B- Gwent Valley Routes

B1- Ebbw vale, golf course, mynydd carn y cefn

GRADE- Moderate/ Hard- a few hard climbs off road.

Distance- 30KM

HIGHLIGHTS- Some grade trails across a spectacular ridge, with an optional extra pretty wooded valley.

START POINT- Hill between Glyncoed and Beaufort in Ebbw Vale

ROUTE- As you climb the hill out of Glyncoed , there is a track on your Right, with a barrier blocking the way. You can park here, then take the track past the barrier, over a gate onto the open tip. Continue up this track to a T junction and turn Left, following the level around the tip until you get to a tarmac road running up the hill alongside the golf course. Follow this up and find a stile on the Left going across the Golf Course. Walk your bike straight across the well marked pathways to the other side of the golf course,.

Go through the gate and turn Right up a stony lane climbing to the Left side of Bwlch Y Garn, and on over the top of Mynydd Carn Y Celyn. Here there are some rutted tracks heading South. on coming to Cefn Yr Arail, take the tracks skiting along the Left ridge of the mountain for great views over Abertillery. Follow the ridge down to Cefn Bach, then around Coetgae and back up the other side, overlooking the solar power panels in the Cwm Big valley. As you come to the very top of this valley there is a cross roads.

There is an option here to take the farm tracks adjacent to the solar panels, and drop down all the way into Aberbeeg, then climb back up the Cwm Beeg valley back to the cross roads. This adds on about 6 miles and a good stiff hill climb./

Back at the crossroads, take the tracks heading North around the Left side of Cefn Yr Arail. Keep Left around the Left side of Mynydd Carn Y Celyn, then work your way back across the coal tips to the track leading back to the car.

B2- blackwood, sirhowy valley, manmoel Chariot tracks

Grade- moderate, with one long climb up a forestry road and some wonderful grassy trails along a ridge.

Distance- 28.5kms

Highlights- Great views over Ebbw Vale. Wonderful smooth grassy "Chariot runways"

Start point- quiet street on Left just past the Millennium Bridge roundabout on the A4048 at Blackwood.

Route- The sustrans Sirhowy valley route starts just opposite the parking spot. Follow this along a wonderful valley for about 4 miles to Hollybush. Find a path down top the river and cross the footbridge. Wind up a long steep climb through the forestry (Coed Y Llanerch) and come out on a small mountain road (ManMoel Road).

Follow this North, to a TV mast, then take sheep trails on the Right to Domen Fawr, then follow the trails along the ridge over Cefn Manmoel, with some great views over Ebbw Vale.

On this ridge are strange "runways" that run straight with perfectly cut edges. We presume They are the same as the ancient Celtic Chariot trails on Gelligaer mountain. They make for wonderful riding. Stay on the ridge to the coal tips, then drop back onto Manmoel mountain road.

Just before Manmoel, go straight along a gravel lane and then straight along a small road to Ton Y Groes. Here the lane turns into a tricky steep descent over large stones, and comes out on another lane. Turn right down a steep hill then back up under a bridge and re-join the Sirhowy valley trail and head home.

B3- bargoed, rhymney valley, mynydd bedwellte

GRADE- MODERATE- several challenging hill climbs.

Distance- 35.6kms

HIGHLIGHTS- two lovely tarmacked bike trails with a scenic ridge between them.

START POINT- car park on High St, Glan Y Nant, Bargoed.

ROUTE- from the car park, follow sustrans route 468 through the park along the river, through Bargoed and on up the Rhymney valley to New Tredegar and on to Abertysswg. Here, take the road climbing on the right up the mountain through Coed Cefn Rhychdir and on until you see a large duck pond on your Left at Cemy. Take the path by the side of the pond until the you get to the road between Cemy and Heathcock, then follow sheep tracks and rough tracks to the top of Rhymney Hill,

There is a good track along to the ridge to the viewpoint overlooking Rhymney. Double back on yourself and find a good track heading around the hill to Cefn Golau. Wind through the streets of Cefn Goau back to the main road, then turn Left back up the hill to the duck pond at Cemy. Just before the duck pond there is a good track leading straight up first to Carn Scwpa, then on to the top of Mynydd Bedwellte.

. Follow this track along the the ridge, with wonderful views until you join the mountain road heading towards Markham. Just past the junction there is a track heading towards Tir Alice Lewis, then a steep track on the Right leading down to the A4048 along the Sirhowy valley.

