D1, Giant's tooth, Gethin woods, Cefnpennar

Route- follow the Taff Trail to Abercynon (this ride can also be started at the Navigation Inn in Abercynon). Continue on Taff Trail North. Cross the bridge over the river and you arrive at Edwardsville. Where the trail crosses the road through Edwardsville, turn Left up the road and climb a long hill. After crossing a bridge over the A470 take the lane on the Right and continue climbing uphill another mile. On your left you will see the "Giant's tooth" where it looks like a tooth missing from skyline. At this point there is a car park with a short steep climb up onto a grassy ridge. Cross the stile and follow the track over the old coal tip to the Left of the Craig  Yr Efail ridge. As this track begins to descend, just before you come to a farm gate, there is a single track on the right.

At this point take the forest road Left, then at the next junction take another Left onto the open moorland. Follow this South for a few hundred yards, where there is a single track path winding its way down hill in the direction of Cefn Pennar. If you take a footpath onto the old tip to the Left of Cefn Pennar, there is a wonderful off road descent down the levels of the old tip, coming out at the back of Cwm Pennar. From here drop down into Mountain Ash and pick up the Cynon valley trail heading back into Abercynon. 

Route-Go under the railway bridge and climb the path to Lan Park Road. Near the top turn Left, then just as you come to the old school there is a good tarmac path up through the woods to the White Rock estate. Keep goping straight ahead up the gravel path, then bear right across the top of the old quarry for great views over Pontypridd. The footpath merges with an old lane heading towards Ynysybwl. Come to Darren Ddu road and drop down to the main road into Ynysybwl.  

. From here we have taken a variety of forest roads and single tracks through the woods, then dropped down the hill and taken the path leading back to Coed-Y-Cwm.  From Coed-Y-cwm we have taken another track running parallel with the train tracks back to Abercynon, (for a shorter ride this can be left out) . From Abercynon we took the path climbing diagonally across Abercynon tip to Cilfynydd common. (for an easier route back from Abercynon you can take the Taff Trail). 

Cilfynydd tip. A natural  play ground for mountain biking.

Route- Head North along Coedpenmaen Road then the Taff Trail until you get to Cilfynydd Rugby pitch.  Turn Left up the Clydach trail, and continue until you get to Coed Y Cwm.  Work your way to the top of the estate and come to Heol Pen Y Parc. Here you will find a minor road heading up a long hill. Continue up this until it levels out along the ridge and continue until a gate, Go straight ahead until you come to a minor road. Take this Right until it ends at Gilfach Rhyd.. On the Left is a forest road leading into the  Abercynon forest. Follow this down the hill and take the first major forest road on the Left. This gradually turns into a footpath and ends around the back of Abercynon cemetery with  short push down to the lane in front of the cemetery

Take the track on the Left and it drops down a steep bit of single track. Continue straight ahead on a track along Cefn Y Fan until you get to Craig Yr Efail, with some wonderful views across the Cynon and Merthyr valleys. Drop down to  Cefn 

 glas, where you meet a minor road leading into Abercynon, and back to the Taff Trail at the Navigation Inn.   

  Much single track. Some too steep to cycle without an e-bike, but beautiful views over the bracken hills.

Route-just opposite the entrance to the nursing home there is a lane climbing up the mountain.  Part way up this is a gap onto a lane which provides a quieter off road climb running parallel to the lane. This comes out on another lane running across the mountain- take this to the Left. After a short hill, there is a gate on the Right, with a good gravel road leading up to the TV masts at the top of Mynydd Meio. From the TV masts there is a style onto the open mountain. 

They are always inquisitive and hungry

Route- follow the  Taff Trail North to Abercynon. At Navigation Inn take road up to traffic lights, turn Left at T junction, then Left again at Traffic lights. After 400 yards take mountain road in direction of Llechwen Hall. On second bend take track straight ahead and gradually climb up Abercynon tip. Fine views over Abercynon and Glyncoch.  Come the mountain road from Cilfynydd and follow it to llanfabon Inn.

 Continue on the small road until you find a steep rocky lane on the Left- known as Mill Lane. Descend  onto the B road between Llanbradach and Ystrad Mynach. Weave around the streets on the estate leading to the railway station, then turn Left to the roundabout at the inductrial park at Tredomen. From here you can pick up the family bike trail through Penallta park, with an optional climb to the top of the hill to see the monumnet to the miners, and the impressive colliery horse landscaped sculpture.  

Route- from the rugby club car park, take the footpath up top Maesycoed, turn Right down the hill into Pwllgwaun. Take the road on the Left by the converted church. At the end of this street go through the bike gates and t take the family bike trail to Barry Sidings park.

Cross the main road coming up Trebanog Hill, then find a path climbing to the Right up Mynydd Y Cymmer. It is possible to do a circuit on top of this plateau then drop back down a small valley back to Trebanog. Head back over Mynydd Y Glyn and back down through the Maesycoed forestry. 

Route- Follow the Taff trail from Pontypridd, through Cilfynydd (past the rugby pitch) onto Abercynon, then to Quaker's Yard. Just after crossing a bridge over the river, you come to a road where you need to turn off the Trail and cross the main Merthyr road ( A4054) and take the lane straight ahead until you see the bike trail again crossing a footbridge over the stream on your Left. Follow this up the zig zags and into Taff Bargoed community park. Running through the middle of this park is a minor road, which goes through a skip yard, then climbs steadily up Cwm Cothi. When you get to the end of this road (at Tir Cook) take the bike trail straight ahead, and continue onto the open mountain of Mynydd Y Capel. 

