C-Around Abercarm

C1-Cross keys, mynydd islwyn

Grade- moderate. a gentle climb onto forest trails, then a sharper climb up a minor road, following lanes before final climb on sheep tracks to the top of the mountain.

Distance- 14.8KM

Highlights- pretty forest roads with gopod views.

Wonderful wimberries in June/ July.

Start point- Industrial estate just off the B4521 in Wattsville, just West of Crosskeys.

Route- just as the road turns into the industrial estate, there is a forest track on the Right. Follow this gently upwards for a mile, then continue along the contours overlooking Cwmcarn, then Abercarn. When you get to West End, there is a sharp climb up Pant Yr Hesg road onto the top of the escarpment. At T junction turn Left towards Mynydd Islwyn.

A short way after the raod loops around the church, there is a track on the Left towards the TV masts on the top of Mynydd Y Lan. From the masts, take sheep tracks on the Right which join a track going to the top of the hill. During July this is full of the largest wimberries we have ever seen!. Follow track to gate back into forestry, Zig Zag down some steep and stony forestry tracks back to the start point.

OPTIONAL EXTENSION.

An additional route can be taken to extend the ride by turning down the lane 200 yards North of Mynydd Islwyn church, then taking a Left turn down into Cwmfelinfach. When you come to the main road, turn Left, then almost immediately take a turn left up a small hill with a detached house at the Left at the top. Just to the Left of this house is a grassy lane leading back up the hill, through some gates, until you arrive at Cwmcaeingrug Farm. There is a bridle way through here back up to the road from the church. Turn Right down Troed Yr Rhiw Hill. About 20 yards down the steep bit is a single track path on your right. Go along this until you see what appears to be a small castle on your right.

This is an amazing folly which has been built by an ex service-man, and is well worth a closer look. After this carry on to a cross roads, and turn Left downhill, then Left along a forest track until you come back to the road at Troed Yr Rhiw Hill. Exactly opposite is a gate leading down to Nant Hafod Tudur stream then zig zagging up a steep climb behind a small patch of forestry.

. There is then a lovely downhill section zig zagging back down into Wattsville. You need to take the main B4521 Left to the roundabout, then the A467 and take the lane Left toward GFB pallets. On the right you will see a Forest road taking you back up the valley towards Abercarn.

C2- cwmcarn, mynydd henllys

Grade- moderate. One long climb on forestry road, then some spectacular single track across a mountain top.

Distance- 30.4KM

Highlights- some of the best single track you will ever find. A spectacular beech tree lane. The old Celtic Hillfort/ Norman Keep at Twmbarlwm.

Start point- The main car park at Cwmcarn Forest Drive.

Route-As you at arrive at Cwmcarn Forest Drive, the main car park is first turn on the Right. From the far end of this car park is a tarmac path leading up the valley past the ponds until you get to the barrier at the start of the forest drive. Here go through the gate, turn Left, cross the stream Left, and take the forest track leading straight up the Left side of the valley . This is a long steady climb for about a mile, then there is a hairpin bend to the Left and another winding climb to the top of the ridge. Here you come to a T junction

Turn Left and after a short time you find a lovely stretch of single track on the right- called Dragon Run, which is part of the Cafall trail. Take this through the woods then across an open patch of mountain. As the track drops down a small slope, there is a gate on the right which leads across a right of way over farm fields. Follow the tracks upwards and to the Left across a couple of fields until you come to a barn. From here there is a farm track which goes through a gate, past a duck pond, then joins a small tarmac road.

It is well worth taking this road Left for half a mile along Cefn Rhyswg, since it forms a delightful lane with a beech tree canopy. Double back along this stretch, then follow the lane right to the end until you come to a gate leading onto the open mountain. Just after the gate follow the tracks Right up to the tree line, then stay on this trail for a couple of miles until you come to the ridge of Mynydd Henllys with stunning views over the Severn Estuary. Turn Right along this ridge. About a mile on the right there is a stile into the forestry which takes you to the start of the most gorgeous stretch of single track in Wales, known as "airstream" which is part of the Twrch trail

We usually do this several times since it is great fun! At the bottom of this trail on the Left is a gate with a track back onto the ridge of Mynydd Henllys. Follow this Right until you get to the old Celtic Hillfort of Twmbarlwm. Here are the most incredible views in all directions. Follow the trail across the top of the hill fort, down the ramparts the other side and then walk down a steep grassy path down to the road. Here there is a gate on the Left leading to another stretch of single track called Castle Valley, then Dragon's tongue, then Angels posts, and on to the final descent back into the car park.

