Afan Forest Park – Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike Centre, near Port Talbot
Starting point for three red-graded mountain bike...
The recent strong winds took a significant toll on our sites.
We’re continuing to assess the damage, but this will take some time.
We may close the car park and other facilities at short notice whilst we undertake recovery operations.
You should always follow any instructions given by signs or local staff including any trail diversions or closures, and beware of the danger of falling trees or branches.
Ongoing forestry operations
There are forestry operations underway in Afan Forest Park including a major tree felling operation.
Many of the walking and mountain bike trails are closed or diverted.
See information in car parks and follow diversion signs on the trails
Be aware of timber haulage lorries and follow instructions from staff.
Mountain bike trail closures and diversions
Walking trail closures and diversions
Learn more about the major tree felling operation in Afan Forest Park.
Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre is the main starting point for walking and mountain bike trails in Afan Forest Park.
There are four mountain bike trails and a skills area for less experienced riders.
The walking trails range from a short level route along a former trackway to a strenuous seven mile walk along a ridgetop with panoramic views.
The car park and visitor centre are managed by Neath Port Talbot Council and are home to the South Wales Miners’ Museum, a café and a bike shop.
The walking trails are waymarked from start to finish.
Look out for the information panel at the start of the trail.
Find out about walking trail grades.
The Old Parish Road Walk follows part of the ancient trackway that was the main means of transport in the valley until it fell into disuse in 1920.
There are seats and tables along the way to enjoy the views.
The walk returns to the visitor centre on the former railway line (which is now part of the Afan Valley Cycleway/Sustrans Route 887).
The River and Railway Walk descends into the valley and crosses the River Afan before climbing steeply to the old railway line.
It passes a sealed railway tunnel entrance, which was designed and built by Brunel, and then returns to the visitor centre via a picnic area by the river.
The Gyfylchi Ridgetop Trail crosses the River Afan and climbs through woodlands to the hilltop.
There are panoramic views of the valley.
The trail then goes past two sets of ruins – Nant y Bar Farm and the 18th century Gyfylchi Chapel, once a shrine to Welsh Methodism – before it descends to the car park.
All our mountain bike trails are waymarked from start to finish and have been graded for difficulty.
At the start of the trail there is an information panel – please read this before setting off.
This green-graded trail is a fun, winding, and meandering trail.
It is a perfect introductory route for newcomers, with a wide trail and slightly sweeping declines.
There is a Skills Area on the trail which offers riders the opportunity to develop their technical riding abilities too.
The optional 2.4 kilometre blue-graded loop provides a taster for those wishing to progress; it drops down to the River Afan and exposes some secret spots.
Picnic areas can be found along the trail.
Accessibility information
This trail is suitable for people using adaptive equipment.
Adaptive equipment includes adaptive cycles, adaptive wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
We have produced a film about this trail to help you work out how suitable it may be for you before you visit.
To watch the film, go to Trails for users of adaptive equipment
Fantastic trail to improve riding skills and develop confidence.
Accessibility information
This trail is suitable for people using adaptive equipment.
Adaptive equipment includes adaptive cycles, adaptive wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
We have produced a film about this trail to help you work out how suitable it may be for you before you visit.
To watch the film, go to Trails for users of adaptive equipment
This classic South Wales trail is designed to be a progression to the more demanding Afan trails.
It climbs out from the visitor centre car park to give a stunning trail, mixing the old with the new.
Enjoy the combination of forest road climbs with some fantastic views, and flowing singletrack descents, plus some new steeper sections in the mix.
This trail can be demanding for less experienced riders and is exposed to bad weather on the higher ground.
Boasting some of the best singletrack descents in the UK, this trail traverses the north side of the Afan Valley on singletrack.
It varies from fast, open and flowing to tight, technical and rooty.
Great views of the valley and coastline open out at different points, and in places the steep-sided slopes can feel exposed.
The approach to the singletrack shares a section with the Rheilffordd Low Level Cycleway and the disused railway line, so please ride with consideration for the many other forest users.
For a longer ride, combine with White’s Level Trail via one of the W2 links.
The car park, toilets and some other visitor facilities here are managed by Neath Port Talbot Council.
For more information and opening times go to the Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre website.
Afan Valley Bike Shed is next to Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre.
For more information and opening times go to the Afan Valley Bike Shed website.
Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre is situated in Afan Forest Park.
Afan Forest Park is one of Britain’s iconic mountain bike destinations and a popular place for walking.
The forest park is situated in the Afan Valley, a former coal mining valley just a few miles from the M4.
You can discover some of the valley’s heritage features along our trails in the forest park.
Explore Afan Forest Park from the car parks at these three other places:
Afan Forest Park forms part of the National Forest for Wales.
The National Forest will:
It will form a connected ecological network running throughout Wales, bringing social, economic and environmental benefits.
Parts of the network will eventually form a trail running the length and breadth of Wales, so anyone can access it wherever they live.
For more information go to the National Forest for Wales website.
We want you to return home safely after your visit here.
You are responsible for your own safety as well as the safety of any children and animals with you during your visit.
For advice and tips to help you plan your visit here go to Visiting our places safely.
The Rookie Trail and the Blue Scar Trail are suitable for people using adaptive equipment.
Adaptive equipment includes adaptive cycles, adaptive wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
We have produced a film about each of these trails to help you work out how suitable they may be for you before you visit.
To watch the films, go to Trails for users of adaptive equipment
The car park, toilets and all visitor facilities here are managed by Neath Port Talbot Council.
For more information and opening times go to the Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre website.
See the top of this webpage for details of any planned closures or other changes to the trails here.
For your safety, always follow instructions from staff and signs including those for trail diversions or closures.
We may divert or close trails whilst we undertake maintenance work or other operations and we may need to close other visitor facilities temporarily.
In extreme weather, we may close facilities at short notice due to the risk of injury to visitors and staff.
You may need permission from us to organise an event or to carry out some activities on our land.
Check if you are allowed to use our land.
Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre is 5½ miles north east of Port Talbot.
The postcode is SA13 3HG.
Please note that this postcode may not take you to the car park if you use a sat nav or navigation app.
We suggest you follow the directions below or use the Google map on this page which has a pin on the car park’s location.
Exit M4 at junction 40 for Port Talbot and follow signs onto A4107 towards Cymer.
Follow the brown and white signs for Afan Forest Park from the roundabout.
The visitor centre car park will be on the right, approximately 6 miles from the motorway junction.
View this place on the What3Words website.
The Ordnance Survey (OS) grid reference for the car park is SS 820 950 (Explorer Map 165 or 166).
The nearest mainline railway station is in Port Talbot.
For details of public transport go to the Traveline Cymru website.
You can cycle to Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre on Sustrans National Cycle Network route 887.
Route 887 provides a link between the towns of Port Talbot, Cwmafan, and Pontrhydyfen and continues onto Afan Forest Park.
For more information go to the Sustrans website.
The car park is managed by Neath Port Talbot Council.
For more information and opening times go to the Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre website.
The car park, toilets and all visitor facilities here are managed by Neath Port Talbot Council. For more information and opening times go to the Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre website.
There are no Natural Resources Wales staff at this location. Contact our customer team for general enquiries during office hours, Monday to Friday.