  Take a track on the right heading towards Gelligaer common, where you join the mountain road. Head South. At the top of a small hill climb you will see a standing stone with information about the Celtic/ Roman chariot tracks. Head West at this point and pick up a lovely path dropping down into Llan Uchaf, where it becomes a good farm track leading down hill to a minor road. Turn Right on a bridge over the railway, then immediately on the left is a track leading diagonally down to the Treharris climbing centre . From here there is a lovely family cycle trail back to the Taff Trail.  

Route- From the Navigation Inn in Abercynon, follow the main road towards Abercynon centre. As you cross a bridge over the river, there is a tarmac bike path running to the park and the rugby pitch. Just after the rugby club turn right down the hill, then take the first left up a small trading estate. At the end of this you find the Cynon Valley Cycle Trail. Stop in Mountain Ash to admire the murals. Shortly after, the trail runs alongside the main road until you get to the first roundabout in Aberdare.  Go straight across, and just after you pass the petrol station there is a bike trail past an overgrown lake.

At the T junction we turned Left into a patch of forestry which brings you out onto the road between Maerdy and Aberdare. From here we dropped down through Llanwonno forest back to Ynysyybwl. An easier alternative is to drop down into Maerdy and follow the Rhondda Fach bike trail back to Pontypridd.

Route-Take the Taff Trail from Pontypridd, through Cilfynydd to Abercynon. From the Navigation Inn in Abercynon, go through the car park and find a lane  through a short street with a footpath at the end. Follow this foot[path up onto the road, turn Right then take the first Left up the hill to Abercynon Golf club. Just before the car park take a grassy track on the Right and come out on the road by Llechwen Hall. Follow the lanes to Llanfabon Inn, then take the lane to Nelson. Turn Right up the hill and keep going until you get to the open mountain.

  At this point follow the wall of the field on the Right across the grassy hill top, and drop down onto a grassy track heading Left downhill. As you go through a gate, it turns into a rough gravel lane, then comes to a minor road. Take this downhill into Penyrheol.  Wind down through the side roads until you get to the B4263 between Caephilly and Abertridw. Cross over to the other side of the stream and pick up the bike trail along Cwn Y Aber, which heads up through Abertridw to Senghenydd. 

Great views from Eglwysilan.

Route- Go right along Tyfica Road past the old grammar school (which has been turned into flats). Just where the old school finishes there is a delightful tarmac trail leading through the woods up the hill. Continue uphill  past the playground, and at the T junction turn Right. Keep straight on this track which leads behind Glycoch and continue down hill to a lane which leads down into Ynysybwl.  At the main road, turn Right and after about 20 yards there is a small path into the trees which leads onto the old colliery site

   Just opposite the gate is another view point with fine views over Abercynon. Follow this track to a main forest road, then keep zigzagging Left and downhill until you come to another farm with a tarmac lane heading along the ridge. Follow this for about a mile until you come to an old stone tower with a ring of red bricks along the top. Here there is a lovely downhill stretch of single track. Near the bottom take the track on the Left into Penrhiwceiber.

 If you follow our route on Strava it will bring you to a steep culvert, which is great fun when dry, but treacherous when wet, so avoid this if it has rained recently. At the bottom of this forest is a bridge over a stream. As you climb uphill at the first main bend there are some large rocks. Go through these and follow the single track back to the road and turn  right up the hill back in the direction of Penrhiwceiber. 

Route- Follow the Taff Trail from Cilfynydd to Abercynon. Then follow the Cynon valley trail past Abercynon Leisure centre to Aberdare, then Hirwaun. From here there is an off road extension starting at Penyard road to Penderyn. When you get to the A4059, turn Right. After a few hundred yards down the main road take the lane on the Right  to Cwm Cadlan.  

   Go straigt across and follow a lane called Merthyr Road until you come to a raod on the Left leading up to the recycling plant. Just to the Left of this plant is a small dirt track heading upwards. At the top of the climb turn down the hill for a few hundred yards then take a sharp Left back up hill and on for a mile or so until you come to a T junction. Turn Left uphill.  There is a very stony track (which means a walk for most of us) which heads up to the TV mast at the top of the mountain 

Route- Follow the Taff Trail up past Abercynon to Quakers Yard. Turn Right across the bridge and then cross the A4054 and head up the lane towards Trelewis. After 200 yards there is a footbridge on the Left which leads to a bike trail up the zig zags to Trelewis. Cross the bridge into the Taff Bargoed Community Park, Turn Left along the bike trail past the lakes and up to the climbing centre at Bedlinog ( a good place for a cuppa).   

A few yards after the monument you come to one of these amazing ancient motorways, still perfectly intact with a smooth grassy surface. Head Right (South) and as you start to go downhill bear Left towards the Celtic Cross which marks the site of Capel Gwladys- one of the oldest chruches in Wales (450AD). Continue down to the tarmac road and turn Left in the direction of Bargoed. 

Just before you come to Heol Ddu school, take the delightful  Lane on the Left across a cattle grid and continue until you come to the T junction in upper Deri.  

     Keep on this until you come to the steep track leading straight down the hill back to Llan Uchaf farm. Retrace your tracks down this farm track to the tarmac road, then turn Left and climb up to Clawdd Trawscae. Here the road joins the road coming from the top, and gently heads down the top of Craig Fargoed to Taff Merthyr Garden village. Here you can pick up a grassy track on the right which takes you back to the cycle way at the lakes, and then retrace your tracks home.