Afan Forest Park offers up some superb riding as well as huge views of the Welsh Valleys. It’s a rugged landscape, where you steeply climb from relatively densely populated ex-industrial valley bottoms to the remote feeling tops.
There’s a bit of something for everyone at Afan. High on the menu are the classic cross-country routes, with the black-graded options providing plenty of challenges both in terms of distance and technicality, with the exposed nature often meaning the weather adds difficulty too.
There are more gentle, low-level routes aplenty though, with a good selection of red and blue trails of varying lengths. Those that are after some airtime/play biking are well served by the bike park area on top of the hill at Bryn Bettws.
It’s worth pointing out there are two visitor centres, with the Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre giving direct access to the green and blue graded Rookie trails, blue-graded Blue Scar, red-graded Penhydd and Y Wal loops and black W2 loop (this consists of the White’s Level and Y Wal trails, joined together with extra linking sections).
The Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike Centre is the starting point for the red-graded White’s Level, Blade and Skyline trails, plus it also provides an alternative starting point for the black-graded W2 loop.
Both centres having (paid) parking plus toilets and cafe, plus on-site bike shops and hire facilities. If you’re after the harder trails, we reckon you should park up at Glycorrwg and if you fancy the milder stuff then Afan Forest is the best place. If you want to play about in the bike park, then Bryn Bettws also has parking and a cafe and gives access to the Y Wal trail and so to the rest of the area.
Bike wise, you’re going to be after a not too heavy full suspension trail bike if you want to make the most of here – going can be rather rough in places so while a lightweight or trail hardtail will get you around without too many issues, you’ll be feeling it in your hands and legs.
