Badgers run is the easiest trail at BikePark Wales, it is a great introduction to Mountain Biking. Badgers Run is a smooth flowing trail which has been stone surfaced to prevent it from being too muddy in wet weather. This trail is 1KM long and is suitable for adults and children who are competent cyclists who are new to mountain biking.
Kermit is the best place to start your Bikepark Wales journey, this 5KM long singletrack trail is like nothing else in the world that we have encountered. The trail has been built to deliver all of the thrills experienced mountain bikers enjoy, from bermed corners to rock slabs, roller coaster sections and exhillerating tree-lined flow sections but the design allows speed to always be controlled even for novice riders. The trail is all-weather and is actually grippier when it's wet and we guarantee this taste of the thrill mountain biking can deliver will have you hooked.
More experienced riders shouldn't miss out on Kermit either, 5KM of true singletrack flow taking you through varied and beautiful forest is a great way to enjoy a mellow run down the hill
Note: Slower riders have priority on Kermit. Always be courteous to fellow riders
Bush Whacker is a fast flowing Blue Run with one of the best compressions we've ever ridden! beginner and intermediate riders will whoop and holler their way through whilst the more advanced rider may spot some sneaky berm transfer lines, keep your eyes peeled!
Off-Grid peels away from Melted Welly and offers a different style of blue trail. It's much tighter than the blue flow trails and offers a different style of riding. Off-Grid isn't a surfaced trail so it has a natural feel and there are exposed roots and some rough ground. Don't be fooled though, this trail is deceptively fast and fun!
Melted Welly is perhaps the best trail to start your day on. It eases you in gently before sending you flying between the trees at incredible speeds. This one really does make you feel like you are riding a roller coaster on rails. Don't forget to stop and enjoy the view North to the Brecon Beacons after the short climb section.
As it swoops through ancient woodland laced with Bluebells during the spring time Blue Belle is a roller coaster trail that takes you from the mid road down to the visitor centre. Huge carving berms and giant rollers are sure to give you your adrenalin fix for the day.
Norkle is a trail that you will soon know very well as it links the visitor centre and the uplift pickup point. Somehow this trail seems to defy gravity, when you reach the end it feels like you are above the visitor centre but you've been flying downhill all the way? Strange but true..
Sixtapod is probably our most iconic trail on the mountain. Riders of any ability can enjoy this trail. It starts in the open on rocky ground and then enters the woods to take in a series of jumps, rollers and berms. Stand by the side of this trail and listen to the laughs of other riders heading down the hill. Definitely a classic.
Down The Funnel, to the tunnel! What a trail this is, flowing sculpted park berms weave through an open section on the hillside on this epic blue trail. Perfect party train territory as you can see so much of the trail and other riders ahead of you!
Terry's Belly is the longest trail at BikePark Wales and in fact is the longest continuous blue descent in the UK! The trail starts from the same point as 50 Shades of Black but heads south along a series of open swooping turns rather than east down the steeper slopes of 50 Shades. Next Terry's Belly heads through as yet unused territory in the bike park, taking in an area of mature Scots pine trees with some excellent flowing trail and huge rock slabs before reaching a stretch of beautiful ancient oak forest. Here the trail opens up and sweeps its way via huge rollers and berms between the majestic ancient trees. A fast dash through some classic Welsh open pasture will then drop you right at the bottom of the hill buzzing from one of the best descents in Wales.
Willy Waver is one of those trails that makes you feel like a World champion. This blue meanders down to the uplift pickup with flattering ease, each turn making you feel more and more heroic. A great section of rollers keeps you on your toes as the trail pinches close to rim dinger before a series of jumps and a huge carving turn drop you back at the pickup point for another go.
Hold on tight and join the ride! Roller Disco is a very unique trail within the BikePark, picture a giant, slightly downhill pump track and you are pretty much there. This trail is an amazing example of creative and skillful trail building and is a real work of art. Manicured bowled berms, rollers and jumps will keep you engaged as you ride this rollercoaster in one flowing movement from start to finish.
Popty Ping features a series of progressive table top jumps as well as smooth flowing berms to carve. If you are in intermediate level jumper looking for somewhere to practise this trail is ideal for you. There are lines of table tops and snaking turns as far as the eye can see.
Forest Bump is a fantastic section of technical blue trail, a great introduction to technical riding and a good stepping stone to the red trails. Although not steep this trail carries great speed and you will find yourself speeding down the narrow ribbon of prime singletrack between tall trees amidst a bed of pine needles. Watch out for the steeper compressions and bermed sections.
Merthyr Rocks is our most technical blue trail and offers the prefect steppingstone for those looking to transition from blue to red trails. It features a generous helping of undulating rocks and swooping berms that will help you develop your riding skills. It’s also an absolute blast for more advanced riders.
Locomotion is a nice section for those looking to test the water of a red trail without committing to a full run. Peel off sixtapod and have your first taste of the red stuff.
Insufficient Funds nearly didn't get built...hence the name! We are glad it did though, this trail starts off rocky and rough but soon turns in to a jumpy flowing fast trail that drops your right back at the uplift pickup point. Some great jumps and transfer lines on this trail.
