The new facility, which is set to be the largest in North Wales, will consist of four mountain bike trails, an uplift road and 300 parking spaces. A visitor centre is also being built at Llechwedd including a café, conference facilities, bike workshop and areas for cyclists to shower and wash their bikes.

Set to open in summer 2011, the trails at Ashton Court and Leigh Woods will consist of 11km new and redeveloped cycle trails. They have been specifically designed by Phil Saxena, who helped to create the Beijing Olympics cycle route, to suit both the professional and amateur cyclist.

“Designing the tracks has been a challenge due to the constraints on the sites but we’re planning trails that will get a wide range of riders coming back for more whilst the trails remain robust and sensitive to the landscape and other users.”

For trail information contact Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre: Tel: 01341 440747

For accommodation and tourist information contact Dolgellau Tourist Information Centre:
Tel 01341 422888
Email ticdolgellau@hotmail.com

Coed-y-Brenin visitor centre opeing hours.

For complete trail information across Wales contact Forestry Commission – Tel 0845 604 0845 The Bike Shop, Beics Brenin is open 7 days a week from Easter until end of October.
And open Thursday to Monday 10am until 5pm throught the winter months

Why We Are So Unique

Traditional mountain biking holidays offer a centre-based package. We have been on many of those types of holidays, and they all suffer from the same restriction: it’s very hard to create a week’s riding which is universally of an outstanding quality. Most holidays provide you with one or two outstanding rides, but the remainder simply aren’t as memorable. We have spent the last two decades riding in locations all over Europe, and have a huge amount of trail knowledge to share with you. By offering a “highlights-style” holiday we can offer an incredible trail for you to experience every day, as it means we are not restricted by a geographical location.

What do you mean by “highlights-style” holidays?

Normally a roadtrip involves moving every day or so to a new location, so you have to go through the difficulty of moving all of your gear all of the time. This doesn’t really help make for a relaxing holiday, as you are always against the clock. Instead we have come up with itineraries that allow us to work from a “base” location which is central to the best riding in each area where we offer holidays. From this central starting point we travel out each day to the most truly incredible riding experiences available in the region. One or two of or holidays are “twin centre” based, which allows a change of accommodation mid week, and we deal with this carefully to make the week flow as smoothly as the singletrack!

http://www.singletracksafari.com

Innerleithen XC from Chris D’Arcy-Burt on Vimeo.

Innerleithen – the trails

Innerleithen is renowned for its downhill routes. Four main waymarked routes offer a great range of riding, from super-steep, tight natural trails that weave tightly down through the trees, to wide open, fast, jumpy, bermy freeride-type trails. All are graded ‘Orange – Bike Park’.

The red-graded Innerleithen XC route is a cracking trail and provides a great alternative to its busier sister at Glentress, the Red Route. There is plenty of climbing involved but it’s well worth it, as the descents are stunning and varied – fast flowing singletrack packed full of jumps, rock features and berms, followed by tighter more technical riding, then a fantastic freeride finish at Cadon Bank.
Trail profile

The Innerleithen trail profile (PDF 366k) shows where climbs and descents occur on the Innerleithen XC route.

Innerleithen – facilities

Parking
Car parking is available at the trail head. Day rates are £2 for a car/motorbike and £5 for a van/minibus. See details of how to get to Innerleithen by car.

Bike hire
Alpine Bikes in Innerleithen hires bikes.

Uplift
Uplift services are run regularly at Innerleithen by ‘Uplift Scotland’. Booking essential. Contact David ‘Tally’ Tallontine on 07709 144 299 or see www.upliftscotland.com for more details and booking. Uplift dates are also published with the Innerleithen details on the trail conditions page.

Other facilities
Nearby Innerleithen has a range of facilities for before and after your ride.

It’s Thursday night and time to start thinking Cannondale. Well to be honest it’s more where to take the Cannondale. Usually it depend’s who’s coming. You can’t go down the big dipper at Gisburn if the kids are coming.

For me it’s about knowing if it’s the Ribble Valley group or the South Lakes.