Just the other side of the main road there is another wonderful tarmacked sustrans bike trail- the 467 from Hollybush . Take this all the way back to blackwood, where it finishes at the Millennium Bridge. From the roundabout by the bridge, take the road on the right going up the hill, along Sunnybank road in Blackwood, then down Waun Borfa road back to the car.

B4- bargoed, fochriw, cefn y brithdir

Grade- fairly easy-with one moderate climb up a forestry road and a good tarmac road along a wonderful scenic ridge.

Distance- 23.8kms

Highlights- Great views over Fochriw and Deri. " Start point- car park at the junction of the BB4254 from Gelligaer and the A4049 between Hengoed and Bargoed.

Route the car park is just down a slight hill from the junction and leads into a lovely park along the Rhymey river with a multitude of paved biking trails. Wind your way along these and up into Bargoed. At the far end of the lowest street in Bargoed, is the start of the bike trail to the lakes at Parc Cwm Darran. Here in the summer you can buy drinks and snacks. Continue on the trails in the direction of Fochriw, but just before Fochriw take a rough track on the right and zig zag through the woods up Rhiw Cantorian.

Continue upwards to the top of the ridge where there is a tarmac road leading along Cefn Y Brithdir. There are stunning views from this ridge in all directions. When you come to a walled lane, watch for an ancient 6th Century church ruin on the Left, with a replica Celtic cross. Continue on this lane straight ahead and drop back down into Bargoed where you can find a different route back along the River Rhymney to the car park.

The celtic cross. the original is in the museum.

Stunning views over the valleys

B5- bargoed, deri figure of 8

GRADE- hard, with two challenging hill climbs. This ride could easily be broken into two smaller rides, both starting at Deri.

Distance- 23.5KM

Highlights-lovely family trail up to Cwn Darren lakes. Wonderful "green tunnel" (in the summer) through an ancient oak woodland.

START. Laybye at top of Bargoed (Heolddu Uchaf) just at start of mountain road.

ROUTE. Take mountain road towards Gelligaer common and after 100 yards take lane on right towards Tir Yr Felin. Turn Right down steep hill into Deri and pick up the bike trail crossing the road Left towards Parc Cwm Darren. Enjoy the ride along the lakes, then cross the bridge and climb up through the woods to Rhiw Cantorian.

This joins the mountain road going over Cefn Y Brithdir. Just before the beacon, there is a grassy track on the Right. Half a mile along this there is a track on the left, dropping down the hill and into Coed Deri Newydd. This is a wonderful oak woodland. At the gate cross the style on the Left into woodland and follow a path back down into Deri.

In Deri, folllow the bike trail back in the direction of Fochriw again. Where the houses end, climb up to the main road, then keep climbing up to the top street in Deri. From here there is a lane heading Left up to the TV mast on the top of TwnY Fidffawydd.

Take a track over the top of this hill to the Left, then cross a gate onto moorland and follow sheep tracks back to the mountain road from Fochriw. Turn Left in the direction of Gelligaer. After a few hundred yards you climb a hill and see a standing stone on the Left, giving details of the chariot trails across the top of these hills. Follow these grassy trails back to the car.

B6- Penallta park, Bedwas tip, Sirhowy country park

GRADE- moderate- two long hill climbs- one on road, one on forest track.

Distance- 37.6KM

Highlights- the earthwork pony in Penallta park. The viaduct on the family bike trail. A wonderful leafy lane in Sirhowy Park.

Start Point- Penallta Park car park- halfway from Nelson to Ystrad Mynach (on the Left).

ROUTE- From the car park, follow the path down to the Park. At the T junction follow the main cycle track Left a few hundered yards to the pond, then take the branch heading up the hill. Take the second turn on the Right and head to the earth work Pit Pony. This is an impressive "earth sculpture" which you can ride along the top from nose to tail! Then take the path further up the hill to the monument to the miner's at the very top. There ia a maze of tracks to follow, so chose a route and head back down to the start point.

This time, head right in the direction of Ystrad Mynach. The cycle trail goes down some zig zags, under the road, then climbs back up, over a wonderful viaduct. Continue straight across a road junction, then come to a roundabout and take the road leading Right, up the hill signposted "Bryn Meadows Golf Club". Keep going straight up the hill until the tarmac road leads onto a gravel road heading over Mynydd Y Grug. Here you come to Bedwas tip. It is worth making a circuit over the top of this to enjoy spectacular views over Bedwas and Caerphilly. Continue to the end of the tip, then at the cross roads take the lane Left which drops gradually down the Left side of the mountain for a mile .

