| Mountain
Bike Trails in Brecon Beacons, Brecon,
Lake Vyrnwy, Machynlleth
and Llanwrtyd Wells, in
Powys Mid Wales:
Brecon Beacons :
 Three mountain bike trails have been mapped near to Brecon ...... the Visitor
Centre Route, Mynydd Illtud trail, and The Gap trail, making Brecon and
the Brecon Beacons an ideal destination for a mountain biking holiday. In
order for you to easily plan your visit, all the routes start and finish
at or near the town of Brecon. The rides are graded to help you in selecting
the right route for your own riding ability. A route pack is on sale
which contains all routes and lots of useful information. All the routes
are on public rights of way and are cared for by the Brecon Beacon National
Park.
The town of Brecon itself is a traditional Welsh market town situated at
the confluence of the Honddu and Usk rivers in the South of Powys. The town
is steeped in history as witnessed by the Cathedral, originally a fortification
built by the half brother of King William the First of England after he
captured the town in 1094. The streets and narrow passageways of Brecon
are lined with fascinating Georgian and Jacobean shop fronts, and as an
added attraction for a holiday break there is the historic Monmouth and
Brecon Canal linking Brecon with Newport. A magnificent stone built aqueduct
carries the canal across the River Usk just outside town.
Visitor Centre Route Trail :
Visitor Centre Route, 8km (approx. 5 miles), starting from Brecon Beacons
National Park Centre. This is an easy tour over open ground, suitable for
novices and families. Map
of this trail >
Mynydd Illtud Trail :
Mynydd Illtud, 24km (approx. 15 miles), is quite a challenge but does allow
for numerous possibilities of short cuts. The climb to the top of Cefn Llechid
rewards you with a descent through open hillside. Once you pass through
Defynnog you have a pleasant ride through the Senni Valley following farm
tracks and country lanes. You then have to climb 150m to the Sarn Helen
Roman road, which takes you back to the Centre. Map
of this trail >
The Gap Trail :
The Gap, 38km (approx. 24 miles), takes in the Brecon Canal, the Taff Trail,
and the very popular Gap Road. The trail is rideablethroughout the year
but care must be taken during bad weather conditions, as the trail takes
you up to 600m above sea level and is very open and windswept. It is essential
to take adequate clothing, food, and repair tools before attempting this
route, Technically, the going is mostly straightforward, with a tricky ravine
halfway up the Gap road and some big rock steps on beginning the descent
from the Gap itself. Also worthy of note is the descent from the top of
the Brinore Tramway to the valley bottom just up stream of the Talybont
Reservoir. The track varies from smooth grass to start with, to gravel,
rocks and ruts before finally, at the bottom, you have to ford the river
where floods have washed away the bridge. In periods of high water levels,
opt for a short cut along the Taff Trail to the top end of the forest.
Map of this trail >
All route maps and route description together with a useful information
booklet are on sale from the Brecon Beacons National Park Visitors Centre,
Libanus, Brecon LD3 8ER at £7.50 (price at 2006 , includes postage
& packing) 01874 623366 or from Brecon Beacons National Park Authority
01874 620446.
For further details contact : National Park Visitor Centre *
The Mountain Centre, Libanus, Brecon, Powys, LD3 7DP
Tel: 01874 623366.
To book accommodation online >
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