cwm carn or afan Options

[sblunsden]

Hi

Hopefully you guys/girls can help out. I am visiting a friend in Stroud (near Bristol) we are hopefully going to either go to Afan or Cwm carn.

The question is which?, is Afan worth the extra drive. I reside in Scotland so may not make it back down anytime soon.

We both have full sussers and like stuff like Innerleithen. May try and do both of course but this may not be possible.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Scott

[Gareth]

Personally I prefer Glyncorrwg/Afan to Cwmcarn. Cwmcarn has the added attraction of a downhill course if you're biked up for it but that doesn't work for me.

Go to Afan and meet up with Afan Adventures. Pay £25 and do all the descents including the black run and the end of the Skyline trail for seven descents in a day instead of two! Say we sent you then let me know if this isn't the best (man made) days biking in Wales. There is the added advantage of being able to buy a slap up lunch at Glyncorrwg's Drop in Cafe, get your bike fixed in the shop and then be driven to the top whilst your lunch goes down, bliss! :stupidlyhappy:

[bazza]

Was there the other week, and did Afan in the morning. Then loaded car up with bikes and shot over to Glyncorrwg and had lunch in The Dropin. Then rode there in the afternoon.

The day after we rode Afan again, and had lunch there. Baked potato was bearable, but, not a patch on Glyncorrwg. Avoid the beans!

I doubt any of that helps much!

[Doug]

Easy choice.

Cwmcarn if you like air, Afan if you don't. Theyve both got an uplift service but try to book it as soon as you've decided where your going to avoid disappointment.

[SammyC]

I think the Wall at Afan is closed now?

[DaveW]

Go to Afan and meet up with Afan Adventures. Pay £25 and do all the descents including the black run and the end of the Skyline trail for seven descents in a day instead of two! Say we sent you

He can try :roll:

I agree though. I prefer Afan/Glyncorrwg to Cwmcarn too.

[Gareth]

He can try  

Book in advance for the whole day and you have their attention. turning up on the day and asking for part day/bus service individual runs is frought with communication difficulties and the vagaries of riders on other runs having mechanicals or getting lost. Phone the night before to confirm as mobile phones on the day are very unreliable or have no service in the Valley. :idea:

[DaveW]

For the Wales weekend I tried calling his mobile on at least three different occasions and sent two emails - and this was more than two weeks in advance. I got no response!

[Freester]

Same here. Have tried to call Afan Adventures twice with 2 weeks notice but no call returned.

[DaveW]

Btw, the link to Afan Adventures in the mtbb feature won't work. His website has returned a 404 page for a long time now.

[ammer]

Have'nt done Cwmcarn yet, but you certainly wont be bored with Afan.

So much to do!

[sblunsden]

Thanks for the advice.

Looks like I will try to get to Afan then. May try the uplift but will not bank on it. Riding uphill will be ok, keep me warm at least.

[Freester]

Sounds like a good plan. I drive up from the SW at least once a month and we always drive the extra to Afan... Saying that I am planning on checking out Cwm Carn soon. I think the XC Route at Cwm Carn is a bit short - you might want to do 2 laps.

As for Afan bear in mind the Wall is unfortunately shut until early Summer 2007 (shame this is the best singletrack descent there IMO).

Whites Level is cracking - especially if you do the optional Black run (don't let it scare you it isn't that hard). The Skyline shares it main singletrack climb with Whites Level. After the shared climb the Skyline is quite a long demanding route with a lot of fireroad climbs. But the last descent is outstanding. If singletrack is your thing buy a map and do the Skyline but take the short cut options and then you will have time to get another route in.

Penhydd - the first track they built at Afan is great fun (especially Hidden Valley section) but maybe not as challenging as the other two.

You won't regret your decision 8)

[Orange Al]

The only thing i can say on this topic is about those bleedy gates at afan. I can see the point in them but thought there was far to many of them and the totally break up any type of rhythm that your getting. But downhill wise they are both excellent.

[sblunsden]

Is the wall actually shut? according to the mb wales website it is shut from the 27th so I really hope this is correct as I am going there on the 24th just in time.

Will have to wait and hope I suppose.

The Whites level (with optional black) sounds good.

Thanks for all the info everyone.

[DaveW]

I saw it was meant to be the 27th too. When I went on Sunday I was told that it was already closed.

[bazza]

Is the wall actually shut?

I was there week before last, and I'm pretty sure we rode it then.

Is 'The Wall' the one with the long flat (slightly down) ride out of the carpark, down the valley, then around and up?
If so, we did that. But, there were closures/diversions on the way up.

Will most likely be out that way again in early December. I'll report again after then.