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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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richieyend:
Avg 4.53
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Cwmcarn trail

I recently got roped into trying MTB and my mate suggested going to the Cwmcarn twrch trail, a red track with different varying trail surfaces. I am quite active anyway, however I soon realised that martial arts and running is no match for the constant slow twitch muscles of the first 45 minutes climb. I soon had to call to my mate to wait at the top while I attempted to take enough oxygen to feed my legs. I enjoyed the climb immensely, however, the reward came at the top of the trail where there was a downhill section with berms and jumps this was a fantastic section and it didn't let up. I was tested completely for my first ride with gravel, stones and boulders. All in all a fantastic trail, with many testing features including a gruelling but enjoyable climb, with a downhill section that has speed sections interlaced with technical brake and balance sections.

What do you like?

Trail is fantastic! thoroughly enjoyed the whole route although it took me 3 hours as a complete MTB novice with a certain degree of fitness plenty of places to stop and recover though. my friend can make it around in a best time of 1 hour 30. There isn't any onsite café but has toilet areas and a massive car park with a £3 all day ticket - I've never seen anyone checking but its to support maintenance of the trail. Crosskeys and Risca have plenty of shops and cafes and a Greggs if you fancy grabbing grub on your way out and its only a five minute drive. There is also a black trail downhill section (beyond my abilities atm) with a 'taxi' up to the top of the trail. They have recently been granted approval for 2 (maybe) new trails including an extra downhill section as far as I know!

What could be improved?

Not that many bad points to be completely honest shame that there isn't a onsite café where u can have a bit of downtime and a chat with a cuppa. If your not competent then I would suggest going at a non peak time as its quite popular, although not massively, but if its quieter u don't have to worry about slowing people down or moving to the side and losing your own rhythm etc. the 3 pound may seem a bit steep paying for a free mountain where in all rights u should just be able to ride but after your first completion you will understand that the trails upkeep is well worth it. I also wrote this with people from wales coming to cwmcarn if your coming from father afield it may be worth doing Afan forest as cwmcarns trails may only take half a day for a few rides

Would you recommend?

Yes

Date written:

13/08/2013 - over 12 years ago

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1
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_timfromwales:
Avg 4.79
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Come to Cwmcarn

Cwmcarn was the first trail centre I visited and I keep going back. Its a convenient location for me close to family and friends in South Wales. Trail is a good technical and physical workout for any experience level. The Twrch climb is one of the most technical of any trail centre in the UK - you need to be able to shift your weight about with ease and front and rear wheel lifts are core skills for this climb. In the wet (which is often in Wales) the exposed rocks and roots become more of a challenge but the trail itself drains really well due to the steep terrain. The Twrch Trail descent is long and flowing and is great fun! You can pick up some high speeds on the descent that takes you back to the car park where you will arrive breathless and wondering if you have enough leg power left to do the climb again. At the top of the Twrch there is the free ride park, that you can use to hone your jumping skills on the table tops and your turns on the huge berms. You can also link up with the Y Mynydd Black rated DH track... Mostly rollable but you can push yourself and there are some white knuckle switchbacks and drops to test your mental and riding ability. Altogether a great trail centre on a steep hillside with new tracks being built by Rowan Sorrell opening up late in 2013 to add to the appeal. EDIT - A few Words about the new Cafall Trail. If you are looking for another Twrch you are in for a shock/surprise. It's worthy of its Red grade. The descent can be fast in places and there are some steep sections and surprise drops that would have unnerved a Novice Tim a few years ago. The climb is tough. I am not the best shape at the moment and found it hard work. Cognation have done a great job. There is a natural feel to the place and the descents each have a different feel to them. Cwmcarn is back in the trail centre map.

What do you like?

* Excellent technical features for both climbing and descending. * Short enough to visit with only a couple of hours to spare. * Its in Wales!

What could be improved?

* Its very popular with both beginners and advanced riders so be prepared to have to get out of the way fast especially on the Y Mynydd or to have to ask to pass a slow climber on the Twrch. * Being in Wales you are likely to have to pay the Severn Bridge Toll to get there. This plus parking makes it a £10 trip before you take into account anything else.

Would you recommend?

Yes

Date written:

28/03/2013 - almost 13 years ago

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2
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stumpy_dan:
Avg 3.94
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

CwmCarn Y Mynydd Downhill, Twrch, Cafall

The downhill track at CwmCarn in South Wales is one of my favourites. It was designed by Phil Saxena of Full Contact Racing (guy who built World Champs 4Xand Hamsterley) and built by local riders including Rowan Sorrell. In my mind it has everything and for Londoners it is reachable even in a day trip. You get dropped off a few hundred feet from the top. With a steep start you hit a couple of tabletops. Then you corner around to enter a woody section. Nice drops, roots and some decent speed are here. The gradient steeply descends to smooth and tight corners and rocky switchbacks. Through the tunnel and you are traversing along to hit steep succession of some awesome rock steps that take you to a corner dropping steeply over a road over a big quarry drop gap to an off camber section. kickers and drops tthat lead you through to a massive berm to the largest of doubles if you dare. A bridge and sweet drop off. You could probably manage about 6-8 uplifts a day maybe more. The Twrch The uphill on the Twrch is one of the most lung busting technical climbs I've done. It is also set in awesome scenery. The down is as fast as the up is hard. It is flowing and tons of fun. The visitors centre has all you would want. Cafall Found the up relentless and the down a bit dull to be honest.

What do you like?

-Rocks -Berms -Drops -Jumps

What could be improved?

None really No entry level blue.

Would you recommend?

Yes

Date written:

25/10/2012 - about 13 years ago

Was this review helpful to you?

0
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