It could be argued (and often is) that Wales has the best mountain biking trails in the UK, and some of the finest in Europe. Over the last few years the sport has exploded into popularity. New trails have been added and old ones carefully groomed for a better and more varied ride. There are now dozens of one-way mountain biking trails and MTB centres across Wales, and enthusiasts come from as far away as London and the Midlands in search of a day’s hard riding.
Afan Forest Park near Swansea is one of the main attractions. It has everything mountain bikers love- steep routes, rocky jumps, challenging turns and spectacular scenery. Take the Skyline Trail for example. It runs for just under 30 miles and takes in some of the best sightseeing in South Wales. Riders can speed along open country and rolling hills with uninterrupted views across to the Brecon Beacon mountain range, before plunging into heavily forested terrain dotted with carefully placed obstacles and installations.
There are more than 60 miles of single-track trails at Afan. Aside from Skyline there are four other trails that are reckoned to be world class, and a range of gentler options for beginner mountain bikers and families.
South Wales has another fantastic mountain biking venue further East. Cwmcarn Forest Park is best known for its scenic driving route, but lately the carefully set out mountain bike trails have been getting national attention. Again, riders can experience both woodland and open meadow. 360 degree views taking in Cardiff, the islands of the Bristol Channel, and the Severn bridges are on offer.
Moving up into Mid Wales, mountain bikers have begun to make inroads around the Elan Reservoirs. The area is both beautiful and sparsely populated, perfect for biking. Most people take the scenic ride up from Elan Village before arriving at the first of the huge dams. Caban Coch is 37m high and holds back 35000 megalitres of water, with the excess cascading over the top. It’s quite a sight and makes the perfect start to a day of off-road cycling.
In North Wales the best mountain biking can be found in Coed y Brenin (the Forest of Kings). It’s a bike paradise with trails ranging from easy to experts only. The trails are under constant development- right now the focus is on building special skills area for practicing tricky features. That’s a good idea even for experienced riders as the designers at Coed y Brenin have studded their trails with an impressive array of artificial lump and bumps, including the massive drop known as the Cavity.
Like most great venues it’s suitable for riders of any ability and those who don’t have the equipment (or don’t want to get theirs muddy and battered) hire is available on sight. While the mountain biking opportunities in Wales attract serious riders from far afield all the best centres also have trails for those who don’t want so much adrenaline. Anyone who can ride a bike can go off-road through some of the best scenery in Britain.
[box]Jess Spate loves getting out into the Welsh wilderness either on foot or by bike. She spends most of her riding time in Cwmcarn forest and country parks close to Cardiff but likes to explore when she can.[/box]