A470 is our red jump line built for those with experience on large jumps and features. This trail has got everything, from gaps to step-downs, drops to large tables. If you're looking for big airtime this is the trail for you, it's jumpy, flowy and great fun!
Pandora's Rocks is one of our easier red tech trails, featuring lots of rock slabs mixed in with some super addictive natural berms. You’ll find it just to the side of the start of Terrys Belly and it’s the ideal progression from our blue tech Merthyr Rocks.
Made famous by Tracy Mosely in episode 3 of the making of BikePark Wales series, Vicious Valley is a very tight, very fast red trail that has been surfaced to roll fast and be ridable in all weathers. Don't be lulled in to a false sense of security though, there are plenty of roots to catch you out and a road gap for those who fancy it.
Surfin’ Bird may be one of our shorter trails but we can guarantee you’ll be riding it more than once! It features swooping berms, rock drops and in summer an amazing display of bluebells!
Wibbly Wobbly, is rocky and loose at the top, amazingly fast and features a brilliant natural rock gap jump. As soon as you hit the woods the character changes and the trail narrows before opening up again for a fast set of grade reversals to the mid road.
Snakebite does exactly what is says on the tin so watch out! This slither of rocky singletrack offers a tech aternative to riding Insufficient Funds to the uplift pickup point. There are some fantastic rock ladder sections and roots mixed in to spice things up, just watch those tyres as there are plenty of sharp edges to give you a bite!
This has to be the most talked about trail at BikePark Wales. This section of red trail may have claimed more punctures than any other trail in Wales but boy is it worth it! 1.2Km of sublime rock gardens linked by berms, jumps, rock ladders and step downs, we challenge you not to enjoy this trail.
Hot Stepper is a technical delight with some great rocky features to challenge you. The trail begins with a rock slab drop and quickly enters a narrow flowing section of singletrack. Next you will hit a huge rock garden with three different line choices allowing you to drop, jump and bump your way through. The trail joins Terry's Belly temporarily before splitting again onto a hand cut root fest followed by a series of slab drops, some more tight woods and finally, a dash through the ancient woodland at the bottom.
Groot is a natural and more technical style trail. Made entirely by hand by the BikePark Wales team during the pandemic. Its unsurfaced nature means it has lots of roots, tight sections and mud during the winter months that will really challenge riders to hold their speed.
Groot traverses the hill with a gradual gradient and won’t give riders any free speed, link it together well though and you’ll be laughing all the way down!
BonneyVille is a natural, switchbacked red route on one of the steeper parts of the mountain. Â This track incoprorates, berms, off camber sections, roots and natural terrain spliced together to create a trail with amazing speed and flow. Â Watch out for the Alpine style series of switchbacks, great practise!
Root Manoeuvres is our longest and most technical red trail. It combines gnarly rock sections, black split lines, rooty off camber sections all with a helping of bar dragging berms. As it’s predominantly an unsurfaced trail bring your waterproofs because you are going to get muddy!
ACDC offers a real blend of fast flowing berms, jumps and drops and more technical riding in dense forest. Watch out though as there are beautifully crafted jumps spliced in to the technical sections to keep things interesting. This trail is long and once you have found its rhythm even the technical sections have fantastic flow.
Possiby the most varied trail in the park, Watts Occuring truly has it all. This trail starts with a true blend of tech and flow before entering a machine built jump section featuring berms, shark fins, step downs and rollers. The trail quickly changes charachter completely as it enters a fast section of micro berms and then several hundred metres of full on rock garden. The trail finishes with one of the nicest jumps in the park and a few giant berms to deliver you back at the uplift pickup point. Don't miss this one!!
Hard shoulder is a set of fantastic and flowing jumps that peel off of A470 line and merge back in at the mid way point. For experts only!
Zut Alors is one of the favourite trails of the BPW team. A short rock garden leads you in to a set of perfectly crafted gap jumps ending in a step up in to two huge berms. It doesn't get much better than this. Oh la la!
Pork Belly, the belly of the beast. A nice mix of flow, rock, jumps and speed send you hurtling towards the underpass.
Like Jumps? Then you must ride Enter the Dragon. This trail features the biggest jumps at BikePark Wales, some of which are not rollable so this trail is suitable for very skilled riders only. A series of MX sized jumps leads you to two step downs that send you hurtling in to the woods at warp speed. Massive berms, more giant leaps (keep your eyes peeled for the pro-line if you are feeling extra brave) and before you know it you will be at the mid road grinning ear to ear.
Named after a giant coal mine in the area that closed in 1991 Deep Navigation follows the route of the legendary "Dragon rock garden" one of the longest and most infamous rock gardens in the UK. Pick your line carefully as this one will catch you unawares if you aren't on top of your game.
Coal not Doal is all about two things, fast and rough! This section of black trail leads riders from the mid road through the rocky open areas of the mid mountain and then in to the Oak forest via a series of compressions, jumps and steep pitches before dropping you out above the underpass. One of the best sections of trail on the hill for those who like to go fast on a bike with lots of travel.
