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Risca Bike Park and Cwmcarn Trails

Risca Bike Park and Cwmcarn Trails
Avg 4.71
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup
Number of Reviews (151)

*You can claim this trail if you are the trail owner

  • Information:
  • Type: Purpose Built Centre
  • Grades: Blue,Red,Black,Ungraded
  • Riding: Cross Country,Downhill,Pump Track,Wild Trails
  • Facilities: Car Park,Toilets,Visitors Centre,Cafe,Bike Wash,Bike Hire,Bike Shop,Uplift
  • Distance(s): 1-5km, 5-10km, 11-20km
  • Country: Wales
  • County: Near Newport
  • Website: Cwmcarn Trails and Risca Bike Park
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Description

Cwmcarn mountain bike centre is in Newport, South Wales. There are five main trails, the Blue Pwca, the Twrch Red XC, the Cafall Red XC the Y Mynydd Downhill Track, and another Downhill track called Pedalhounds. Cwmcarn also has a pump track and a myriad of off-piste/enduro-style tracks in the Risca area referred to as Risca Bike Park. Risca Bike Park is unsanctioned and non way-marked.

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Pwca Trail (XC)

  • The blue grade Pwca Trail is 2.3km long. Great for novices and for a warm-up lap.

The Twrch Trail (XC) 

  • The Twrch Trail is 18km long with 300m of climbing and takes about 1-2 hours to ride. It has one of the most technical and scenic climbs which rewards with a flowing, smooth and fast single track down. The ups are rooty and have numerous obstacles. 
  • The first phase of a two phase project to connect Cafall and Twrch is also available to ride. This is 6km of red track which brings you back on yourself from the Twrch i.e. currently doesn't yet connect to Cafall.

Cafall XC

  • The Cafall Red trail is 12.48km long. Climbing up to altitudes over 400 metres the new XC trail is called 'Cafall' after King Arthurs lead hunting hound that chased the wild boar 'Twrch'.
  • It has tough climbs and tight hand-built singletrack sections combined with technical descents.

The Y Mynydd DH Track

  • The Y Mynydd DH Track is built for those getting into downhill as well as advanced riders. It achieves this by having a course that splits into two sections (a red and a black). The black has a length of 1750 metres and a drop of 250 metres and the red has a length of 1900 metres and a drop of 250 metres.
  • Both feature jumps, drops, kickers, berms, roots and rock slab drops. The course was built by Phil Saxena from Architrail.

Pedalhounds DH Track 

  • A second downhill track (1.4km) is on the northeastern slopes of Cwmcarn Forest Drive through the Ebbw Forest. This downhill track follows the line of the old club-built trail down a steep side valley in the forest.
  • Access is via the Cafall XC trail. This trail starts off with a handmade rooty section through the trees and soon picks up speed as it flows in and out of the wooded sections.
  • There are plenty of drops and technical lines with lots of roots, rock and stumps. The trail finishes off with a steep and fast jumps section before arriving back. It's an extreme graded Downhill track.

Pump Track

  • Small pump track targeted at kids. 

Risca Bike Park - Off Piste / Wild Trails

  • Lots of wild trails in the area around Risca (such as Busy Lizzie, Wacko-Jacko, Mayhem). These drop down from top of Cwmcarn trails, unsanctioned and non way-marked. Local group Risca Riders.

Clubs and Groups

Other Stuff

  • PS cycles are the onsite bike shop/ hire. 
  • Uplift bookings were available from CWMDOWN but shut in January 2023.

Share

  • If you have ridden any of these mountain bike trails at Cwmcarn then why not post a picture, video, or even write a short review and share your experiences.

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Sheppy:
Avg 3.42
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Great trails

Been riding here for years and the trails are great for an intermediate or advanced riders Downhills are a blast with good elevation drop. Pity the facilities don't match up, though it is great there is now a shop on site

What do you like?

Great trails Good uplift Really fun descents

What could be improved?

Facilities arent a patch on most trails centres Not a huge variety of trails - not really a place for beginners

Would you recommend?

Yes

Date written:

24/10/2016 - about 9 years ago

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2
^
Kyle:
Avg 4.17
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Love Cwmcarn

My go to trail.

