Review for Afan Forest Mountain Bike Trail Centre

Ollie Rees:

Visited Afan for the 1st time in about 10 years and had forgotten how good the place was. I'll start this by saying, without being big headed I consider myself a fairly competent rider - Race occasionally, never feel underbiked on a HT, confident with blacks at BPW etc.  Blade was an unrelenting rocky beast of a trail, that requires decent fitness and some handy bike skills. I'm not afraid to admit it that by the bottom I was done. Great views from the summit, good sense of reward at the end. Imagine rimdinger at BPW, but including uphills. Now make it 23km long... Hard, technical climbing; hard technical descents. Rode it on a Santa Cruz Highball w/ 100mm forks and TBH only wished I was on a full sus for the final decent back down to the cafe.  Next time I'll fit wider (softer) bars to soften up a little of the trail chatter as it was pretty rough out there. Will defo not leave it another 10 years, the only drawback it its in the middle of nowhere, and for a midlands man like me its a bloody long drive home:-( And the flapjack / cappucino was ace at the cafe!

=Cheap parking, good on site shop, decent cafe, awesome climbs, awesome views, cracking decents. Trails are a decent (ie long!) length that give a true sense of reward upon completion.