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I am looking at doing a weeks bike trip to wales with some guys from work (RAF)who are all keen bikers.
i have come up with this itinery for the week but was wandering if it is too much?
Day 1
Forest of dean
Verderers Trail - 7 Miles
Considered to be the best new trail in Britain, the Verderer's incorporates fast, flowing flat out corners, big berms and rollovers. Graded blue, but with some tricky challenges and a optional final RED descent, the trail gently winds uphill before a swooping, flat top section and a brilliant descent on the Dragon's Tail that will have you hooting and hollering all the way back to the cycle centre.
Cwmcarn
Twrch Trail
• Grading: Red
• Type: Cross-country
• Distance: 14km
• Time: 1-2hrs
• Technicality: 3/5
The Twrch Trail winds upwards alongside the river, over fiddly rocky sections and sharp climbs. Once up, you can bounce around tight corners and spiral through the woods before rattling out across an exposed traverse and then blasting down the final berms and jumps.
Sat-nav: NP11 7FA
Day 2
Afan Argoed
W2 –
The Wall
• Grading: Red
• Type: Cross-country
• Distance: 24km
• Time: 1-2.5hrs
• Technicality: 3/5
The first half of The Wall is dominated by forest roads. The second, better half consists almost entirely of some superb singletrack.
White's level
• Grading: Red
• Type: Cross-country
• Distance: 15km
• Time: 2-3hrs
• Technicality: 3/5
The first bit is climbing but there’s enough technical interest. There’s an optional black downhill before a flowing, twisting run with singletrack and jumps. The final descent is thrilling.
Glyncorrwg: Sat-nav: SA13 3EA
Day 3
Brechfa
Gorlech Trail
• Grading: Red
• Type: Cross-country
• Distance: 22km
• Time: 1.5-3hrs
• Technicality: 3/5
There’s a fair bit of forest road climbing, but on the way back down the trail is a total rollercoaster.
Sat-nav: Brechfa
Day 4
Cli-Machx
Cli-machx
• Grading: Red
• Type: Cross-country
• Distance: 15km
• Time: 1-2hrs
• Technicality: 4/5
It’s the final downhill of the Cli-machx trail that people talk about. It’s one of the longest singletrack descents in the UK. Deep in the forest, it’s dark, rocky and highly technical at the top and curves around a series of large berms at the bottom. It’s pretty hard to ride fast and smoothly – but it feels great when you do. The remainder of the trail features good singletrack. It’s fairly swoopy, with the odd tricky section, and contains a couple of rocky, technical climbs – nice to see at a trail centre.
Sat-nav: Machynlleth
Day 5
Coed-y-Brenin
The Beast
• Grading: Black
• Type: Cross-country
• Distance: 38km
• Time: 3-6hrs
• Technicality: 4/5
Coed-y-Brenin combines the MBR and Dragon’s Back trails to create The Beast. It covers a fair distance and packs in a lot of singletrack. Not easy, but it’s well worth riding.
Sat-nav: LL40 2HY
Day 6
Gwydyr Forest
Marin Trail
• Grading: Red
• Distance: 25km
• Time: 1-2.5hrs
• Technicality: 3/5
With a big ascent straight out of the car park and a fair amount of forest road climbing, the Marin Trail doesn’t sound like a promising option. But throw in fast, twisting trails, pleasant open singletrack and a jagged rocky section and things start looking up. The clincher may be the final few stretches of singletrack descent – they’re long, winding and fast, with some large humps and compressions that offer plenty of opportunities for taking to the air.
Sat-nav: LL26 0PN
Day 7
Coed Llandegla
Red
• Type: Cross-country
• Distance: 18km
• Time: 1.5-3hrs
• Technicality: 3/5
Beginning with a long climb, the route ‘proper’ kicks off with a promising descent around berms and over jumps. From there, rough singletrack cuts up and down through the forest.
Sat nav: LL11 3AA
Day 8 (optional)
Lee Quarry
crikey ! doesnt leave much time for beer and breakfast does it ! 😯
Days 3 and 4 will be pretty short rides, you'll probably want to do the black at Brechfa too and maybe Nant-Yr Arian as well as Cli-Machx.
Could also swap Penmachno for Gwyder (or do both), as it's longer and better.
Day three, add Cwm Rhaeder after Brechfa on your way to Coed y Brenin.
I thought days 3 and 4 could be rest days between W2 and Cody
Cli-Machx may still be a pointless diversion with all the harvesting operations and trail diversions going on till late this year (if i read the signs correctly a few weeks ago). Recommend Cadair Idris (just up the road) instead.
hmmmm seems a shame to spend all that time at trail centres......
there are lots of great natural trails in Wales.... I'd delete the fod cwmcarn day and do the Grynwe fawr loop (don't forget to pickup the descent via Fordlas Fawr)
Well I hope it all works and everyone van complete the trip.
I will look at some of the suggestions and ser if I can improve it a little
there are lots of great natural trails in Wales....
Forgive my ignorance, but aren't a lot of natural trails broken up by gates or stiles or roads?
Lots of driving for not much riding on some days. It's easily do-able but you could spend a couple of days each at Afan and Coed y Brenin. Cwmcarn and Climachx are both good but only half-day options unless you do laps or add in other stuff.
What cha****ng said, dump the marin for penmachno
Wouldn't personally spend more than a day at Afan - aren't lots of sections closed still?
this trip isnt going ahed soon.
got to plan it and put the paperwork in and nobody can do anything till at least end of september due to the olyimpics ( in the RAF) proberly not doing this till feb next year but have to plan it now
A lot will depend on what you'll be doing after the rides. Beer could affect your plans if there isn't much to do in the evenings.
half cut riding.....
never.... 😉