London to Afan, Whites Level, Afan to London

All week, we anticipated the worst whilst we closely monitored the weather forecast for the Port Talbot area. As the week passed, the ambiguous reports suggested the conditions were improving, from “heavy snow” on Monday with midweek reports indicating “heavy rain”, “light rain”, “thick fog” until on Friday evening the oracle was telling us “sunny spells without rain”. We had a green light and it was Go Go Go!

Up at 6:30, shower, riding gear on, pre-packed bags and bike into the car, M25, M1, Hemel, transfer gear onto mate’s car, M1, M25, M4, Fog and traffic, arrive 11:30, later than planned, but the skies were blue and despite the cold, the thermals keep me warm.

I love Whites Level, I’ve said it before, but it’s the best climb I’ve ever ridden. If you’re relatively fit it’s an interesting and technical climb with stunning views. A real good lung buster that can be taken at speed still leaving plenty left over for the excitement that follows.

It takes us a leisurely 45 minutes to reach the top where we stop to take in the views and make adjustments to our shock pressures. Before long we’re hitting the black run, a fast and furious section that tests the skills on the many berms and switchbacks, until you hit the final lip and find yourself being launched down a very steep, very technical decent that takes you to the bottom. A nice touch I always like to finish on is riding the narrow slab formation which sits towards the bottom of the steepest part of the decent. A real sense of achievement once complete, cleaned it nicely, what a buzz.

Once we make the fire road climb back to the top we continue to the next section, a lovely undulating decent taking us to the new “Energy” section, starting with a range of tabletops and jumps eventually flowing onto boards that take us through some open forestry, then onto the original boardwalk that gradually throw us out onto the final decent. A long and narrow trail with a wall of Welsh mountain to the left and a sheer drop to the right, concentration is an absolute must. Hit any of the numerous slabs or lips at the wrong angle or at the wron gspeed and it’s either wall to the left, or drop to the right.

Once we’re eventually ejected at the end of the trail you can’t help but feel exhilarated at what is such an interesting and exciting trail to ride. Always something different to keep you on your toes and it’s not too long that you’re completely exhausted by the end of it.

To cap it off we stop by at the “Dropoff” café at the foot of the trail where a well earned and very generously served up homemade chilli con carne on baked potato was quickly devoured.

My only question is, how soon can we go back?

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