Snaking its way along the valley, the Rookie trail is smooth, wide and mostly flat, and you get lovely views of the river that flows along the valley bottom.

We love the skills area, which is the perfect place to improve your skills or try some of the trail features you might encounter elsewhere. It’s got rock step ups and downs, some wooden northshore sections, and a pumptrack. Practice here, then take your skills onto the other trails.

There’s also a new blue section opening soon at the end of the trail, which will make the perfect progression from the green.

Blue Scar heads up the hill behind the visitor centre on a wide, smooth trail with easy switchback turns. It’s a good test of fitness, as it does head upwards for quite a bit on the trail, and then on the fire road. Look out for the little motivational messages on the signposts that let you know you are nearly at the top.

Once you make it up you are rewarded by a swooping, whoop-inducing descent with great views, all the way back down to the visitor centre. It’s a great trail for progressing from the green, and then onto the red, as it links in with the Penhydd trail.

This trail is based around one of the first ever MTB trails built at Afan, so it’s got a bit of history behind it. Sharing the Blue Scar climb, with a bit more climbing on top for good measure, it’s a workout but the descents are totally worth it!

Long, swooping berms swing you right and left over an open landscape. The terrain is rougher and more natural, and you can expect small rollable rock drops, rocky sections and a few steep chutes. The final descent down to the visitor centre is a lot of fast, flowy fun.

This area has been cleared of trees though, which means that when the weather is bad it will be very exposed. On a sunny day, it’s glorious.

This is one of the iconic rides at Afan, and you’ll encounter the full gamut of trail types. Whether you like rolling over rocks or roots, you’ll be satisfied. Parts of the trail have a natural, rough feel, and other parts like the newer sections are wider and more groomed. All are fun.

Put your climbing skills to the test with a steep, tricky ascent on what Cognation say is Afan’s most technical trail. Expect tight and twisty trails, rock step sequences, and other features to test your bike handling skills.

If you want to push yourself further, there’s also a black section you can try midway along the trail.

If you are looking for an epic ride, one that tests your endurance and stamina, then this is it. A whopping 46 km of climbs and descents. It’s a technical trail too, so will test your riding as well as your stamina. If you’re training for an event, this is a brilliant one for gauging your fitness and skill level.

Make sure you and your bike are in good working order, you have plenty of food and drink, and enough repair kit to sort yourself out as you’ll be a long way from civilisation if something goes awry.

Want an epic day of riding, like riding Y Wall and Whites Level, but can’t decide between the two? Do both! W2 combines these trails, via a link, into one epic  44km trail. You’ll travel over the top twice, from one trail centre to the other and back – which means you can start in either. It’s a question of picking your first climb, or your favourite last descent.

The newest addition to the trails at Afan, Blade starts as it means to go on, sharing the intense technical ascent of Whites Level. At the top, you’re rewarded with a flowing sequence of open bermed trails, twisty-turny and technical wooded sections, and a few more climbs. The final two descents are spectacular; one wide and swooping through the trees, the second loose, rocky and exposed. You’ll get back to the centre buzzing with adrenaline and wanting more.

If you fancy practicing your park skills, trying some berms or improving your jumps, all within a contained area, then this is perfect for you. Located near the Bryn Bettws lodge, at the start of the final Y Wall descent, it’s a great place to set up camp for an afternoon of fun.

A short climb to the start and you’ve got 5 different routes down, packed full of berms, rollers and jumps. We recommend spending an hour or two, and you’ll see the difference in your bike handling skills.