Afan Forest Park – Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike Centre, near Port Talbot
Starting point for three of our red-graded mountain...
Afan Forest Park – Rhyslyn, near Port Talbot
What's here
Tree felling at Rhyslyn
We are felling trees infected with larch disease in the Rhyslyn area of Afan Forest Park. Many walking and mountain bike trails in Afan Forest Park will remain open but some will be diverted or closed. Please follow the signage for all diversions and closures. This work is due to be finished by May 2023.
Get up to date information on diversions and closures and the felling operation
Please note that additional sections of our trails may be diverted or closed due to ongoing harvesting work. See the information panels in the car parks and follow diversion signs and instructions from staff to wait or give way.
Welcome
Afan Forest Park was created in the 1970s and has grown into one of Britain’s iconic mountain bike destinations.
Situated in a former coal mining valley a few miles from the M4, the forest park offers mountain bike trails for beginners to expert riders.
Rhyslyn car park is on the site of the former Pontrhydyfen railway station and two waymarked walking trails set off along the river from here.
Y Wal mountain bike trail trail can also be started from Rhyslyn car park.
Our other mountain bike trails start from Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre and Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike Centre, both of which are home to a range of facilities for mountain bikers.
There is a picnic area in Rhyslyn car park.
Walking trails
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.
Rhyslyn Riverside Walk
- Grade: Easy
- Distance: 1 mile/1.8 kilometres
- Time: 45 minutes
- Climb: Mainly level
Follow the Afan River upstream to a viewpoint and return along a disused mineral railway track.
This is a flat route almost all the way along riverside paths and on forest roads.
Watch out for cyclists on sections of the walk.
Penrhys Walk
- Grade: Moderate
- Distance: 3½ miles/5.7 kilometres
- Time: 2 hours
- Climb: 600 feet/180 metres
Enjoy panoramic views along the ancient ridgeway track which connected Baglan church on the coast to Craig y Llyn north of Glyncorrwg.
You can see all the way to the Carmarthenshire Fans (peaks) on a clear day.
Mountain bike trails
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.
- Find out about mountain bike trail grades.
- For a list of our mountain bike trails and information to plan your ride, go to mountain biking.
- For more information about mountain biking in Wales, go to the Mountain Bike Wales website.
Y Wal Trail
- Grade: Red (difficult)
- Distance: 18.6 kilometres
- Time: 1½-3 hours
- Climb: 520 metres
- Alternative starting point: Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre
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 - see Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre.
Richard Burton Birthplace Trail
Rhyslyn car park is within easy walking distance of the village of Pontrhydyfen where the famous actor Richard Burton was born.
The Richard Burton Birthplace Trail sets off from the car park to Pontrhydyfen and his birth place.
There are information panels along the trail with interesting facts on his childhood and career.
For more information, go to the Discover Neath Port Talbot website.
National Forest for Wales
Afan Forest Park forms part of the National Forest for Wales.
The National Forest will:
- create areas of new woodland
- enhance existing woodlands
- restore Wales’ irreplaceable ancient woodlands.
In time it will form a connected ecological network running throughout Wales, bringing social, economic and environmental benefits.
For more information about the National Forest for Wales go to the Welsh Government website.
Closures and diversions
- Sometimes we need to close or divert trails for your safety whilst we undertake maintenance work or other operations.
- We may have to close a site in extreme weather, such as high winds or snow and ice, due to the risk of injury to visitors or staff.
- Please always follow any instructions on site and any temporary diversion signs.
How to get here
Location
Rhyslyn car park is in Afan Forest Park six miles from junction 40 of the M4.
It is in the county of Neath Port Talbot
Ordnance Survey map
Rhyslyn is on Ordnance Survey (OS) map 165 and 166.
The OS grid reference is SS 800 942.
Directions
From the A4107, turn down the B4287 towards Pontrhydyfen.
Take a sharp right turn just over the bridge as the road bears left.
Public transport
The nearest mainline railway station is in Port Talbot.
For details of public transport go to the Traveline Cymru website.
Sustrans cycle route
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.
Parking
Car parking is free of charge.
Overnight parking is not permitted.
Contact details
There are no staff at this location.
Contact our customer team for general enquiries during office hours, Monday to Friday.
Related document downloads
Afan Forest Park walking leaflet
PDF [5.5 MB]
Y Wal Trail guide
PDF [5.7 MB]
Other places in South West Wales
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