Bredon Hill

Rating:           3/5
Distance:       Varies from 5km to 30km

Climb:             Approximately 300 - 600m (depending on number of climbs)
Time:            1.5-3 hours
Difficulty        2/5

This is a classic biking location, which has been home for many a local biker for many a year.

Generally the riding is made from piecemeal sections linked together in all number of different ways by each and every individual. Mine generally starts, following a 10km ride from my house, from Cottons Lane in Ashton-under-hill at the foothills of Bredon hill on its eastern side.

What follows is a gradually more painful ride almost directly up the hill to the permissive circular around the top. I then loop anticlockwise via the 'elephant rock' and 'Banbury stone tower' a fort or lodge that sits at the very top of the hill (now used for telecommunications).

From here you are treated to magnificent views of the Cotswold escarpment, the Malvern hills (and on a good day the black mountains) plus the vast flat lands of the Vale. What this place lacks in technical content it certainly makes Wonderful 360° views.

Depending on where you come from you may wish to add in the descent in to Bredon at this point. From the Banbury tower, head south west following bridleways. What follows is a nice twisting section of singletrack that flows through the woods before you head down the hill at warp speed using the wide track in to Westmancote. Make sure to session the small jump track at the threshold of the grass field and the fire track before heading down the hill.

A second climb from Overbury will bring you back to the Banbury stone tower, from which you head to the north of the summit continuing the original anticlockwise route. Head through a couple of gates and take on the fast singletrack before bearing left at the crossing (the permissive circular crosses a second bridleway) heading down through a wood. This section can be ridden fast, however it is quite rooty/rutted so stay loose.

The route emerges in to open fields, follow the worn path through the grass, it eventually merges back on to singletrack. Follow this at your chosen speed, crossing two bridges. You will eventually emerge in Elmley Castle.

Technically the terrain is not that difficult. Having said that, the faster you ride the more demanding it becomes. The route can also get quite thick with mud, especially towards the base of the hill, during prolonged spells of rain. Don't let that put you off however. The views are, by far and way, definitely worth it. There are plenty of other climbing and descent options worth considering.

White's Level. Afan

Rating:     4/5

Length:    15km

Climbing: 525m

Time:       2-3 hours

Difficulty:   Red/Black options

'Technical climbing followed by flowing, fast and hard descending. Rewards the effort you put in'.

Afan and Glyncorrwg are separated by a couple of miles, and as a result you can join both the White's Level and Wall trails via linking sections to make one uber long day out. However, the White's Level trail is by far my favourite full trail of this little community. With exception of the skyline descent.

I have often parked at the Afan car park as it's simply the first I come too on my commute, however there are larger facilities at the Glyncorrwg site. Both have cafe, toilets and bike shop. The later also has a well maintained camping area for making a weekend of it.

The trail itself begins at the Glyncorrwg site, however, an easy ride along the old railway line (from the Afan site) does help to warm up the muscles for the killer climb that greats you immediately upon crossing the start gate. It is not easy going either.

Regular switch backs help to reduce the pain and provide glimpses of the ever emerging landscape. The initial climb takes approximately half an hour to 45 minutes. This is mainly due to its length but also the technicality of the trail surface. This is singletrack with a twist. Numerous rocky outcrops and slab sections break up the naturally loose surface of the trail providing plenty of technical challanges on your journey. It is a balance of power, skill and endurance to make the entire climb in one without the odd dab of the foot or fall in some instances. Don't get me wrong, if you concentrate it can be done, and made to look easy.

It is certainly satisfying when you finally reach the top and emerge above the tree line to the vast views that greet you at 'Windy Point'. Plus there's always someone cheering you up the last few yards. Cycling is definately a sport filled with cameraderie - everyone is always really chearful.

From here you have the option of takling the black rated downhill section, which starts off much like the rest of the trail, with some added boardwalk sections creating good flow and speed, before you emerge on the rocky outrcop. Littered with large boulders and very loose stones, the key is finding your chosen line early and commiting to it. Following a quick climb up a fire track back to the start, you rejoin the trail.

The next section, 'Goodwood', is a fun twisting section of singletrack that is designed to be ridden hard. You'd best hope you have energy left after the climb as the trail does not relent from start to finish. All the climbing is rewarded, however, with some very good, very fast descending. Littered with plenty rock drops and jumps, the final descent is a warp speed affair.

White's level never fails to put a smile on my face. It does certainly help if you are fit and prepared for the trail. A good breakfast is a must. If you have the energy to power round the loop without feeling like your dragging your heels the trail really comes alive.

A nice detail worth mentioning, which makes a huge difference to the maintenance and longevity of the trail is the drainage channels that are worked in to rocky climb sections. They direct the vast amounts of water that emerges from the hill directly down the hill and not along the trail. This in turn ensures that erosion is a much smaller problem than I have noticed at other venues. The channels themselves are little more than well placed stones to form a chute. They do not foul the trail and are pretty much inconspicouos to a bike.

It is worth noting, you will need to apply insect repellent to any areas of bare skin or suffer being eaten alive. Midges are found throughout the trail and stopping for any length of time is like jumping in to piranha infested waters.

 

Gorlech trail, Brechfa.

Rating:      4/5

Length:      22km

Climb:       1071m

Time:         between 2-3 hours

Difficulty:   Red

Thrills and ease of use of a trail centre with the remote feel of a local trail.

The Gorlech trail at Abergorlech near Brechfa in wales is what could be described as a trail formed from two sides of the same coin. Those two sides, however, are quite removed from each other in terms of character and trail style.

Generally speaking the first half of the trail is formed by single track climbing through lush, green, pine woodland. The trail follows this pleasant format for most of the climbing and the top sections before becoming progressively faster and bigger as you near the end. Large berms and tabletops litter the final descents (the final descent is made up from a number of linked sections which generally blend in to one).

The trail starts from the car park by means of a pretty standard fire track climb. After about half a kilometre the trail kinks right on to gravelly single track. The first half of the trail is, generally, single track climbing through lush pine woodland. There is a damp atmosphere and it can often be quite misty (giving rise to the feeling that the woods are haunted).

Even on a sunny day it can be quite a contrast as you emerge at the top of the climb and out from the tree line. Your climbing is rewarded with an additionally contrasting downhill section of berms and jumps. The section flows nicely and at each apex there are tree stumps designed for riding over - don't avoid them as they are good fun!)

This alternative style of trail is accentuated further on the final descents. Following some final switchback climbing to gain altitude, the trail then immediately gains speed and scale. The speed increases gradually with plenty of off camber turns as well as some huge berms, plenty of table tops and technically challenging corners (speed and momentum/flow are your friends here) all the way to the car park.

The trail surface is made up by hard packed slate and gravel, making the corners loose in places. The design of the trail does provide good lines through the corners so grip is still plentiful. The trail has good bedrock beneath and as such, even in wet conditions doesn't churn up much like some other centres might do. This trail has obviously been designed to take account of the prevailing welsh weather.

The car park is pretty much all that exists in terms of facilities. There are some portaloos however, there is a very nice pub just around the corner, which serves good food and has much nicer toilets.