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Afan Forest has two Visitor Centres, Afan
Forest Park Visitor Centre & Glyncorrwg MTB
Centre.
Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre
The Visitor
Centre, which is run by Neath Port Talbot
County Borough Council, offers a conference
room, campsite, café and shop, as well as
being the place to find out more about the
entire Forest Park. There are walking
trails, family cycling and exhilarating
mountain bike trails. Afan Forest Park
Visitor Centre is the trailhead for two
world class mountain bike trails, the
‘Penhydd’ and ‘The Wall’ mountain bike
trails. The South Wales Miners Museum is
also situated in the Visitor Centre, which
illustrates the history of the Forest Park.
Please note that the café in the Centre is
being refurbished and is expected to be
finished by the end of April 2006. Temporary
catering is available - light snacks, tea
and coffee.
Facilities:
Bike Hire will be available from December
2005.
Activities
26 station course - recommended courses or
use your own.
Maps available for £1 from the shop.
How to get there:
Situated on
the A4107 - follow the road from the M4,
Junction 40 for about 6 miles. Look out for
the signs for Afan Forest Park Visitor
Centre. For more information, telephone Afan
Forest Park Visitor Centre on: 01639 850564.
Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike Centre and Ponds
Set amidst
the beautiful mountain bike scenery of Afan
Forest Park, the ponds are perfect for
canoeing and fishing. The newly opened
Mountain Bike Centre is based at the start
of two world class mountain bike trails,
‘Skyline’ and ‘White’s Level’. The Centre
also has a fully stocked bike shop, showers,
campsite, jet wash and a café that provides
quality food and service.
There is also a Wales Tourist Board graded
caravan and camp site.
Facilities:
Bike Shop
Activities
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~ PENHYDD
TRAIL ~
22km (1.5-3hrs A mix of
tightly technical, twisting, arm wilting
single-track plus climbs & downs)
~ ROCKY MTN WALL TRAIL ~
23km (1.5-3hrs Fast
swooping single-track mixed with beautiful
views & a downhill run at the end)
~ WHITE'S LEVEL TRAIL ~
24km (1.5-3hrs Very
technical tough riding with drops, step
downs and long single-track climbs)
~ SKYLINE TRAIL ~
46km (5.5-7hrs Epic
trail high up on level single-track, but
still tough going)
The 9feet.com and MBR-sponsored trail
launched a 9.5 mile way-marked gem. Climbing
predominantly on fire roads with descents on
single-track. Daffyd Davis from
Coed-y-Brenin advised the single-track. It
is more of a flowing trail than technical.
Afan Argoed is situated a convenient 10
minutes away from the M4. There is also a
separate family level trail within the
forest. All the trails are fully way-marked,
plus an updated map will shortly be
available from the Afan Argoed visitor
centre. Afan Forest park is the fastest
growing mountain bike centre in Britain and
located only minutes from the M4 it’s
perfect for those wanting to reach a variety
of fantastic riding fast. The original
testing 20km loop of the Penhydd
trail. (The chosen course of the
2001 World single-speed championships)
has now been joined by two more fabulous
trails.
The Rocky Mountain sponsored Wall
trail is a swooping 24km mainly
single-track loop with epic views and
breathtaking descents to keep your heart
pumping all the way round. The
White’s Level Trail is the latest
but most challenging of them all, using the
rocky outcrops of the steep sided valleys to
maximum ‘drop-in’ effect. Expect all sorts
of twisted, exposed single-track sections
and ridge to valley bottom descents to keep
you on your technical toes but leave you
grinning from ear to ear. With beautiful
view points over the Gower Peninsula and
Lundy island as well as the Brecon Beacons,
the trails will also leave you breathless in
more ways than one.
The extensive trail network in the forest
also includes the 24-mile Celtic
High Level scenic trail, a unique
point-to-point ride that takes you past
prehistoric forts, Roman camps, more modern
industrial archaeology and specially
constructed sculptures en route. There is
also a shorter family route and literally
1000's of kilometres of ‘free range’ marked
riding within the forest. |
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The
latest addition to Afan Forest Park. The
trail starts with the same climb as
White’s Level – quite rocky and
technical.
'Skyline is a giant of a ride. Be
prepared!'
Sharing
the same sheep-track ascent as White’s
Level and continuing on long, forest
road climbs with sweet, flowing
technical singletrack descents you will
be treated to stunning skyline views of
Brecon Beacons, the Preselis. The Black
Mountains and the South Wales coast.
This
route will test your stamina and your
nerve, with technical singletrack, such
as ‘On the Edge’ and ‘Excalibur’
sections. Your reward will be
out-stretched views and a
nerve-tingling, rocky, 6km singletrack
descent back into Glyncorrwg. There are
also 2 short cut loops built into the
trail and the furthest section
‘Excalibur’ should only be attempted
with sufficient daylight hours to
complete the route.
Come well
prepared with plenty of water, food,
spares (inner tubes etc) and due to the
nature of the trail, some spare
clothing. Skyline route is subject to
extreme weather changes and temperature
differences between the valley bottom
(195m) and mountain top (600m). The
weather can be wild and can close in
fast. |
Skyline
Click to super-size
Distance: 46km
Climb: 2000m
Time: 5 - 7 hours |
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This
trail essentially traverses the North
side of the Afan Valley on singletrack,
which varies from fast, open and flowing
to tight technical and rooty.
Much of
the singletrack crosses some very steep
side slopes and in places feels quite
exposed. The route also shares a section
of the family cycle trail along the
valley bottom so please ride with
consideration for other users. |
The
Wall Trail
Click to
super-size
Distance 23Km
Climb: 450m
Time: 1.5 - 3 hours |
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This is a
varied trail, which combines forest and
road climbs with tight, technical,
switchback trails through mixed woodland
and open flowing singletrack through
ground with great views.
Big
climbs followed by technical descents
mean this trail is not suitable for
novices and in places the trail is
exposed to bad weather on high ground.
Please make sure that your bike is in
good working order and that you are
adequately equipped. |
The
Penhydd Trail
Click
to super-size
Distance: 22Km
Climb: 550m
Time: 1-3 hours |
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Very
technical progressive riding trail with
drops, step downs and long singletrack
climbs.
A 6km sheep track climb gives fantastic
views of Afan Forest Park, extreme
exposure on tight singletrack means
ultimate thrills and long, demanding
descents with rocky steps to negotiate,
all leading to one outrageous trail. If
this was a slalom run it would be graded
black. |
White's
Level
Click
to super-size
Distance: 24km
Climb: 400m
Time: 1.5 - 3 hours |
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* T h e
B i c y c l e m a n i a C
y c l i n g C o d e * |
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Have a bicycle, it helps!.
Always wear a cycle helmet.
Ride with a smile, not a bashed in face ..!
Expect the unexpected because it'll never
happen ...! properly ....?
Give way to walkers/ horses & be friendly
towards other forest users, especially
sheep.
Never ride whilst under the influence of
drugs, alcohol or porno's ... Boring..!
Always have enough money with you. 'Duh', to
buy Bicyclemania trailfinders a pint.
Footpaths are for walkers only, .....
" you know what we mean "
Ride flat-out & attack every hill, it could
be your last ride, ever .. ever ... ever!.
Please do not drop litter or fag butts,
stuff'em down your shorts.
Come back for a ride with a big smile and
all your teeth.
DANGER ! Keep away from all forest
operations like, S.A.S. special training
op's.
...'Only teasing' .... |
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Afan
Forest Park Visitor Centre, 
