Derwen Trail, Brechfa Forest
 Background/context
The reputation of Welsh forests and woodlands for providing excellent mountain biking is well established. Hard-core mountain bikers flock to experience the thrills of the white-knuckle downhill rides and several world-class events are held annually on Forestry Commission Wales purpose-built trails. But mountain biking is a sport that can be enjoyed by the whole family and the new trail in Brechfa Forest, Carmarthenshire has been created to provide an engaging ride for the more in-experienced off-road enthusiast. Description/why "Named after the oak woodland it flows through, the Derwen Green grade trail gives a unique introduction to the world of mountain biking. A combination of steady climbs and fun descents and the opportunity to enjoy some lovely scenery is already proving popular. Our new family trail follows the same design as the Gorlech Red grade trail, a more demanding route opened in August 2006, but the features have been toned down. The idea is to introduce people to the feel of how the trail works, with bermed turns and grade reversals which control speed with inclines and descents. Sounds technical but it really has been designed with the family in mind to enjoy the woodland surroundings while taking some beneficial exercise. There are two rides on the Derwen trail - one for the complete novice with basic bike skills with some areas accessible for trailers. Once this ride has been mastered, there is an intermediate Blue grade ride with some specially constructed single track, offering more of a taste of the thrills and spills of mountain biking. Brechfa Forest was one of Wales’s best kept secrets with its dramatic views and deeply cut river valleys. We have opened this up to take full advantage of the natural terrain for superb mountain biking and provided access for both the extreme mountain biker and the outdoor pursuits family alike." Future projects "Having provided trails for families and experienced riders, our final route through Brechfa Forest, soon to be unveiled, will take mountain biking to the limit and offer a serious technical and physical challenging Black trail. There are already signs that the trails are boosting the community’s fortunes as well as providing local residents with access to enjoy a great outdoor pursuit."
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