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Laddo and i are heading down to bpw in a couple of weeks. Our booked uplift day is the monday but we are going to travel sunday lunch and wouldn't mind a pootle out sun afternoon before checking in to the hotel. He's 13, can piss his way round cannock, has ridden antur stiniog blues etc so nothing redbull hardline but a good ride out with some flow and jumps would be brilliant. Which trail centres or nearby waymarked type routes would you recommend. TIA
Where are you travelling from? That would determine what's on route.
If you are coming from southern England then Cwmcarn is only a minor diversion.
I was very impressed with the FoD recently....... if you're coming from the Midlands / NW that would be en route
Coming from Derbyshire. Was hoping to ride something pretty close to bpw but to be fair fod isn' that much of a detour. He rode the red there a few years ago when he was about 8 🤣. Bad dad!
Afan is our usual second day option.
does it have to be waymarked as Traditonally it's a natural loop to contrast the trail centre of BPW, therefore the GAP out of Talybont on usk. Fairly straight forward and lovely scenery, gentle long climbs and moderate tech on the downs, no drop offs.
Another for GAP, its an excellent loop
If you can get to 417 by 09:00 there is a kids DH race Sunday.... (Last weekend was a race at FOD)
Loads of skill levels ... if you can't then there will be loads of kids about after.
Also they have the pump track and jump barn.... not to mention plenty of jumps on the normal runs....
Our booked uplift day is the monday but we are going to travel sunday lunch and wouldn’t mind a pootle out sun afternoon before checking in to the hotel.
Thought about Snowdon?
Another vote for the FoD here; the trails are running lovely at the moment and there's so much variety it could keep you entertained for weeks, never mind one day.
Interested to hear more about GAP though.
FoD / Cwmcarn for trail centre stuff.
Gap is a great ride, not going to be trail centre waymarked stuff though. Long xc climbing and lovely rocky decent. Great on a nice day. 13 year old may or may not enjoy it I guess. Not a jumpy singletrack ride.
One of many versions of the route:
http://www.mbwales.com/listings/the-gap/
There's an option with a lovely little tea room café half way round, though I can never remember how to get to it.
Presumably you'll either come down the m50 or M5/M4. Of course I've no idea where you're staying! Either will you within spitting distance of Cwmcarn tbh.
FOD is mint. Or, how about a half day at BMCC? (they don't sell a half day I think, but frankly buying a day ticket there and using half of it is still better value than some other places, the trails are mint and the tractors are tractors)
Thanks guys. Going direct to cwmcarn from home is 15 mins less time than going direct to bpw according to the maps. Then cwm to the hotel in Merthyr is 30 mins. Looks like that will be ideal for us. 10 mile ish red route will be perfect for him before a full day uplift in the monday 👍
You're staying a a "hotel" in Merthyr? Brave.