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Nicky
Crowther, WhatMountainBike? Magazine Issue 21BRECON
BEACONS, WALES 
 This
route has the ingredients of a classic mountain ride, but
without tears. A long testing ascent to a high pass visible
from miles below, the silhouettes of Brecon Beacon peaks
Pen y Fan, Cribyn and Corn Du, and unpredictable yet probably
wet weather.
But there's a rare treat about the circuit too. Given its
location and height, the riding and navigation is easier
than you might think. The 'hard' element in the rating is
more for the risk of bad weather as well as tricky terrain.
The first quarter of the ride is the difficult bit: the
slog directly from Brecon town up the foothills and on to
the spectacular stony byway that leads to the gap between
Craig Cwm Cynwyn and Fan y Big (no sniggering at the back).
But once at the gap, the effort is virtually over and you
can schmooze your way back home, enjoying the views and
anticipating a bevy.
Brecon town, the start/finish, is an excellent base for
sport and recreation in the Brecon Beacons National Park.
There are plenty of good places to eat and drink, lots of
cheap accommodation for groups and individuals either in
the town or nearby, and a central bike shop that does MTB
repairs, spares and route information.
Looking at the route step by step, start from the town bridge
in Brecon, you climb up farming lanes for 5km to the trailhead
at the hamlet of Cwmcynwyn (coom-cun-ooin). Here the Tarmac
lane turns into stony byway, and you can see the steepest
climb of the ride ahead, 110m up in 1km. Don't despair.
Once that toughie is out of the way you are inside the valley
of Cwm Cynwyn looking at the gap. Only technical magicians
will be able to ride the last 300m - it's a tough challenge
of strength and control on steep loose rock. Everyone else
is off and walking, ready for a breather on the saddle of
the pass - the highpoint of the circuit at 599m.
And that, you'll pleased to read, is as far as the heavy
breathing goes. From here you can cruise down a fabulous
track for 2.5km above Neuadd Reservoirs, but be ready to
slow down for walkers. Don't forget to grab a great view
behind of the Beacons horseshoe. At the end, get ready to
dismount at a point where the track dips and becomes very
broken and dodgy - you have been warned. Then continue round
the pine stand into the neighbouring Talybont valley, and
on to the Taff Trail national cycle route. This follows
a barely perceptible downhill gradient on an easy disused
railway line for 7km out of the mountains and down to the
village of Talybont on Usk.
From Talybont, we continue on the Taff Trail through lanes
for 8km as far as Brynich Lock on the Monmouthshire &
Brecon Canal. The trail then turns on to the towpath for
the last 3km stretch back to the heart of Brecon town.
We would advise that you carry a full set of mountain gear
- waterproofs, survival blanket, first aid and food for
the trip - as there are no services until Talybont. And
watch weather forecasts before you set off! If travelling
alone, tell someone where you are going. As mentioned, the
main hazards are the weather and that nasty little dip in
the track above the Neuadd Reservoirs. Also make sure you
turn left and cross the dam of Talybont reservoir on the
cycle route (green dots on the OS Landranger), and don't
continue straight ahead on what is a walking-only section
of the Taff Trail (red diamonds on the OS Landranger). Plus,
please resist the temptation to ride the canal towpath between
Talybont and Brynich Lock - locals are strenuously trying
to keep this for walkers only, particularly children and
the elderly - use the signed lanes via Llanfrynach instead
(same OS markings as previous).
Should you want a harder route, including more mountain
bridleway, from Pentwyn Reservoir, south before the change
of direction into Talybont valley, a legal trail climbs
from Dolygaer up and over Bryniau Gleision, then descends
parallel to the Taff Trail down to Talybont village. This
was, however, closed at time of writing for restoration
work. To check the state of trails, a good person to ask
is Keith Lee at Bikes & Hikes in Brecon (see Food and
Where to Stay) who sits on the local trail committees.
Essential info
Rating: Moderate-hard
Distance: 35.65km (22.28 miles)
Time: 3-5 hours
Best time to go: In still, dry conditions. The track
is all-weather, but people aren't. Snow is likely in winter,
with temperatures up on top considerably lower than Brecon
town all year round.
