# MTB Route for those in or near Aberdare



## Angelfishsolo (18 May 2011)

Region: Wales Distance: 10.82 mi / 17.41 km Type: Off road (mountain bike) Difficulty: Moderate
Start point: The railway station, Aberdare. (M4 Jct 32 - A470 towards Merthyr Tydfil then the A4059 towards Mountain Ash / Aberdare).
Follow signs for Abernant and Cwmbach from the roundabout on the A4059 closest to Aberdare town centre.
Nearest railway: Aberdare.
Parking: Large car park near the Leisure Centre in Aberdare.
Refreshments: Only in Aberdare

Route Details:
1. Follow signs for Abernant, Cwmbach and the General Hospital beneath the railway line to a small roundabout. Turn R here following
signs for Cwmbach. Easy to miss. After 1 1/4 miles, at the start of the houses in Cwmbach and opposite a petrol station turn L and
follow this road as it swings R uphill.
2. Go past the Post Office, climb to the brow of the hill and take the 2nd of two closely-spaced left turns onto Cefnpennar Road. Ignore
several right turns. At the fork of tracks at the end of the tarmac, just past a house called Llettyshenkin, bear L on the steeper track and
climb steeply through broadleaf woodland.
3. Follow the track past mast. Track turns back to tarmac. At the houses continue SA then shortly fork R onto the steeper and less-used
of the two roads ahead. Follow the track past barn and through gate onto moorland. Cross the field / moorland climbing diagonally to
the L. At the top of the climb as the track swings right and downhill turn sharp L to continue uphill, soon joining a more defined track.
4. Climb on this zig zag track past old steel cables embedded in the ground to enter forestry via gate onto narrow track and continue
climbing. At top of a short steep push, at T-junction with major broad stone forestry road turn L then shortly at fork of broad forestry
tracks bear R (this does not correspond with the map!). Follow this main, broad forestry track ignoring turns to left and right.
5. Go past a drystone wall on a sharp left hand bend. Views down to your right of the Taff Valley. The track undulates up and down over
4 miles. Exit forestry via a bridlegate next to green metal gate and bear L downhill.
6. The track turns to tarmac at the next gate. At X-roads at the end of Gernant Lane turn L uphill. (The Brecon Beacons loom on the
horizon). Steep tarmac climb to the mast. Views of the Dare valley from the top. Fast stony then tarmac descent to return to the start.


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