A-Around Blaenavon Routes

A1- Blorenge & tips

GRADE--quite easy, but some tricky paths.

If you follow the extension into the Devil's Punchbowl it becomes a moderate ride.

Distance-15.6kms

HIGHLIGHTS- amazing views over Abergavenny. Fun freestyle riding over "Telly Tubby land"

START POINT. -"Keeper's Pond" at the top of the hill on the B4246 between Blaenavon and Abergavenny.

ROUTE-At the far end of the small car park at Keeper's pond there is a footpath heading up the mountain over moorland. With a little care and some skill this is rideable, and brings you out on the road by the Radio mast at the top. Here there is another car park, with a path heading North to the Trig point at the very top of Blorenge. Take care- this path has some bumpy stones on it.

At the Trig point there is a mound of stones, with a path continuing straight ahead to the North. Take this to the edge of the drop off. Here there are a series of small spoil heaps which have grassed over, looking very much like the rolling hills in Telly Tubby Land. These are great fun for free riding. When you have had enough, there is a path on the Left across the top of the very steep slope. Take care. It may be better to walk parts of this. Continue on this path all the way back to Keeper's pond.

Just across the road from keeper's pond there is a minor road heading down Gilwern Hill. Take the second track on the Left- about a mile down this road, and it takes you up to the top of the slag tips. Here there is a maze of tracks and old roads leading to old quarries, and down some very steep rubble tracks. We took trails tot he far right of the tips, then there is a good concrete road across the ridge all the way back towards the car park. Have fun, but be sure to only pick trails which are within your skill range.

Don't fall over this edge!!

Optional extension.

This fabulous extension adds on another 2 miles, and another hard hill climb, but is well worth it.

From the view point at the far end of the Blorenge Plateau take the track going right, and follow it until you come to the tarmac road coming down from the Mast. Turn Left down hill, and after a few hundred yards, at the cattle grid, take the bridle track on the Left. This leads down to the Devil's Punchbowl- a very pretty little lake. Continue on the bridle way to Cwm Craf, where you need to push up a short uphill section.

Then continue along a lovely tramway to rejoin the main road up the valley at Garn Ddyrys and turn right up hill. after a few hundred yards there is a track on your right which leads down into the "Tumble" then back up the other side going above the quarry below Pwll Ddu. The terrace across the quarry has collapsed, so just before the quarry is a short climb where you need to carry your bike up onto the path running above the quarry. This leads onto a Bridle way which takes you up onto the minor road. Just opposite you will see the track leading up onto the old slag tips.

A2-Blorenge , rock gardens & telly tubby land

Grade- moderate. Rocky rough path at start.

Distance- 23KM

Highlights- Great views over both Abergavenny and Blaengarw valleys. Great fun riding over the mounds of "Telly Tubby land"

start point- car park by TV mast at top of Blorenge

Route- take the footpath running by the TV mast. The first mile is tricky riding with lots of rocks strewn across the path. Continue across top of ridge (Mynydd Y Garn Fawr) . Lovely views both sides of the ridge, Go straight across the mountain road.

. Trail gets smoother but muddier for a while, then you reach "Telly Tubby land" (Mynydd Garnclochdy) . This is old industrial spoil heaps forming small hills which are great fun for exploring and playing around.

The route then climbs over the ridge and drops down some vague paths until you come to a track along the woods, then a minor road leading back to a Blaenavon. There is a maze of streets and a moderate climb back up the B4246 to the top of Blorenge.

the top of Blorenge.

A3 blaenavon cycle trail, Pontypool canal, Goitre

GRADE -easy but long

Distance- 53KM

Highlights- combines a sustrans bike trail which is a tarmacked off road route with a canal side path.

Start point- B4248 halfway between Brynmawr and Blaenavon.

ROUTE - at Waun Wen there is a small parking area with a cycle route (Sustrans route 492) leading off along a disused railway track. This goes through Blaenavon, and on to reach Pontypool. Where the cycle trail ends, take an underpass under the main road (A4043) into the town centre and drop down into Pontypool Park. At the Soth end of the park take a lane to the canal basin, and pick up the path running alongside the canal (Sustrans route 49) and follow it through Goytre Wharf (where there is a lovely café ) and on to Gilwern.

Here you will need to leave the canal, and cross under a bypass into Maesygwartha where there is a lovely path through the woods, over a bridge, then up a steep ban to the road which then passes under the main A465 into Clydach. Here you can either take the hill up Quarry road, or there is a path into the nature reserve at Coed Ffyddiwn, where it is well worth taking a detour up the river to see the waterfalls. There is then a steep push up a gravel path to re-join quarry road . On the right you will see Sustrans route 46 along the old railway to Brynmawr.

This trail has been cut off by recent road works, so you will need to take the detour up the lane Left until it meets another bike trail on the Left (Sustrans route 492). Take this back to the car park.

