The only thing that slightly spoils it is the sheer number of road crossings, and the pinch-stiles which they necessitate to keep motorcrossers off the trail - there's a few points where they really upset the flow.
For those of you that don't know yet, it's on the opposite hill from the Twrch Trail, shares the first section of climb (from lower carpark to Forest Drive Toll Booth) then splits and heads up the hill on the left, whilst Twrch continues up the valley, then onto the hills to the right.
After the split, there's a lot of cimbing, at times very steep, but much less technical than Twrch. The climb gains height quite abruptly, and is hard graft, although it is broken up by the odd little flattish section and one or two mini downs. After swooping down through a little open valley disected by a brook (watch out for the stones just after the little wooden bridge- snakebite!) it's back into the trees for more natural climbing (including one really muddy section, that will make you glad you brought your winter tyres). After that , there a fun swoopy descent, another little climb and then you're into the main descent. It's not full-tilt downhill all the way, though, but a more thoughtful, natural kind of thing, and broken up a bit by some slower sections and road crossings.
Overall, i thought it was a great trail, and a lot of fun. It's almost entirely natural bench-cut singletrack, and makes a really refreshing change from the hard-pack-surfaced, berm-roller-berm type trails that there have been so many of recently. In many places it feels just like the sort of rider-built trails you find in your local woods. Only the very last section looks at all out of place, as it seems to have been surfaced with that tarmac-looking crushed slate/shale stuff that's been popping up elsewhere recently. The only thing that slightly spoils it is the sheer number of road crossings, and the pinch-stiles which they necessitate to keep motorcrossers off the trail - there's a few points where they really upset the flow.
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I was going to go this afternoon but work has been full on. i'll hopefully get there tomorrow
Cafall - 14.4km, 765m climbing
Twrch - 12.7km, 590m climbing
EDIT: official figure for Twrch is apparently 300m :?: so Kev's climb figure of 524m for Cafall seems a lot more feasible. - see below
It was bloody tough!!! A sloppy mudfest in places. It'll be great in the summer (or when the weather is at least half decent) the descents are great fun, the climbs are long.
If you're looking for a manicured trail, this is definitely not for you. It had the feeling of the type of trail made be locals in the woods. Descents are nice and flowy with a few bits to catch you out
A great addition to cwmcarn and a twrch-carfall loop would be an epic.
yeah, like i said, Strava's a bit (actually, a lot) hit-and-miss, but until the powers-that-be get their act together and publish proper stats, it's all we have to go on. I think both the above figures are way out, actually - having checked, the published height gain for Twrch is only 300m, so yours sounds a lot more believable for Cafall.
yep - exactly why I loved it so much. I think part of it was relief, as well; after so many recent projects have been overly artificial, it's great to find one that's nice and natural. I know people are going to complain about the mud, but mud is part of mountain biking at the end of the day
Exactly my thinking, but can't work out which order would be best to tackle them in....
from my place I can come down from the top of the moors, join on to carfall near the top, do those descents, have a cuppa in the café and do a loop of the twrch, back up the fireroad and home. be about 40/45km I reckon.
one for the summer though
Bruiser
Panzer
Commuter
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
Muddy? yep.
So it's push up time for now.
Bruiser
Panzer
Commuter
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
The above is not a complaint, however, just a statement of fact, and leads me to a request:
For anyone thinking of riding Cafall in the near future - please don't bother if you are going to stop at the end of every section to whine and moan about:
a) The amount of mud - it's a natural, unsurfaced, trail in Wales, at the end of the wettest winter on record.
b) The trail being busy - it's a new, eagerly awaited trail and it's only been open a few days; of course it's going to be busy, you dumbass.
Tbh, I think cognation need to close the trail for a bit to let it dry out!
the entry to the new dh trail was all taped off when I rode past it the other day. and I thought it said on the cognation page it was shut...I know people who are riding it though.
Thanks for the information! Much better to have sensible comment like this than wingeing.
FWIW I think the new Cymcarn DH opens the first Sunday in May... Already booked
@Welshkev - Im going to be heading your way sometime in the next 2 weeks. Fancy a ride on a bird... ?
+ some other bikes.
and YES
just let me know
[Edit: they updated last week to say the new DH track was being kept closed as the weather meant it was not in good condition - another few weeks apparently.]
Bruiser
Panzer
Commuter
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
Oo ooo oo... let me know when, wouldnt mind swinging my leg over a new Bird and getting her filthy!