New Forest or Swansea (Afan/Brechfa)

[JayPee]

Right I have next week off and I have been given two offers of places to go and hit some trails. I need to train for my upcoming event in the Mendips so anything similar to that would be great. Firstly-

New Forest- Parents have booked a Chalet down there for a few days in Limington, so I would just disappear off on the bike each day. Having never ridden around there, I have no idea's which parts are good if any, but it would be good if they were close-ish to where they are staying

Afan/Brechfa- My old Uni town but I never cycled there, got somewhere to stay, but I have a feeling the trails may be a bit more hardcore? Alternatively anywhere else that's good to cycle within a 20 minute drive of Swansea? Brecons maybe?

Cheers

[timbo48]

New Forest is fairly limited for mountain bikes as you're restricted to the gravel tracks, although there's quite a lot of them and reasonably well connected. Nothing technical though, certainly no single track to speak of. You can get an official map at the TIC in Lyndhurst which is to the north of Lymington. Once you get away from the car parks it can be quite pleasant, though, some nice pubs as well.
Afan/Glyncorrwg (sp?) would be my choice, or if you wanted to go a bit further, Brechfa Forest. Lots of climbing on both but well worth it. All have terrific decents. As to whether it's hardcore, I suppose that depends on what you like riding but various levels exist at both places. Probably worth going up to the Dropoff cafe or Skyline Cycles to find out which one would suit you best. And all of the tracks are ok in the rain as well.
I think MTB Wales has a load of routes up in the Beacons.

[g_stacey]

Two very different places. New Forest very flat and unmarked, Afan the complete opposite. Do both? or certainly do Afan. Four routes there so 2 days riding will cover them. A few (old) pics from Afan.