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I know there’s loads of posts about bpw without uplift but, this is a bit different.
I’ve never been and my boy, 7.5, is desperate to go and we have a window for a weekend away this weekend.
Currently all booked up
Anyone been with kids and attempted a few push ups through the day?
He’s a little shredder, so no probs on the actual riding and he’s happy with long days out riding but despite his expectations of himself, he still has physical limits with climbing.
I can take a tow rope? Or is a leisurely stroll up viable?
Cheers
Yes, but 10ish. They were not happy
Sorry to sound like I'm bursting your bubble but personally I'd be a no having done it.
I can take a tow rope? Or is a leisurely stroll up viable?
the quickest route up starts with a long push, then theres a gentle fire road for the second half. As a fit but not racey adult, 25 minutes total. Probably double that with a young kid, so will starting your day with 20 odd minutes pushing up a loose steep dirt track be mentally ruinous for him?
Would recomend you go alone first to see the quality/difficulty of the trails, even the blues will be a pounding if he's on a rigid bike.
Thanks
Not worried about the riding, he’s ridden a lot in the alps and our local area, gawton (he’s also used to the push up there)
Just concerned about the length of the push/walk up at bpw
What are the options for reasonable length runs, with an early get off, so shorter walk back up?
https://www.trailforks.com/trails/map/?nearby=1&activitytype=1&z=15.1&lat=51.72001&lon=-3.38255
Actually might be worth taking the uplift road (lower road and mid road) to the midpoint and do the Roller Disco, Blue Belle area. Probably mostly ridable, Tow rope might be helpful here.
Borrow an ebike and a tow rope??
I have to agree with the reply’s above; the push up is a lot more of an ask then gawton.
That’s a fair ask of the lad IMO
do they still offer 1-ride tickets? it used to be in the afternoon (once a load of people have spannered themselves) there was often space on the buses and you could buy single trip books for £3 each or so
edit : yep here you go from the website :
PAY AS YOU GO
PAYG uplift service is available in limited quantities and can be purchased from the Visitor Welcome Centre on the day subject to availability. The PAYG service is open to pedestrians wishing to use the uplift as well as riders who have a valid pedal pass. Each run is £5 for over 10's and £3.50 for under 10's.Over 10’s £5 per run
Under 10’s £3.50 per run
in my experience, there's zero availability before lunch, good over lunch, then a bit less, then loads of availability after 2.30. Even where there's no availability, you'll probably only wait ~30 mins before getting ion
Just buy some PAYG ride tickets - a fiver for each climb. You are supposed to wait until all those who have booked get loaded but I’ve never had a problem getting on.
I'd just head to somewhere like FoD, less push up and shorter rides, skills area and so on, if you know the area then Dowies is a great place to do runs with kids in tow, Cannop isn't too bad either though, and has the skills area of course.
What about Dare Family Bike park. It’s in S Wales and designed to be more accessible for kids. Dare Gravity Park
Or Mountain View Bike Park just outside Cardiff
Mountain view
Thanks all
He’s desperate to ride bpw, so just figuring out how, or if, I can make it accessible to him
Good call on dare gravity park, I’ll check it out for another trip too
I like the idea of borrowing an ebike to tow him up!
As mentioned above, there's plenty of riding to be done from the mid section so no need to ride right to the top.
Or go to the top and keep riding the top sections as the pedal up is gentler further up and a tow rope would be feasible.
https://www.trailforks.com/trails/map/?nearby=1&activitytype=1&z=15.1&lat=51.72001&lon=-3.38255 < Actually might be worth taking the uplift road (lower road and mid road) to the midpoint and do the Roller Disco, Blue Belle area. Probably mostly ridable, Tow rope might be helpful here.
Just comparing that with what I do with kids most weekends locally, it's about the same climb. I reckon about three runs and they'd have had enough.
He’s desperate to ride bpw,
He's 7, tell him it's full FFS and then book another day.
OP if your son is used to the push up at Gawton, then the push up at BPW shouldnt be an issue as the trails are longer and he'll enjoy it plus he's motivated to do it!
Doing some push ups in the morning and then some PAYG up lifts in the afternoon makes sense. To make the most of the hill I'd ride the top half in the morning till you start uplifting, SixtaPod is an excellent blue trail to the fireroad which you can push back up on (ends at meeting point 2 if you check the trail map) then Melted Welly also goes to the fireroad/MP2 and if you do Melted Welly again Off Grid and Forest Bump are good trails off of Melted Welly. If he's really keen you could also check the A470 jump line, its all rollable table tabs so you'll both be fine. I would stay away from Terrys Belly, Popty Ping until you are uplifting as they end the furthest away then any other trail and IMO TB is pretty dull!
For me I wouldn’t do push up with a 7 or 8 year old. You can do half trails - from the top to the mid way is easier than mid way to the bottom.
The only way I’d do it is hire a full fat ebike and tow him up. That would be way better.
The alternative is look for another uplift place with room - Flyup 417 is pretty child friendly and fun.
Or if he’s used to some tricky trails than Black Mountain Cycle Centre (now dirt farm) is epic. More berms and tables than you can shake a stick at.
FOD has an uplift - there is a blue descent on the DH side which is brilliant fun and you can also ride the verderers trail blue descent from the top there too. If he’s quite decent then the likes of sheep skull/ flat lands might be so-able to. There’s also a pump track and skills area he’d probably like.
Cwmcarn also has an uplift but that only really services the black dh run a d probably the main twrch descent so less suitable.
I think he'd have to be very fit for his age and enjoy climbing to enjoy BPW without using the uplift. Last time I went as a not-very-fit adult I didn't use the uplift and by the time I'd ridden to the top the second time I was so knackered I didn't even really enjoy the downhill as I was worried my arms would buckle :p
PAYG, for sure. Its quite pricey for a full day ticket. I always end up working out how much it cost per run on my day ticket (more runs, cheaper per run). Im pretty spent by the time ive "broken even". Hes got to do 13 runs before its cheaper than buying a PAYG at £3.50 for under 10s.
I would go:
Buy one PAYG, get a run in on the bus.
Perhaps ride up the next one to see how you like the ride up, and for future reference.
then probably end up buying a few more PAYGs.
As Fuzzy Wuzzy says, if youre knackered from the climbing, youre not enjoying the descents properly.
ebike uplift. that is what i will do next time.
I always end up working out how much it cost per run on my day ticket (more runs, cheaper per run). Im pretty spent by the time ive “broken even”
I do this too. But have you accounted for the price of pedal-up admission?
Sorry to sound like I’m bursting your bubble but personally I’d be a no having done it.
I agree, the whole point of BPW is the lift up. I did climb it once on a long sunny weekend, it's not a hard climb particularly but it's a long slog - I wouldn't want to do it more than once or twice, certainly not with kids.
As said above, you could always just tell him it’s booked up and take him another time when you can get on the uplift. The push/cycle up isn’t much fun. I certainly will never do it again without an ebike. Actually I probably won’t do it if I do get an ebike as the uplift makes life much more fun