The best time of year to enjoy this lane to the full is in the autumn, when it is carpeted with fallen leaves. At the bottom you come to a small tarmac road. Follow this until it turns Left down a steep hill. At the bottom of the large bend, there is a turn Left into a picnic area. Follow this along a forest track, which climbs steadily upwards for 3 miles, then brings you back onto the road above Bryn Meadows Golf club, from which you retrace your tracks back to the start.

B7- pontlottyn circuit, brithdir, markham

Grade- moderate- follows minor roads along two ridges, with two moderate climbs up to each ridge.

Distance- 23.2KM

Highlights- two wonderful mountain roads- good in wet weather.

Start point- one of the upper streets in Pontlottyn.

Route- take the mountain road from Pontlottyn in the direction of Fochriw. Near the top of the climb take the minor mountain road on the Left qnd follow it along the Cefn Y Brithdir ridge, enjoying fine views on both sides. Just before the road starts going downhill towards Bargoed, take a Left turn and drop down into Brithdir.

Cross the river, and take the small road heading uphill towards the Right, in the direction of Markham. At the junction, take a sharp Left and climb to the top of Mynydd Bedwellte. Join the mountain road between Abertysswg and Tredegar and turn Right towards Tredegar. At large duckpond take sheep tracks and join the mountain road between Tredegar and Rhymney. Drop down into Rhymney and turn Left, taking road under the railway back into Pontlottyn.

Wonderful sunset

B8- Nelson,Maesycymmer, Bryn Meadows

Grade- Moderate- a few short hard climbs.

Highlights- Some wonderful single tracks, some challenging climbs

Distance- 27 km

Elevation. 632 M

Start point. Penallte Park Lower car park- half way between Nelson and Ystrad Mynach. 300 yards past the Rowan Tree Inn.

Route-

- follow the cycle trail down into the valley, across the bridge. Join Sustrans route 47 and turn Right. Stay on this until you cross the grand Viaduct into Maesycwmmer. At the big wheel made out of old coal trucks turn right into Maesycwmmer and cross the road. Go up the hill by the side of the Maesycwmmer Inn to the top and turn Right. Work your way along the streets until you get to the lane leading towards Bedwas. About a mile along this lane there is a gravel road on the Left with a green barrier gate across it.

Climb this hill, which is steep and rocky in places, until you come to a dip down with a sharp Left bend. At this bend there is a footpath on the right that is often overgrown, but turns into a wonderful stretch on single track through the woods before joining another lane. Where this lane turns sharp Right there is another footpath straight ahead which winds up over a small ridge. At the top is a gate on the Left which leads into a bridle way.

Follow this down into the valley, then just after it turns sharp Right, there is another bridle way heading up to the next ridge through some lovely zig zags. This can get overgrown by bracken in late summer.

At the top of the zig zags go through the gate, then follow the track straight ahead through another gate, and onto the open mountain. Keep on the tracks straight ahead until you come to the main gravel road across the ridge by a wind turbine. Turn Right uphill for about 400 yards until you see a green forest gate on your left. Here you have a choice. You can either work your way down the forest roads to the bottom, or you can follow some wonderful single tracks on the Left side, but beware these turn into red grade single tracks near the bottom.

Either way you end up on the sustrans route 47 cycle trail again. Turn Left on this until you come to another green gate across the road adjacent to a house. Here there is a wonderful single track on the Left which gently climbs all the way back to the top of the ridge and the road coming up from Bryn Meadows Golf Club. Turn Right down this road and after 400 yards there is a hidden unsigned footpath on the Left through the trees. This quickly becomes a lovely lane (but a bit rocky!) which skirts alongside the golf club and drops back down into Maesycwmmer.

At the main road take the pedestrian/ cyclist crossing and follow route 47 into the woods. After 400 yards take the path on the right to a chained gate which you have to lift your bike over. Go Left under the bridge down hill to a T junction and turn Right along the B4252 into Fleur De Lys.

Just after the shops turn Left down Ford Road up Beatty street. Turn Left down the A469 and after 200 yard turn Right into the children's play park . Take the road running alongside this on the Right, which turns into a lovely cycle trail. Continue on this up towards Derwendeg Primary school in Hengoed.

Go down the road to the Left of this school (Heol Y Felin) down the road with a dead end sign, which turns into a cycle track. Drop down across a bridge then take the fork Right back up the hill to end up at the old Penallte colliery site (which has now been converted into some very arty houses and flats!). Behind this is the main upper entrance into Penallts Park. Take your time exploring this by zig zagging down past the earthwork in the shape of a pit pony, before heading back up the other side to the car park.