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AFAN ARGOED FOREST |
Bicyclemania Cycling Code |
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Address
 
Afan
Forest Park Visitor Centre,
Cynonville,
Port Talbot,
West Glamorgan,
SA13 3HG.
Telephone:
01639 850564
E-mail:
afanforestpark@npt.gov.uk
Car Parking
Short
Stay - £1.00 up to an hour
Long Stay - £2.50 for full day
Season Ticket - £23.00 (includes parking
at Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike Centre)
Miners Museum entry fee
Standard
- £ 1.30
Child under 16 - 65p
Concession - 65p
Under 5 - Free
Camping Prices:
£1.95 per person per night.
Accommodation
Swansea
tourism centre Tel: 01792 468321
How to get there:
From Junction 40 on the M4, follow
the brown and white signs for Afan
Forest Park, then pass Afan Forest Park
Visitor Centre and head towards Cymmer,
take a sharp left turn towards
Glyncorrwg. For more information,
telephone the Centre on: 01639 851900.
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OPENING HOURS |
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Dates |
Times |
Days |
Info |
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April - September |
9.30 am - 5 pm. |
Monday to Friday
(6pm on weekends and Bank Holidays) |
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October - March |
10.30 am - 4 p.m. |
Monday to Friday
(5 p.m. on weekends and Bank
Holidays) |
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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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The
Bicyclemania Cycling Code |
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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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