C3- abercarn, twmbarlwm

Grade- moderate. Long but gentle climb on forest road out of Abercarn. Long ridge ride on tracks across mountain. Fun descent on single track.

Distance- 20.5KM

Highlights- stunning views over the Bristol channel. Fascinating old Celtic Hillfort, at TwmBarlwm- which was hi-jacked by the Normans!

Start point-centre of Abercarn.

Route- as you enter Abercarn Centre off the A467, turn Left up a slight incline, then take the first street on the right past the school. Follow this to the end where it turns into a forest road. This gradually climbs up a wonderfully scenic valley, takes a hair pin bend to the Left, then comes out on a small mountain road. Follow this a few hundred yards, then when it takes a sharp turn to the left, take the rough track to the right and follow it to the electric sub station. Here follow the track up to the Right and keep going until you come to the top of Mynydd Maen. .

Continue on to the Mynydd Henllys ridge, with wonderful views over the Severn Estuary. Follow the tracks to the right and head towards Twmbarlwm. This is a wonderful spot that started as a Celtic Hillfort, then was converted into a Norman Mott and Bailey castle. Continue across the top of the hill fort, and cross the ditches and drop down a steep grassy slope to a road. Immediately on the Left you see a stile leading to a single track which winds down the mountain to the Cwmcarn visitor centre in the valley. Stop for a coffee, then work your way across the streets of Cwmcarn, back to Abercarn.

Snow never stopped anyone...some of our best cycling was in the snow!

Dress for the occasion .

C4- abercarn, mynydd twyn glas

Grade- hard. A long, but gentle climb up a forestry road, then rough tracks along a mountain, dropping down to the base, then another long hard climb back up the other side.

Distance- 26kms

Highlights- Great views over Pontypool. Lovely tracks along the ridge.

Start point-centre of Abercarn.

Route- as you enter Abercarn Centre off the A467, turn Left up a slight incline, then take the first street on the right past the school. Follow this to the end where it turns into a forest road. This gradually climbs up a wonderfully scenic valley, takes a hair pin bend to the Left, then comes out on a small mountain road. Follow this a few hundred yards, then when it takes a sharp turn to the left, take the rough track to the right and follow it to the electric sub station. Just after this take the track on the Left to the Triangulation point, and follow tracks leading Left to Mynydd Llwyd

Follow tracks down into Cwm Lickey until you get to Upper Race. Here you will find a track on the Left around the base of the mountain, which brings you to a gate back into Coed Golynos. . Here you will find a long climb up a lovely forest road leading back to the top of the ridge. Continue down the other side through Coedcae Watkin Dafydd. Just as you come to Coed Llwyn Ddu take a grassy track on the Left and join the mountain road coming up from Crumlin. Follow this all the way back to Abercarn.

C5 Aberbeeg and Six Bells circuit.

Grade- Moderate. One long, steep climb up a farm road, then single tracks along a mountain, with tarmac bike trails to finish..

Distance-26.35 kms

Highlights- Some of the prettiest valleys in Wales. Steep and forested. Some lovely single track and great cycle trails in the valleys

Start point-Car Park in centre of Six Bells

Route- from the car park there is a bicycle trail heading South West. Follow this to a most impressive 40 ft sculpture in steel of a coal miner. Don't miss the photo opportunity by the small pond!, Continue along the bike track to the outskirts of Aberbeeg, and continue along back lanes until you get to a main road. Turn up the hill to a roundabout and take the turn off for Cwm. About 400 yards on the Right there is a large lay by with a forest road in the far corner heading up Cwm Big. Follow this for a bout a mile to a forest road branching off on the Right, which crosses the stream, then heads up the hill to a wonderful view point, and another photo opportunity.

