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Looking for an off-road route back to the Elan Valley from Llyn Brianne. Does anyone have first-hand experience of riding the bridleway from Moel Prysgau to Claerwen Dam that follows Afon Arban? How rideable is it?
bumped for the bug
No, but if the rest of Elan valley is anything to go by, it'll be a mudfest unless preceeded by a month of blazing hot weather.
Try asking Phil at Mountainbike Wales,he knows this area very well!
Or Clive Powell in Rhayader...
Do not, I repeat do not try the afon arban! It doesn't exist on the ground and is a long hike a bike through very boggy, tussock grass.
The only route I use to get back over to elan valley is taking the bridleway from Abergwesyn called Bryn Clun into the forest at Cefn Garw all rideable aswell.
Then take the bridleway out of the forest to Carnau, a small section of hike a bike to reach the summit, then navigate the tops before following the track down the nant parawdys which is a great rideable descent.
It's probably the best way from that side of the valley to elan valley in terms of riding vs hike a bike, all the others involve a lot more hike a bike or don't exist on the ground
Found the answer in the search function (who'd've thunk it):
Afon Arban, FTW
If if you want to push, carry, throw your bike 4 miles up a river then this is the track to choose
One account of taking a bike up it
http://allthegear-noidea.blogspot.com/2012/01/of-mice-and-men-bit-of-tolkien-five.html
<small class="bbp-reply-post-date">Posted 2 years ago</small>
Thanks sri16v, that was the other route I was considering.
I walked up Afon Arbon once in snow, that was a day...the walk down without the snow is much nicer.
I'm pretty sure I've pushed a bike down at least once thinking how bad can it be?? you're pretty much at the Dam before you can get on the bike!
It's a shame that the routes are not more well trodden or actually surfaced as they would make for some great links for big rides.
I learnt my lesson with bridleways and OS maps in Mid wales many years ago, nowadays I walk them first to check for suitability!
The Nant Paradwys route is ok. But then again, riding via Teifi Pools and round the Claerwen is nice and straightforward. The route via Afon Arban is a bit of a push but if your bike is light enough it only takes an hour or so. I have done it a few times... is tedious rather than horrendous.
By Scottish HaB standards it’s a walk in the park.