Getting there: Brecon town lies on the north side of
the Brecon Beacons National Park, on the A40 35km (22 miles)
west of Abergavenny, which in turn lies 27km (17 miles)
north of M4 J25A at Newport (take the A4042 via Cwmbran,
or the A449/ A40 via Raglan). The nearest train stations
are Merthyr Tydfil (on the south side of the Beacons) and
Abergavenny station.
Food and where to stay: En route the first places to refresh
are the Star and the White Hart, two fine pubs in Talybont.
Brecon is not brilliant for eating out. Most of the hotels
open their restaurants to non-residents, but their menus
are traditional grills and fish. However, the Oak Restaurant
(01874 625501) in the Bulwark in the centre does offer more
imaginative Thai and Welsh dishes. Find tailor-made MTB
accommodation at Bikes & Hikes (01874 610071) at 10
The Struet 250m from the centre,
a large, clean, comfy independent hostel catering for groups,
with a cellar for bikes. The tourist office (read on) has
information on loads more good places to stay (see also
YHA).
Tourist information: The tourist office (01874 622485)
is in the Safeway supermarket car park, north of the high
road.
YHA: Brecon-Ty'n-y-caeau (0870 770 5718) lies 4km (2.5
miles) east of town.
What to take: Layered mountain wear, all food &
water, emergency blanket and first aid, plus puncture kit
and tools.
Bike shops: Brecon Cycle Centre (01874 622651) is central,
near the town bridge in Ship Street, and does the full monty;
hire, repairs, sales, route information and even route guiding
if you book it in advance.
Maps: OS Landrangers 160 Brecon Beacons & 161 Black
Mountains.
Route info
The start: The town bridge in Brecon at GR 044286 -
there is parking in the Safeway car park, on the north side
of the high road, 300m away.
1. 0.00km (0.00 mile) Head south west across the
town bridge, towards Llanfaes, sign-posted (SP) A470 Cardiff.
After 620m (0.39 mile) turn L SP Llanfaes CP School opposite
the Esso garage. Continue on this lane heading for the hills,
with two stiff climbs, for 5.12km (3.2 miles), to the end.
Continue on the stony byway up the hillside, all the way
to the gap in the Beacons ridgeline, 3.6km (2.25 miles),
via two major climbs.
2. 9.34km (5.84 miles) The gap. Continue 2.55km (1.59
mile) in the same direction on a smooth downhill gradient
along the side on the valley, with the reservoirs on your
right, as far as where a footpath turns off right, beside
a grassy triangle in the tracks. Prepare to dismount here
for a broken section of track, and continue 760m (0.48 mile),
with pines on your left, to where the roadway joins. Fork
left, to stay on the bridleway (now on the Taff Trail cycleway)
and continue 1.7km (1.06 mile) curving left round the hillside
as far as the road.
3. 14.35km (8.97 miles) Roadway. Turn left (short climb)
and after 1.1km (0.69 mile) (before car park on left) turn
right on the Taff Trail, a disused railway line through
pines. Continue gently downhill for 7.95km (4.97 miles)
to the Talybont reservoir dam.
4. 23.4km (14.63 miles) Talybont reservoir dam. Turn
left across the
dam (don't continue straight on - Taff Trail walking section
only), and at the
far side, turn right on the lane. Continue for 1.6km (1
mile), then at SP Talybont turn left, SP Taff Trail. (Continue
down to Talybont for the pubs). Following cycle signs and
SPs Brecon; at the B4558 turn left and follow that 2.2km
(1.38 mile) to Pencelli, then 2.25km (1.41 mile) to Llanfrynach,
and 1.45km (0.91 mile) to Brynich Lock. Turn left on the
canal towpath, and follow that 3.3km (2.1 miles) to the
end of the canal in Brecon. Turn right for the town centre
in Brecon. Dismount. Smile. Drink. Rehydrate. Smile.
Total distance: 35.65km (22.28 miles)
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