BikePark Wales – Review

By Dominic Picksley, September 2024

“Remember, brakes – one finger…. chin up – it’s not that I want you to smile, I couldn’t care less, but get your chin up so you can see what’s ahead,” barked instructor Colin as my daughter Amelia, son Ben and myself were about to embark on our first foray down Kermit, the beginner’s trail at BikePark Wales.

This stunning world of adventure, located on the side of Mynydd Gethin, a 500m-high peak near Merthyr Tydfil, is a paradise for mountain bikers, ranging from those who have barely ever sat on a two-wheeler, to professionals who come here to train.

“British Cycling came here the other week and closed trails off and I was having none of that,” boasted Colin, who also told us about his epic trip in the saddle biking across USA, fending off rattlesnakes in the baking hot Arizona sun.

He was the perfect guide/instructor for us mountain bike novices, who had never peddled down the side of a mountain before, telling us how to hold the handlebars properly (I’d been doing it wrong for years), how to hold yourself in position – preferably standing up with ‘level pedals’ – where to look and how to take corners or ‘burns’ as he called them.

We’d reached an early rest stage of green run Kermit and he was offering some more advice, when a mixture of young and middle-aged bikers came racing past.

“Look at them, they’re all doing it wrong,” the former A&E nurse growled in his distinctive Welsh accent. “They’ll be knackered in no time.”

“52 trails to choose from”

Decked in our helmets, knee and elbow pads, we’d been taken up the mountain by the ‘uplift’, a minibus that pulled a trailer full of bikes, which had to be positioned by placing the saddle on your knee and pushing it into place into a rack, a procedure that took some mastering, being careful not to get a nasty whack in the shin by a pedal.

We then admired the local scenery – lovely hillsides covered in Christmas trees – on the way to the summit, before Colin pointed out Pen Y Fan to us in the distance, the highest mountain in South Wales.

With 52 trails to choose from (and around another 30 being planned), they are all marked in different colours on the map, like at a ski resort, and at the summit you could choose from a variety of trails leading off in all directions, including the likes of Blackadder (black), Vicious Valley (red), Melted Welly (blue), Wibbly Wobbly (red) and Dai Hard (black).

Just the starting points of some these looked devilishly tricky, although Kermit wasn’t for the faint-hearted it has to be said. This was far and away the toughest bike ride Amelia had ever been on and on at least a couple of occasions, Colin got off his bike to give her a helping hand round a steep bend, even giving her a reassuring hug at one point.

We stopped at several more rest stages, sometimes to take in the views (of which they were stunning) and other times for Colin to give us his valuable words of wisdom before the next part of the course.

Safety was a vital part of the experience for Colin and he’d made sure we’d watched a BikePark Wales presentation that highlighted all the dos and don’ts while on the trails, and he also spent a few minutes just going through the basics with us.

“It’s not about going fast down the trails, it’s about doing it safely,” he had drilled into us. And subsequently discovering the heartbreaking news that less than a year before his son had been killed by a drug-fuelled hit-and-run driver while walking home one night, it became patently clear afterwards just why safety was paramount for him.

“Shackles off”

If Kermit, with its many twists and turns on the undulating, descending surface and, at times, narrow routes through the trees, was your basic introduction to ‘proper’ mountain bike riding, then the trails at the other end of the spectrum were something else altogether.

Halfway down our second run of Kermit – after being treated by Colin to delicious brownie-topped hot chocolates from the cafe on site – we broke off the trail to take a look at Varta and Martian, two of the toughest runs at BikePark Wales. The ramps on Varta had to be seen to be believed – they were double the height of an average man – while Colin showed us an abandoned digger, whose loader had been expertly utilised as a ramp.

The beginning of Martian consisted of a steep downhill section with huge boulders to get over or round, however you saw fit, without ending up in a crumpled heap… but how? That was what puzzled us. When we asked Colin if he’d ever attempted either of these two runs, he firmly shook his head and replied: “No chance. And anyway, I’m too old now.”

We also took a look at the starts of Surfin’ Bird and Bonneville, a couple of red runs, the latter of which was eagerly greeted by four adrenalin-hungry lads, following a bit of banter with our host, accompanied by a ciggie or two.

With the shackles off a little on our second run, I ‘let the throttle out’ a tad as Colin let me go in front, although I nearly came a cropper a couple of times as I battled to stay on the track. Ben, more circumspect, was not that far behind with his new mentor guiding him from his rear position. Amelia had opted to call it a day after the first run and had turned her attentions to a tasty freshly-cooked margherita pizza cooked on site, instead. Good call.

Finally, the three of us returned to base after an exhilarating run down the tree-lined mountain and after a debrief and good chat, mainly about the state of the NHS, we returned our gear and bade Colin farewell, thanking him for his kindness and helping us enjoy the most out of our few hours there.

“Aching bodies”

We then headed to the hillside village of Bedlinog, to Post Office Cottage, our accommodation for the night, which came provided with our BikePark Wales adventures.

A lovely two-bedroom house located in the centre of the former mining village (once known as ‘Little Moscow’ during the socialist upheavals of the early 20th century), just off the main road, our host Sharon had kindly left us a bottle of bubbly, while there were an assortment of treats for breakfast the next morning the compact little kitchen, which were gladly consumed a few hours later.

The cosy living room – which also encompassed the dining room – with its comfy sofas were a welcome sight for aching bodies as we tuned into possibly the worst Olympics opening ceremony ever on the large TV set.

And there were neat and tidy bedrooms upstairs, one with a double bed and the other comprising a single bed and bunk beds, while the bathroom had a shower. All in all, the perfect end (apart the Paris shenanigans) to a perfect day.

BikePark Wales is located in the heart of Brecon Beacons next to the town of Merthyr Tydfil, easily accessible from the M4 and A470.

Ticket to Ride Package
The package is suitable for beginners and includes specially curated fun trails, maintained to the highest level with special drainage facilities. This is a safe but thrilling experience for riders of all ages. The ‘Ticket to Ride’ package costs £325 for a family of four including bike rental (Trek Roscoe and Wahoo bikes for kids), guides, uplift and safety kit. Sessions take place from 9am-1pm. Extra kids or adults can be added to the group at a small premium. Ticket to Ride is available at weekends and school holidays. Local accommodation available from £60 per family per night.

Uplift Package
The Uplift package is suitable for intermediates and experienced riders. The package includes unlimited nonstop uplift during the session and a full day pedal pass. The Uplift package costs from £46pp per day.

Accommodation
Cottage near BikeParkWales – 35 High Street, Bedlinog, CF46 6RP. Costs £150 based on four sharing a two-bedroom house. Breakfast included.

For more information about BikePark Wales visit bikeparkwales.com or call 01685 709450