From the view point the forest road zig zags back down into the valley, and become a footpath which eventually brings you out on the A467 between Aberbeeg and Abertillery. Follow this Left, past the turn off for 6 Bells, then take the first Left up the hill to some houses, through a gate, then up a long steep climb to an old farm named Arail.. Go through the yard, then to a gate onto the open mountain of Coetgae. Just after the gate take the tracks on the Left and skirt the hill until you come to a cross roads at the very top of the Aberbig valley. Go down the gulley and take the tracks along the other side of the Aberbig valley past Hafod yr Dafal farm and the Solar Panel field. Continue on the farm track around the fields until you get to the forestry road at Craig Y Deri.

Take the right fork along the contours of the hillside , gently climbing upwards until you get to a bar-gate across the track. about 100 yards before this, there is a single track trail which crosses a scree, then continues down a challenging but rewarding path in the direction on Cwm. At a junction turn back sharp Left, and continue down to a gate which takes you under a fly over under the A4046 at Ebbw Vale. There is a level crossing over the railway line, which brings you out in the streets at the far South of the village. Follow the road South, and pass allotments on the Left. On your right is a lovely bike trail which you can follow back to Aberbig, where it branches to another trail leading back to 6 Bells.

C6 small valleys around St Illtyd's

Grade- Hard. Several short but steep uphill climbs.

Distance- 24.5 kms

Highlights- Some of the prettiest views in Wales. Some lovely single tracks up and down some steep valleys and great cycle trails on the top of the ridge

Start point-From Hafod Yr Ynys on the A472 Head down the hill and take the turn Right through Swffryd. Drop down into the valley until you get to Cwm Cnyw. Here there is a U bend with a derelict factory on the corner. Park by the side of this.

Route-20 yards along the main road before the U bend there is a lovely grassy track which winds it's way up hill on the Right side of Cwm Cnyw. Zig zag you r way up this until you come to a small gate leading into a grassy lane between 2 fields. This takes you to a large gate which opens onto the Blaen Y Cwm mountain road. Turn Left along this until you come to a T junction by a cattle grid. Go straight across the road and pick up a grassy track leading to Gilfach Wen farm. take the track down to this farm and just before the entrance gate turn Left down the field and after 50 yards pick up a grassy track on the Left which leads down Cwn Llwydrew.

Follow this lovely trail all the way down to Coed Y Gilfach, then turn right up the hill to the playing field. At the top right corner of this you will find a small gate onto a most delightful track which winds it way up Cwm Nant Y Groes. This is one of the prettiest small valleys you could ever imagine. Keep on this track and go through (or over) two farm gates and some out on the top of the open mountain. Take the main track Left. After half a mile there is a track which skirts the top of Abertillery forest, then turns into a lovely single track path. Follow this to the drop off overlooking Pen Y Bont, then turn Right back up to the ridge, and follow the main track Left over Mynydd Gwastad.

When you come to the cross roads( just before the climb up Coety mountain) Turn right then almost immediately take the rough track on the Right back up the hill which leads up and over Twyn Du. Keep along the ridge to Waun Wen, and continue on grassy tracks over Byrgwm until you come to the mountain road. Turn Right along this and follow it down into St Illtyd's where you will find a wonderful 12th Century church. Just opposite the entrance to the church is a steep, stony, rutted bridle way which drops down into Cwm Cyffin.

When you come to a gate turn right into Brynthiel housing estate leave the bridle way (we followed it to a dead end and had to climb some fences and go through a private property to get out!) Wind down through Brynthiel to the minor road leading down into Cwm Cnyw. On the corner of the U bend there is another wonderful grassy track heading straight up the valley. Take this to the top, then take a sharp right turn and pick up a lovely track which leads across the contours until you come to some streets overlooking Cwm Cnyw. Drop down the grassy track that leads to a path behind the street at the bottom of the valley and follow this back to the car.