Riding “Alpine” Gravel Climbs in the UK

[@thedoginside]

Well, that looked slightly amazing! 😍

[@paulbartlett852]

Been riding that track off the Rhigos road over the summer, some really interesting descents from there down to Resolven where you can pick up the Neath canal path. Tidy video.

[@LeeJonesNPT]

I do that route regularly from Baglan up through Glyncorrwg and then down the Rhigos into Glynneath and down the Neath Canal, back to Baglan it’s a great gravel ride and almost all off road. If you had headed for the Trig near the top of the Rhigos (the highest point n the old county of Glamorgan) there is a track there to either head down to Resolven and come out near the Melincourt falls and head down canal or follow the old mine road that takes you out behind Selar opencast now a solar farm that brings you out in Cefn Rhigos above Glynneath and teh Neath Canal access at the old Aberpergym colliery

[@t_h_visuals]

I’m not that far away from these trails. I need to get there!

[@philipgraham7433]

Love it up there - unfortunately too cold/icy this morning for me. Looking forward to it when it’s just a bit warmer 🥶

[@Bandyrobs1]

Looks amazing. Did some of those tarmac roads on the Dragon a few years back but the gravel tracks look amazing. I am moving from London to the North Pennines in a few weeks and looking forward to buying a gravel bike and hitting the trails!

[@budycelyn]

i live a few miles down the valley from the Maerdy reservoir you passed, the forest access roads and the mtb trails over in Afan and Glyncorrwg are my stomping grounds.

[@iseonbikes]

Awesome. Had no idea the gravel was riding was that good around that neck of the woods. Loved the drone shots!

[@JK-wl5bx]

You'll be hard pressed to find better gravel riding anywhere in the Uk than afan, margam , glyncorrwg area. Great ride that

[@ianjohnson5653]

Wow! Looks stunning!

[@chrishayward9615]

Been through that village on Dragon Ride some years back, twice in fact as you descend back to it from Neath. Or at least the 2018 route did. I believe one Richard Walter Jenkins was from there aka Richard Burton. I remember as a kid my Nan who lived most of her life in England would tell us how he was born in the next village over the mountain. She hailed from Bryn.

[@riderrunco]

Strava link? Looks so good

[@joystation1]

Loved the video, especially the drone shots. I've been a roadie for years and now I've just got myself a Boardman ADV 8.9 Carbon gravel /adventure bike. I've ridden many times from Ogmore Vale, up the Bwlch and Rhigos on to Hirwaun and often on through Penderyn to the Storey Arms Outdoor Centre (and back) so I was excited to see you riding gravel tracks and service roads in these areas. When not covered in snow, do these tracks and roads remain dry and rideable on "gravel tyres" throughout winter ?

[@afroshredder]

I rode a very similar route this summer but it was Misty on the tops. Unreal riding round there though! Nice one Ed!

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

nice one Ed. we are spoilt having the Bwlch and Rhinos so close. Closest thing to alpine-like climbs we have 🙂

[@AndrewDCDrummond]

Treherbert down there - I think you meant !

[@edlaverack]

And Treorchy, I just say the one I always refer to when I head this way.

[@RyanCondon]

Great video. 👍 Happy New Year.

[@lynnprice7023]

Great video Ed, have you done a video on how you find, plan, download and then follow the route?

[@mattmorga36]

Hi Ed, nice ride and the weather wow ...what rim-tire combination did you use for the gravel ride in South Wales? I wonder how did you find it on those fire road climbs up there...thanks

[@markmitchenall5948]

That's Treherbert down there... disappointed with your pronunciation of Rhigos... like listening to Tour of Britain commentary all over again ;-)

[@edlaverack]

And Treorchy, I just say the one I always refer to when I head this way. Not sure what you mean by the Rhigos pronounciation because that’s literally how we say it😂

[@markmitchenall5948]

@edlaverack might be how you do down there, and closer than Matt Stephens, but not quite the same as we do in the Rhondda ;-)

[@joystation1]

@@markmitchenall5948 I've just looked on t'internet on 3 websites " how to pronounce Rhigos" and each one was different. I'm not Welsh so no surprise, I don't speak Welsh but I have ridden my bike up and down the Rhigos many times. I say "Ree-goss", what say you ?

[@markmitchenall5948]

@@joystation1 the G is more like a K. E.g. The Rhi-koss. There's a really badly spelt Strava segment that kinda gets it, but I can't remember exactly how they spelt. It's my most local climb, too close to get any warm up unless I ride down to Treorchy and back at least, and everyone around here has same pronunciation. Pretty sure Geriant Thomas and Luke Rowe used same on Watts occurring podcast too. Just glad Ed showcasing the gravel around here too. Only just got a gravel bike recently to explore the forestry trails locally more, as they're awesome. Had similar fallen tree issues he found on same day. A few have fallen since storm Darragh though. Think storm and subsequent wet weather weakened roots.

[@camperp195]

Gravel riders=wannabee mountain bikers Basically riding a road bike on a road with a bit of dirt,just get a mountain bike ffs,much more fun,riding in a straight line is depressing,and pointless.

[@bryndavies9897]

You really got nothing better to do than this?

[@Jeromewhite123]

Oh look out, the cycling police are here.

[@markmitchenall5948]

Handlebars struggle to get through front door of terrace houses around by here though