Nant yr Arian Forestry Visitor Centre is 12 miles east of Aberystwyth on the main A44 road. I predict that this is going to be the next big development in mountain biking in Wales. Mick Ives, the CTC Off road development officer and Dafydd Davies of Coed y Brenin fame are both involved. In a months time two wilderness mountain bike routes will be way-marked and the team of five full time trail makers will complete an 8-mile challenging and technical singletrack in the woods a few months after.
The now sadly defunct Maximum Mountain Bike magazine ran an article on Route A. The Big Un which is a monster 43km, 5-6 hour challenge ride which is not ride-able at the moment but in November 2001 it should be open. Rough photocopies of both routes may be available from the cafe, which serves great coffee and cakes, at the Visitor Centre.
However, Route B, is open and it is one of the finest 15 mile mountain bike rides in Mid-Wales. Start at the upper second car park on the left. This is long stay and costs £1. Don't park next to the visitor centre as they feed Red Kites in the afternoon, which is a big attraction for short stay visitors. Start up the tarmac road away from the car park and take the rough forest road bearing a little to the right. Climb up here to the brow of the hill and you will see a rough double track going off to the right. Follow this across open moor land and I guarantee that in 10 minutes you will feel that you are in the back of beyond. The scenery on a good day is stunning. Continue down pleasantly to the hidden minor tarmac road and turn left. Go through a gate and follow the road around to the right and over a short steep bit to the first small lake- Llyn Blaenmelindwr, Keep to the right side of lake and climb up ignoring tracks on left and right and follow rough road to the beautiful Llyn Syfydrin which will be on your left. Continue along the stony track around the lake and blast along here in this very remote area. You will come to a ford with a footbridge on the left. The ford is do-able. This section is magic and good for the soul. Soon you will come to a ruined farmhouse, up a small rise and you will see a wide stony track going right off the main track .Follow this to Nant y Moch reservoir.
Turn left and follow the road on the south side of the reservoir until just past the end of the water you will see a rough wide road leading off to the
left (Bridleway sign). Go up here and switch on the technical apparatus, because the next mile, especially if wet, is tricky. Monster puddles, Slick slabs of rock, flood channel berms, loose baby head rocks. Terrific. You are at a T-junction of tracks (if you turn left you will soon join the outward track and a quick way back to the centre).Turn right, through the gate and start the well graded and surfaced climb up the Col. If only all off road climbs were this well maintained fighting gravity could be a pleasure!
At the top of the Col you can see the sea. Turn right down a rough rocky track, which is a
2km fantastic descent, which seems to go on forever. Drop-offs, gullies, water splashes. boggy bits. If in doubt keep left down to a stream crossing. You will now hit a tarmac road (ouch, Ed.)
turn left uphill and go through three gates to the tiny hamlet of Bont Goch with a splendid church.
At T junction in hamlet turn left and go uphill for 1km, turn left again and at the crossroads turn left and climb the narrow road up to the end where there is a gate.
Go through the gate, then another shortly after and in 200 metres turn right off the main track through a gate onto another stony wide track that skirts below an obvious rock outcrop. The track contours down and left to a very small lake, with Rheidol Study centre on the other side. Follow the grassy track on the west edge of the lake. Select granny gear and go for the short sharp climb up through the wood to the road. Turn left along a steep bit of tarmac which changes back into rough forest track which you follow round to the right and up to a minor tarmac road. Go straight across here, just to the left of the buildings and down track to forest road, turn left and then soon afterwards left up the very steep switchbacks. I bet you can't get up here in one go!
The track deposits you on the road again turn right. You will see another lake-Llyn Pendam- on your right, and at junction turn right and then left following minor road to Llyn Blaenmelindwr which you passed earlier in the ride. Turn right over brow of small hill and then soon right onto wide junction of forest roads. Do not follow the enticing signs Nant yr Arian. I know it goes downhill but you will be sorry! Instead take the far less attractive first forest road on the left which is the last drag uphill. At the top you just follow the fast forest road back to the car park. PLEASE don't hurtle into the car park at warp speed as the Forestry Enterprise are very concerned about liability and mixing walkers, bird spotters, orienteers and grannies. The manager told me that they even had to take out liability insurance against Red Kites landing on someone's head. But at £750 per annum it is not funny. So don't let the MTB fraternity down.
Just under fours hours should do you. If you want something substantial to eat, the Red Kite transport cafe, one mile east of the Centre is highly recommended. If you wanted to make a weekend of it, why not visit Machynlleth, which is not far away, and do one of their excellent way-marked Mach routes.