TRAIL BLAZERS ADAM STALLARD, ELAN VALLEY

If Mid Wales is mountain biking’s faded classic, one man is on a mission to give it a makeover and turn it into a masterpiece

- Sim Mainey

It’s dark and noisy. To my left two metres of concrete separate me from several million tonnes of water, to the right an artificial waterfall tumbles past a small window to the river below. Stood in the heart of Pen y Garreg dam in the Elan Valley, it’s hard not to be impressed by the determination and dedication of the Edwardian age. One of six dams in the valley, it was completed in 1904 and the contents of the reservoir it created, along with four other reservoirs, continue to supply water to Birmingham some 70 miles away. There have been a few updates here and there over the years, but essentially things haven’t changed a whole lot.

It’s a similar story when it comes to mountain biking in the Elan Valley. The area has long been one of mid-Wales’s go-to riding destinations, the combination of stunning scenery and rugged terrain making it the perfect place for a big day out. That’s still the case, and for a traditional XC ride it still hits the mark. But mountain biking has changed, grown and evolved. While a good day out in the hills is still the reason a lot of us ride, we’ve also come to expect a little bit more from our riding. Whether that’s dedicated graded trails that deliver repeatable thrills, more natural feeling trails that test our skills or simply facilities like a cafe, bike wash and somewhere to park. Like the dams, what is needed are some updates that keep the area relevant without losing what already works.

BIG POTENTIAL

Dwr Cymru, Welsh Water, who own the Elan Valley estate, provide water to the majority of Wales and parts of England. They are a not-for-profit company, and with no shareholders to keep happy, any profits they do make are reinvested into the business, used to reduce bills or put into provisioning other resources. Like mountain bike trails.