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I'm going back to Cardiff for work again. As Crosskeys is only half an hour on a train from Cardiff Central, is it possible to get a bike on the train around 6:00pm out of Cardiff, is Cwmcarn open at night and are the trails worth it at night on a 'cross bike?
Car park, visitor centre, shop, etc is shut but nothing to stop you going on the trails (except for locals and monsters). The twrch has been mostly shut with a pretty average diversion but cafall is open and a nice trail, bit more of a natural feel. Way too tech for me on a cross bike but you may have more skillz.
Would have thought night on a CX = recipe for A&E unless you are uber skilled or know the trail very well. It's not your usually smooth bermy type trail centre
Make sure you make a little vid so we can enjoy the ochit moments 🙂
A bike on the train out of Cardiff Central at 6pm would be a struggle, they're not the most bike-friendly station! If you're on across bike I'd be tempted to ride there and back, depending on the amount of time you've got available. Might even work out faster depending on the train times. The trails are doable on a CX/rigid but best to have a good knowledge of what's coming up.
As for night riding at Cwmcarn, do it 4 or 5 times a year. Surprising how often I see others out too! If you decide to drive, the Forest Drive entrance will be locked but you can nip into the visitor centre car park via Cwmcarn village easily enough.
Thanks for the advice. No car, some skills, quite a bit of fitness. I don't know the trails at all. Free from 6:00pm until 8.30am the next morning. I'll have a think. It looks like I might be spending a lot of time in a big building at Callaghan Square so I'll need something more than a turbo trainer in the hotel room. Thanks again.
I'd be tempted to ride up the taff trail straight from the city centre. There's some nice trails around castle coch.
One of my regular-ish rides is to park up at Castell Coch then ride along the Ridgeway to Machen woods. It's then a short hop over to Crosskeys and up to Cwmcarn's trails. Takes about 4-5 hours in total on a FS with a bit of a play in Machen woods so easily doable if you have a few hours to play with. The Taff Trail up to Castell Coch from Callaghan Square should only be 30 mins or so on a CX, the trail passes 1/4 mile to the east of Callaghan Square so doable from work. Plenty of options to explore!