What do you like?

excellent climbs, thrilling descents. Well built jumps. Decent facilities. Camping options. Onsite shop/cafe. Fair parking. Stunning views.

What could be improved?

Limited trail options.

Would you recommend?

Yes

Date written:

08/10/2016 - over 9 years ago

Was this review helpful to you?

1
^
Ryan :
Avg 5.00
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

My local trails

Well worth a visit if you're not from the area. You'll have a good day here and I'll bet you'd be back. 

What do you like?

I'm a local Risca lad so know the surrounding areas well. Cwmcarn is a place I find myself most of the time to practice for Enduro. The climbs here can be quite challenging and I've been caught out by bits myself. You have to scan ahead and also near to your wheels as things creep up on you when you don't expect it. For example you've just climbed a technical rocky and rooty climb where you need to attack it, then it'll go in to a long progressive climb and as you come around the corner - immediately there will be a feature that you simply have to attack. I've seen many a rider have to dismount as what's around the corner has caught them out. The corners can be very challenging and are just within the turning circle for the bike so you find yourself going out wider to come in on the corner. What I like it that the terrain is a mixture of loose rock, roots, technical climbs with progressive climbs to burn your legs out with tight corners all to keep you thinking. The descents are as technical. The Rocky valley and all through here is very fast and you can use the bigger rocks to help you jump sections and get a great line through it. The people that come riding here are always friendly. And I've had many a rider ask if they can tag along. A good place to come to practice and develop more advanced skills or if you are a novice also you'd soon find yourself getting very fit and learning a good skill on bikes if you came here often.

What could be improved?

A lot of wood felling up towards Twmbarlum A bit more direction of UP and DOWN on the trails as I've past riders new to the area riding down the up Or riding up the down But all in all I am glad this place is on my doorstep

Would you recommend?

Yes

Date written:

08/08/2016 - over 9 years ago

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2
^
gilesmartin81:
Avg 4.12
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Fun all year round

I have been to Cwmcarn a few times now, and have always had a great time. the first time i went was when I was new to riding and it was a real challenge, but then going back a year later and riding the same trails i had an absolute blast and enjoyed every minute. The climbs can be tricky in places but overall are not too bad and the whole place leaves you with a massive grin on your face.

What do you like?

Plenty of Parking, Great cafe Showers Easy to get there You can ride here all year round. i have been in sun, rain and snow. (not all together)

What could be improved?

Every time i ride the black i manage to get a flat.

Would you recommend?

Yes

Date written:

03/11/2015 - about 10 years ago

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1
^
Martyn:
Avg 4.26
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Cut my teeth

Love it

What do you like?

Cut my teeth on these trails on my hard tail and have gained skills ,confidence, and fitness from cafall anD twyrch .not yet tried pedalhounds and mynedd dh as looking to upgrade to full suspension. . Always looking for new riders. Love this place.

Would you recommend?

Yes

Date written:

29/09/2015 - over 10 years ago

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1
^
Peter Parker:
Avg 4.25
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Cwmcarn

Excellent trail centre with 2 awesome XC routes and 2 killer DH tracks. Decent uplift if you need it, push up is a long slog for both sides if you choose it. Both XC climbs are tough, but the descents are worth it. Rode the Cafell trail for the first time this weekend and it was super quick, really good lower section and had a good flow. Twrch is a classic, hard on the ups but again super quick on the downs. Only improvements would be more variety in trails or alternative routes from the top, but that's it. Good Bike Shop on site, decent café, good set up all round. Both XC loops utterly doable on a hard tail, the DH tracks are beasts, although an AM bike should handle it ok. I prefer the routes to those over at BPW, as they've got more variety and are longer, these aren't motorway wide blue cruisers, they both deserve their red rating and there's plenty of steep to deal with, and some good technical sections to clear.

What do you like?

Excellent DH tracks Excellent XC routes Good Bike Shop onsite Good cafe

What could be improved?

Could do with more trails / possible routes from trail head Lots of felling on atm, resulting in diversion.

Would you recommend?

Yes

Date written:

23/06/2015 - over 10 years ago

Was this review helpful to you?

1
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