Rock and Roll does exactly what it says on the tin. It consists of some very steep rolls and a lot of rock! This is a black, hand cut section of trail that also has some serious roots and some tricky corners, not for the feint hearted this one!
Dai Hard has quickly become a signature trail at BikePark Wales. Tight, twisty, technical, tidy! A fun and challenging singletrack littered with roots and rock soon bursts into the open with a series of drops.
True Grit is a rocky tech trail that you really have to choose your line right to find that sweet spot! With large rocks and slabs, it'll work your suspension hard but damn does it feel good when you get it right!
Boomslang is a black run like no other. It's got a great variety of terrain packed into one run. With some speedy slalom berms at the top sending you down into the infamous Fox lillypad. From there you dive into what can only be described as the BEST berms in Wales. These steep curving corners bring you down into the start of the woods and this is where things get spicy. We've left the line choice here wide open so there is a lot to take in, it's steep, off camber and in the right conditions, loam for days.
One of the more natural and technical lines in the park, Escort (named after the burnt out old MK3 car just off the side of the trail) starts at the stunning viewpoint looking into the heart of the Brecon Beacons and traverses the slope taking in rock slabs and natural features before plummeting down the steep slope with some challenging switchbacks. A perfect slice of technical alpine singletrack brought to Merthyr Tydfil.
Half Cut may look like a short section of trail on the map but it's well worth a visit for riders who are fans of steep, technical riding. This natural hand cut trail is very challenging to ride in the dry, let alone in the wet! If you make it through here clean then you have ninja skills.
50 Shades of Black is named after the vast variety of terrain, surface and feature type all found within this single black trail. 50 shades is the longest and gnarliest black trail at BikePark Wales, it features a mix of hand cut and machine built sections as well as huge boulder fields, roots, jumps and plenty of Dirt (or mud if it's wet!). This one is for experts only.
Blackadder starts right at the summit of Myndd Gethin and offers a mixed challenge of jumps, drops and flow before entering the woods and changing charachter entirely. Here you can expect a mix of natural rooty and rocky terrain as well as some berms to keep the speed and flow up. The trail bursts oout of the forest and into a fantastic slab jump before twisting its way to the mid road.
This incredible, huge, jump line created in collaboration with top world cup downhill racer Laurie Greenland and Red Bull was built by our in-house jump builder extraordinaire and pro 4X racer Duncan Ferris.
If enourmous gaps and technical jumps are your thing then Vanta could be just the ticket, the line is very creative with hip jumps, nose taps, a quad bike jump and even jumps over trees!
This is truly a world class jump line only for the most experienced and capable of riders.
Big. Gnarly. Jumps. Only for seriously expert level riders, trail X is a set of three giant hip jumps to the side of Enter the Dragon.
The Martian was built by our very own Ricky 'The Martian' Martin who has been perfecting his trail building skills for many years now. It features some huge natural bolder fields, a precision step down jump and a helping of bar dragging berms! Certainly not one for the faint hearted but one heck of a rush!
Join the Dots is one of the most technically challenging trail at BikePark Wales. Although it appears easy and flowing at the start it soon turns in to a roller coaster ride made of natural rock drops and huge boulder kickers. Look before you leap!
Beast of Burden is our Singletrack XC Climb to the peak of Myndd Gethin at 491m. This 4.6Km climb takes in some great features as it twists and turns its way to the summit, there are plenty of features to keep you on your toes. The fastest riders can get to the top in under 20 minutes but for mere mortals it's more like 40!
The "Link Climb" allows you to session the upper sections over Terry's Belly, Hot Stepper and Popty Ping without having to ride all the way to the bottom. Grab a group of friends and session your favourite sections using this link climb.
The South Side link trail is a short traverse that leads you to the start point of all the trails that begin at the Southern end of our mountain, this includes 50 Shades of Black, Terry's Belly, Hot Stepper and Popty Ping so make sure you don't miss these great trails!
The E-bike Steep Climb & DH Push Up is the most direct way to get to the top. The route follows the start of the Beast of Burden climb and then peels off to follow a Bridleway before traversing the Forest road and then a final steeper push to the top of the hill. Simply follow the signs to the top.
Trail Difficulty Scale
Please use the following guide in conjunction with our trail grading information
Note: Blend trails start at an advanced level of riding
BPW Tech trails have rougher and more natural trail surfaces featuring a high percentage of natural or organic features: rocks, roots, drops and steeper gradients. Speeds are generally lower than those on BPW Flow trails.
Plus trails feature a high frequency of BikePark style features such as jumps, drops or gaps that require, or actively encourage, a rider’s wheels to leave the ground. Without the necessary jumping ability, these trails will pose a consistently higher level of risk. The trails are colour graded as usual to denote the extent of the challenge of the bikepark style jump and drop features; the colour of the plus symbol will relate to the trail grade. Only ride trails at the appropriate level of difficulty for your ability. Standard graded trails may include some of these features but not to the same frequency, scale or focus as a plus ‘+’ graded trail. Look out for the + symbol on the trail maps and trail name boards to help you decide if it is a suitable trail for you.
Trail
Qualifiers
What are trail qualifiers and why do we have them? Mountain bike legend Rob Warner explains all in this useful explainer video.
