Read what happened when Chris Ford, Paul Box and Matt Healey took up the challenge of riding our toughest trails on one of the hottest days of the year. Our thanks to What Mountain Bike magazine for providing this article.

"...We blasted up the climb, laughing, joking, not getting lost at all. A sheer-sided gulley gave us an unexpected descent quite early in the ride, followed by a chance to test our strength of leg and strength of character on a blistering little climb out the other side. Then we were flying uphill once again.
Our destination was The Gap. Not a very exciting name for the pass that separates the highest peak in the area, Pen-y-Fan, from the best-named peak, Fan-y-Big. Paul raced ahead on his featherweight singlespeed carbon Merida, muscles bulging as he put the power down. Matt rode like a wild thing, attacking the climb with such energy that he managed to pinch flat while flying off a rock slab on the way up. As Paul raced down to see what was wrong he pinch flatted himself. After Matt’s tyre was pumped up we helped Paul before moving on again.
All the while the sun was rising, the temperature was rising and the pressure to get the ride done was increasing. We were two tubes down and we hadn’t even made a start on the first rocky descent – not a good sign."...

For a pdf (800k) of the full article, click here

Mountain Bike Interpretation panels cause a stir!

Brand new Interpretation panels have been erected in the car parks at Sennybridge, Crickhowell and Talgarth. There is one at the Visitors Centre, Libanus and one next to the store at Talybont on Usk.
They are all different and give some indication about the routes within each specific hub.
With the panels in a large circular shape which depicts a mountain bike tyre the unusual shape has drawn many visitors to them.
The panels have been sponsored by Tourism Partnership Mid Wales, Powys County Council, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and Adfwyio.

Wicked Food!

Brecon MTB routes start from the Brecon Beacons National Park Visitors Centre where probably the best kept secret is the restaurant!
In the July edition of Trail Magazine one reader felt moved to write:
“ If all National Park visitor centres were as good as the Brecon Beacons, perhaps we’d visit ‘em. Wicked food and want to be there now views of Pen y Fan battle for your attention: but the home cooked nosh wins out every time. Most ingredients are sourced within the Park and all lunches are a fiver”.
Andrew Powell, restaurant manager who is a bike fanatic himself, always ensures that there is a variety of freshly cooked meals and some mouth drooling snacks and drinks.
It’s a great motivating factor for those doing the Brecon routes!