The lads out of Chipping will I know be thinking Gisburn  or Longridge Fell. If it’s the Kendal and Windermere boys, then it’s going to be Staveley, Grizedale or Claife Heights. It depends as I say on who’s going and how much time there is.

From Junction 36 you can go obscure (in the Howgills) or mainstream – Staveley etc. Not much further afield we could be heading out of Ingleton and Ribblehead Viaduct way.

For a quick hour on my own though, my pick might be Loughrigg or Claife Heights. So let’s go Loughrigg – Only a one hour ride yes. But what a cracking hour of life. Straight into the climb from Ambleside to get warmed up. Blast over the ‘top’ and down to the tarn. Fully engaged and plenty happening. Calm down for a chat round the tarn and up the road.

Then it’s a brilliant run down the terrace overlooking Grasmere. First prize for riding the short rocky section by the first bridge. The view north here is proper. It’s real Lakeland and a buzz combined.

There is a 100% guaranteed certainty of meeting numerous walkers all the way down to Rydal tarn. Depending on water levels the chances are you’ll get wet shins at the rocky outcrop and then you’re climbing to the gate. Again, full marks if you don’t get off. No marks if you went via the cave – Ramblers Association riot police will be glaring after you.

The last bit is not about riding – it’s the back Loughrigg road. It’s just for grinning and chatting. Or just grinning if you’re billy no mates. It might only have been an hour but well worth the drive.

There are a load of alternatives. Claife Heights is a peach. I want my ashes scattered in Skeggles Water. High Street is a book on it’s own.

Written by our resident man on two wheels, Chris P.

Since the coal mines in the area closed back in 1985 and thanks to an investment of £1 million from the Welsh Assembly, it has transformed itself into a tourist destination attracting in excess of 100,000 riders a year.

The trails built have helped revitalise the Valley as it has resulted in a number of mountain bike related businesses opening, which have helped boost the economy.

A £5 million grant of European Regional Development Fund money has recently been awarded to the area so that family-friendly trails can be added alongside existing trails for more experienced riders.

Where is it?

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.

OS Grid Reference: SS820 950
For details of public transport visit http://www.traveline-cymru.info/

Contact Details

Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre :
Tel: 01639 850564
The Centre is based at the start of two mountain bike trails, The Wall and The Penhydd Trail. The Visitor Centre, offers a conference room, 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.

April to September open: 10.30am – 5.00pm Weekdays, 10.30am – 6.00pm Weekends

October to March : 10.30am – 4.00pm Weekdays, 10.30am – 5.00pm Weekends

Image courtesy of www.colinswales.co.uk

There are two routes you can choose from, “The 8″ – Red Grade and “Bottoms Beck” – Blue Grade. “The 8″ is a 18 kilometre long trail which has some tricky and technical rocks for you to overcome, while “Bottoms Beck” is perfect for novices and young riders due to its simple single track trail.

Located in Southern Scotland and covering the heart of the Scottish Borders, 7stanes refers to the seven mountain biking centres covering the region. At each biking centre you will find a ‘stane’, which is a stone sculpture reflecting a local myth or legend.

The sculptures can be located in:

• Glentrool (The Giant Axe Head)
• Kirroughtree (The Gem Stane)
• Dalbeattie (The Heart Cleft Stane)
• Mabie (The Ghost Stane)
• Forset of Ae (The Talking Head Stane)
• Tweed Valley (The Meteorite)
• Newcastleton (The Border Stane)

Along the route of 7stanes you will experience some wonderful views and undergo some seriously good riding, with trails to suit both beginners and experienced riders. You can even reward yourself when you reach each stane as each centre has a café supplying refreshments.

Check out the official 7stanes website at www.7stanes.gov.uk

The area has well in excess of 650km of marked trails which can be accessed during the summer months by 24 chair lifts spread over 12 different towns and villages. There is a misconception that Morzine only caters for downhillers, but you will also find quality cross country and freeride trails.

For those riders seeking a challenge you will find steep and technical downhills, while those looking to take it a little bit easier can follow the many cross country trails. It even has a world cup downhill course in Les Gets. Whichever route you choose you can be guaranteed wonderful scenery and one of the best biking experiences you will ever encounter.