Afan Lodge is an accomodation haven for mountain bikers in South Wales. Set brilliantly in the backdrop to the famous Afan Argoed Wall trail, just half way between the Afan Argoed Visitors centre and the Drop off Cafe at the start of the Whites trail in Glycorrwyg, in what some refer to as the as the playground of men and woman folk and others as the Valley of the Gods (Riding gods that is if course!!).
There is something about the Welsh mountains. Maybe it is all mountains but whenever I get within site as I approach up on the motorway they seem to start to call out in a toungue spoken before the dawn of mankind.
I had not been in two years and I think the last time I did a night ride on Whites trail in sub zero temperatures in a hail storm. Although it might have been the time was when we all ran off to Swansea for the evening with Sarah who worked in the Drop Off cafe and was mesmerized by what happens in Swansea for a night (caution beware
!!). Both actually are a bit of a blur. Anyways suffice to say it was long enough that I was psyched like a kid on xmas' eve thoroughly over excited and not able to sleep.
Over the years I have been to Afan and Glyncorrwyg maybe five or six wonderful times. Trails such as the Penhydd, The Wall Whites, Skyline are all a Mecca for British Mountain Biking and for many, if not all, the first time their is a right of passage that changes for many a sport that you love to one that transcends further to become a seductive and addictive way of life or maybe more a guideline to a way of living.
As synonymous as the trails already immortalised into the fabric of the riders attire is that of the places that make those trails so accessible and binding to be around. As riders we like to travel and tell stories. A bit like gypsies of old and the bedouines of today we move around the country from trail to trail sharing our weekend pilgrimages. One place that means so much to so many of us is the Drop Off cafe. A place for story telling drinking and eating. Well last weekend I was part of a new opening of a place that I feel will become a new home for stories, for tales, for friendship and for the welcoming of new riders into this sport and that is the Afan Lodge.
Good people make good ventures. It's a simple philosophy so let's talk the people behind the Afan Lodge. Richard and Louise are local to the area and run the place. They are keen bikers and Richard and his brothers all have a Motorcross background. The dad nicknamed "TomTom" (for his rich local knowledge) is very much involved and is the most active rider of them all. As a family business it is warm and open. Their children are around and refreshingly not hidden away and add to the feeling that all are welcome in the Afan Lodge.
They have 15 en-suite double bedrooms and 2 family suites and the building is a converted miners lodge giving the rooms a spacious and airy feel with lots of light. The facilities are modern and the water pressure particularly great. There is also a top notch restaurant and bar (with bar menu) in the downstairs that is worth a visit as a destination in it's own right. It's mid range in price and for two sharing it is decent value and well worth it. The beers on tap are more than half decent and the Caffreys does it proud (not too sure on Welsh whiskey mind but hey, when in Rome and all that). I am looking forward to the barbeques of the summer. What else there is secure bike storage of course and a hose to wash down your bike if you so wish. With such local knowledge I think it could be a good idea for them to look into organising some xc trails for regular visitors who want to try something different on their second day maybe.
For me the best bit was whilst sipping your beer after a ride or nursing the view in the morning you are sitting in the sunny shadow of the Wall. Yes the Wall trail. From the car park you can pass the magnificent 700 year old Beech tree ride down to the fireroad that starts the Wall and hit the trail. Pretty wonderful really. (Rumours abound of a few kickers to be build on the car park descent although I think Tom who mentioned it might be making it up
I was there with Tom, Tammy, Mark, Kev and Marcel. Fantastic people and a good mix of riding buddies I am getting to know better and better as well as new riding buddies. To all of you on iBikeRide please note I will not stop nor be happy until I have ridden with you all!!!
As we prepared for our ride in the car park, I popped back to the Lodge to do some more customary faffing. I passed Louise who was looking out at the pack of us getting ready to ride. I stopped and said hello and she looked at me straight in the eye and in such a heart felt way told me that the view of seeing us get our bikes ready to ride from the Lodge was why they had decided to create this new mountain bikers lodge in the first place and seeing us as the inaugural riders doing just that told her their dream was real and now. How privileged were we to be part of this inaugural journey.
So an awesome time was had by all and the trails themselves are a story as always in their own right of course. Today though I will leave that story to those who ride as true warrior poets.
So a final personal word for those of you that ride and ride regularly and don't live near anything much bigger than the speed bumps of that concrete hell known as London or the Home counties. I remembered something very important this weekend and that is there is a reason the name "mountain" proceeds this sport of biking we love so much. More ask yourself next time you are hesitating to the true value of a journey to a mountain trail, is it really just co-incidence that the Gods of Greece choose to live on Mount Olympus, the Japanese Gods on Mt. Fiji, the Hindu Gods on Mount Meru and the God of the Jews to take their seat on Mount Sinai. Listen carefully next time you are close to the big hills you may be in good company.
Life is an adventure or nothing at all
stumpy_dan
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