You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Sad news, but probably a victim of 'lose it if you don't use it'. Haven't been for several years, but used to stay there a few times a year, by far the best option if you're riding in the valley, but I guess for me, like many others the area has lost a lot of its appeal over the last decade or so. No reason given (they're actually saying that they're engaging in 'consultation'). Not sure whether their demographic/market has changed much, remember they used to be booked up every weekend fairly well in advance.
The rise of van life, the appeal of BPW (over trail centers in the region) and the demise of the mates biking weekend will all be factors I suspect.
Hope it works out fine for the owners, sold or staying open. Always liked staying there but now we're the wrong end of the country.
Don't think we've been back to Afan after some locals at a football game tried getting territorial in the carpark.
I’m a long way from S Wales, stayed there on my only visit to the area, lovely place, lovely people, what a shame, hope the owners come out of this okay!
Lovely place
That half of the valley has had extensive trail closures for (AFAIK) the entirety of 2024, which for me and the missus* has changed it from an ideal hub for a full weekend of riding to an awkwardly placed but very nice quality accomodation with maybe 1.5 days riding accessible making prodigious use of the rail path.
*self guided "masts" routes would be beyond ability/enjoyment.
That’s a real shame… I’ve had many good biking weekends there over the years, in fact going in a couple of weeks! It’ll be sad to see it go.
I've been taking a group of singlespeeders every January for nearly 15 years (couple of missed years for covid and we did defect to another part of Wales one year) We often occupy 6 or 7 rooms for a long weekend. Will be difficult to find somewhere to replace it!
the demise of the mates biking weekend
thats an odd comment. When/why did people stop doing that?
thats an odd comment. When/why did people stop doing that?
I think its a combination of factors, relating to eBike vs. regular bike riders, costs of bike ownership vs. free cash to then go away, Covid, the rise of bike parks which tend to be less multi day trip orientated... There's a whole load of reasons but I believe what was once a really common thing to do has become far less common in the last few years.
the demise of the mates biking weekend
As much as anything it's a reflection that the average MTB rider isn't in their 20's anymore, they're older with kids, mortgage, job etc.
The sheer level of spousal negotiation and logistical organization that it takes to go away for a weekend these days means that for me it's a very rare treat indeed, once or twice a year max and always booked months in advance.
Used to go several times a month when the weather was good but the days of checking the weather report on a Wednesday and going 'Wales this weekend anyone?' are long gone.
Truss blowing up the bond market and jacking up everyone's mortgages a few years back didn't help, for the stereotypical MTB'er that was a big chunk of the monthly 'fun budget' gone.
I stayed there for the first time this summer. Lovely hotel, nice food, bike friendly.
BUT unfortunately Afan was not a great place to ride. All of the trails on the 'other side' of the valley. The Wall, Whites Level, Skyline had diversions. Including the fireroad connecting the top of White / Wall W2 link and the last descent on the Wall!!!!
We used it as a base. Rode Afan, the day we arrived and left. BPW and Brechfa on the full days between. BPW was excellent. I love Brechfa but again diversions on the Raven, the Gorlech felt very worn and in need of some TLC. But both an hour (ish) drive away.
I think this is all reflective of what's going on at NRW visitor centres. NRW trying to recoup money. They can't run a visitor centre let alone invest in trail upkeep.
But the bottom line is if the trails are not up to scratch or can't be ridden why stay there? I'm sad about Afan Lodge but would I rush back to Afan to ride? No.
the demise of the mates biking weekend
Yup, I've done two of these in the last 10 years. Before kids it was 2-3 per year minimum. Mates went back to Afan this year and said it has gone a long way downhill - trails closed, not well kept. Very sad to hear as I have some great memories of the area. Seems like everything has shifted to BPW - evolve or die.
"Is this still happening? "
I've got my doubts, the most recent website update (June) is pure waffle & nothing happening on the ground.
As others have said last time we went to Afan we stayed at the campsite at the trailhead. It all felt very run down and a shadow of its former self. I suspect they are victims of a lack of maintenance let alone new investment in the trail network which was their market.
Yup, I’ve done two of these in the last 10 years. Before kids it was 2-3 per year minimum
this feels very much like you and your mates have got older rather than a trend. Presumably a younger cohort will be new to riding and doing the things you were doing when you were their age.
If you live in the SE of England BPW in a day is a mighty amount of driving. The people I know still do it as a weekend trip.
I don't have kids and K rides too so we still do weekends away with mates. Did a whole load in Covid years. Very few the last 2 but thats been a function of the weather - its been shit and unpredictable the last two summers, but we just grabbed 5 days in Cumbria for that week of great weather. We'd done it as a group of mates for a week for a few years before but last years 7 days of rain meant no-one was booking ahead this year
Afan Lodge will have died because Afan trails offering has got worse and worse. The last few times I went huge sections closed, other stuff badly in need of maintenance. Theres a load of places would be higher up the list now.
This is a shame, as is the closure of the Cafes which seems to becoming permanent.
Me and jnr got less than a weeks notice before Afan lodge cancelled our booking that I’d made 9 months earlier, with very little hint of customer service within a bland email and no hint of help for alternative accommodation despite me replying accordingly yet politely, just “sorry, you’re out”. We ended up in Port Talbot Premier Inn and very much enjoyed the trails, with only the final section of Y Wal closed (April).
Not that it was particularly nice before but suspect the area either side of the M4 (i.e Port Talbot) is going to get even grimmer (even by S.Wales standards) with the mass layoffs from the steel works.
Combo that with trails that are half closed or behind the current trends and the valley will die a death.
Absolutely loved doing pretty much annual mtb club stays at Afan Lodge from 2010 - 2019, haven't been since Covid pandemic though. There used to be a solid group of 6 - 10 of us that would stay there each visit.
Just been on the Afan Lodge Companies House records and it made a a net loss of -£193k for 2023 so if that trajectory is forecast to continue then presume current owners are getting out while they can. Sad times.
I would have thought it's because all the investment has been focussed on BPW to the detriment of all the other trail centres ?