Great view along the roiute

long stretch of canal tow path. Café at Goitre

A4- blaenavon, cwmtillery, canyons.

grade- hard- good tracks, but a long ride with some good hill climbs

Distance- 40KM

Highlights- great tracks over the ridge. Lovely views over Cwmtillery. Amazing hidden canyons.

start point- lay-by on B4248 .between Bryn Mawr and Blaenavon.

Route. from the barrier, there is a good tarmac road heading across the mountain just behind Big Pit. A few hundred yards along this there are tracks taking you sharply up onto Cefn Coch. Follow this ridge to a short downhill section where there is a path to the Right heading towards Mynydd James. Take the track to the Right with wonderful views overlooking Blaina. When you come to a patch of forestry follow the track to the Left and drop down into Cwmtillery.

There is a long hard climb on gravel tracks out of Cwmtillery to the top of Coety Mountain. For a short ride, you can drop back into Blaenavon, but for the full ride turn Right along the ridge to Mynydd Llanhilieth. From here there are some lovely off road routes back down into Abersychan, or you can continue on the Blaen Y Cwm mountain road, to Pantygasseg and drop down the hill to Mount Pleasant. From here there is the Sustrans family bike trail that takes you back up to Blaenavon, past the lakes and back to the start point.

One of the wonderful climbs

The wonderful moorland

A5- pantygasseg, Abersychan, Mynydd Llanhilieth.

GRADE- SEVERE.- One of the hardest off road hill climbs we have ever done!

Distance- 24.5kms

HIGHLIGHTS- a challenging up hill off road climb- if you enjoy that sort of thing! An amazing "hidden valley" with memories of old coal mining.

START POINT- Nature reserve car park on the Left as you descend the hill from Pantygasseg towards Pontypool

ROUTE- From the car park, drop down the hill 400M, then take the minor lane Left in the direction of Cwm Du. Take the second track on the Left up a very steep rough stony track, to the very top of the mountain. This is the most challenging hill climb we have ever found and is barely possible on an ebike- so for most would mean a long push. At the top go through a gate and turn Right onto the track, then minor road leading to Cwm Du woods. After a mile you come to a sort of lay-by on the Right, overlooking a wonderful "hidden valley". From here there is a foot path down to the fence. On the other side of the fence is a steep path down into the valley.

This footpath meets an old concrete coal mine road. If you turn Right it ends in a dead end where there are some lovely view points and the two mine shafts which have been built over with commemorative walls. Double back on yoursslef and follow this road back across the other side of the valley. Stop to admire the amazing wood sculptures of a miner holding his dying son, and some wonderful wood carved scenes. Continue down the road out of the valley and drop down into Abersychan. We took a lane up past the rugby ground onto the mountain and ended up in a loop back to the entrance of the valley.

Second time we dropped down the hill until we picked up the bike trail, then took the turning Left up to Castle Woods where there is a minor road on the Right climbing up a narrow valley to the top of the mountain. After dropping down the hill, we took the tracks on the Left in the direction of Cwm Du Woods again, then continued around Mynydd Llanhilieth to Blaen Nant Y Caws. From here there is a track Left down to Blaen Y Cwm, which continues down a lovely lane to Gelli Deg, where you turn Left down to the stream and follow this all the way back through the nature reserve back to the car park.

A6- hafod yr ynys, canyons, blaenavon

Grade-Moderate/Hard- a couple of big hills climbs on road, with some good off road tracks on the mountain.

Distance- 38KM

Highlights- The Canyons in the woods just North of Cefn Crib are spectacular. Great views over the Blaenavon valley.

Start point- Lay By on the A472 at Hafodyrynys (by the pub).

Route- From the Lay by take the lane by the side of the pub, then after 100 yards turn right up a steep hill. Keep going to the tiny hamlet at Tir Pentwys, then turn Left along a paved road for half a mile. At the point where the road takes a sharp turn to the Left, take the track down hill to the right, then take a forest track on the Left into the lower canyons. Have fun exploring. Then take the track on the Left side of this canyon and come to the upper canyon. There are some huge puddles across the track- even in dry weather. Cross through the woods and come out onto Mynydd Llanhilleth. Follow tracks along the top of the ridge heading North over Gwastad, then Coity Mountains.

Follow tracks along the top of the ridge heading North over Gwastad, then Coity Mountains. When you get to Cefn Coch, you will find some grassy tracks leading down to the old road above Big Pit. Take this road right for half a mile and find some sheep tracks across a reed bed, which leads to a path running by the side of Big Pit. This is a great place for ice cream and coffee. Pick up the lovely family bike trail down the valley and follow it for 6 miles until you get to Mount Pleasant. You need to take the long climb up the hill to Pantygassseg,, then continue along this mountain road until you get back to the start point.

Easy gravel paths with panoramic views.

Stunning view of the canyon, quarry and lake.

Need to get over a few obstacles.