Y Wal at Afan Forest

10 Sep 2013

By David Scorer

Again, something slightly different for the Tuesday Trail this week... As the summer comes to an end and some of the classic gravity bike parks at ski resorts start to wrap up for the season it's worth noting those locations in the Northern Hemisphere that stay open for the whole winter (weather permitting...!).

And so to Afan Forest Bike Park - a trail center in South Wales with some of the best singletrack descents in the UK.  The Y Wal Trail (translated from Welsh, it means 'The Wall') essentially traverses the North side of the Afan Valley on singletrack, varying from fast, open and flowing to tight, technical and rooty. There is a climb so be prepared, but it's most definitely worth it.  There are great views of the valley and coastline that open out at different points, and in places the steep-sided slopes can feel pretty exposed. Keep in mind that the approach to the singletrack shares a section of the lower level family cycleway and the disused railway line, so Afan asks that you please ride with consideration for the many other forest users, which should not be a problem for anyone as the trails are for everyone!

Video credit goes to the Cognation guys - check out their website for everything you need to know about mountain biking in South Wales. Rowen Sorrell is the rider lookking stylish. As part of the Back on Track trail design specialists team he's also responsible for the trails at Bike Park Wales which opened recently. There is a lot of great riding going on in Wales right now and the MTB scene is looking seriously good. And aside from a bit of rain it will keep going all winter...!

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