Cwm Rhaeadr Mid-Wales MTB circuit - MBR

About trip

Just 20 miles north of Brechfa lies the hamlet of Cilycwm, home to the Forestry Commission’s Cwm Rhaeadr red route. The trail may only be 6.7 kilometres long but it boasts enough wow-factor to make it well worth the trip into deepest Wales.

From the small car park the route climbs on fireroad for 2.7 kilometres. The climb is on graded forest road so it passes easily and quickly.

With four kilometres back to the car park, you are at last on singletrack, but for the time being you’re still gaining altitude round a series of tight switchbacks.

The trail levels off for only a handful of pedal strokes before it finds itself descending along a corridor of trees. To add interest, the trail is littered with rollers that beg for rider input to gain even more speed. The trail winds down this corridor, through corner after corner, some bermed, others left flat, and over rollers and small jumps, as well as large patches of exposed rock that require some concentration while still being well within the red-graded remit.

Despite the slate under tyre, things never got too squirrelly. After this final climb it’s fun all the way to the finish, with barely a pedal stroke required to keep you pinging through the trees at warp speed, thanks entirely to the pump bumps and jumps that line the descent. By the time you reach the bottom you’ll be very grateful for it being such a short route — that leaves all the more opportunity for doing multiple runs, something we’d heartily recommend.

Forestry Commission reckons you should be able to ride one loop in around 45 minutes.When’s the best time to ride?

We arrived at Cwm Rhaeadr on a rainy day in December that came after one of the wettest Novembers on record, and the trails were still fast and grippy. Cwm Rhaeadr is a true all-weather option, assuming you can face the drive to get there in serious rain.