They're not closing the trails! Just the cafe's, and even then they are looking for private companies to take over the running of the cafe's. The trails will remain open and maintained. This is all blown out of by proportion because of the way it was announced.
That’s good to hear, where did you that? I just had a read of the MBR article and it says ‘the fate of the trails is unknown’ and that ‘it is unclear how the mountain bike trails would operate if the visitor centres were to close’ From that it sounds like pretty worrying news.
A friend of mine who works for NRW told me. The trails will be there no matter what, they have ploughed million into the trails which will be maintained regardless. Also there are lots of volunteers who are always doing work on them.
Honestly I'm still very concerned that this won't be the case if the cafe shuts. There are essential facilities in there including accessible toilets and a babychange which, more than the cafe itself even, will drastically cut visiting if they're no longer available. Sure, the trails and paths might still be accessible, although they may no longer be well-maintained (which is dangerous on the one hand and ruins accessibility on the other). But biking aside, most weekday visitors to Bwlch Nant yr Arian are either tourists planning to spend a full day or half day at the site, or else disabled and elderly people and young families who all rely on easy access to toilet facilities and food/drink to be safe to visit. I can't imagine they'd save more by closing the visitor centre than they make with it open on a typical year. It's almost certainly dissuaded people that hot meals have been replaced by cold sandwiches (especially problematic if you're unable to eat wheat!) and that closing time has changed from 5pm to 3pm (the former meant a comfortable seat for visitors to eat and chat while still in sight of the flock, while the latter means there's no food, drink or facilities available for people when they've seen the birds, especially bad for the gift shop). It really just doesn't make any sense. And the less the place makes in total, and the more TripAdvisor visitors get fed up when they cannot eat, the less important it will become to NRW to keep the place open at all. It's really awful news.
I really hope this place doesn’t close, my mum and dad love going here, my mum sits at the cafe and watches the birds 🦅 while my dad does a few laps on his bike. They love the place so much would be a shame if it closed.
Crazy how amazing places like this can be under threat. Ive ridden Nant and Brenin and both are a hundred times busier (And better!) than my local at Haldon!
Yeah I know what you mean. The carpark at Coed y Brenin is always packed. I guess it is to do with the finding they recieve from the local council? who knows.
I'm pretty sure that Mask of Zorro section was also closed when I last rode there in 2022. Did you visit the skills area? It looked pretty good but I was too tired after riding Syfydrin to try it out.
Yeah we had a little go at the skills area after our ride. It looks pretty good but like you we were knackered after the blue and red trails, so didn’t give it a proper session.
Man, they've destroyed that area with all the felling. That used to be my back yard, but all the trails were in forest. Now it's just tree stumps. So sad. No wonder the Visitor's Centre isn't making any money and has closed.
It's more that the kitchen was shut "for refurbishment" with no known end date, so people stopped going for lunch and tea; then it reopened with cold food only and the finish time changed to 3pm (some days 1pm now) rather than 5pm, which meant nobody could spend money after seeing the main event.
If you know something others don’t then perhaps share it rather than just moaning about “clickbait”. I just read the MBR article and it says ‘the fate of the trails is unknown’ and that ‘it is unclear how the mountain bike trails would operate if the visitor centres were to close’
This was such an amazing days riding, I only hope we can go there again before it’s too late.
Love this place, be a real shame if this and other centres were to close😢. I’ll be paying a visit very soon👍
Surely the Brenin can’t close. It must make a profit. I’m not sure about the smaller ones though.
Maybe you visit all 3 centres before they go? Brenin is still very much open and is still the original trail centre destination
Yeah I was thinking something along those lines. It’s been a good year since I went to Coed Y Brenin so it’s definitely time for a visit.
They're not closing the trails! Just the cafe's, and even then they are looking for private companies to take over the running of the cafe's. The trails will remain open and maintained. This is all blown out of by proportion because of the way it was announced.
That’s good to hear, where did you that? I just had a read of the MBR article and it says ‘the fate of the trails is unknown’ and that ‘it is unclear how the mountain bike trails would operate if the visitor centres were to close’
From that it sounds like pretty worrying news.
A friend of mine who works for NRW told me. The trails will be there no matter what, they have ploughed million into the trails which will be maintained regardless. Also there are lots of volunteers who are always doing work on them.
Is this still true and is this place still open as am planning a ride In October?
Honestly I'm still very concerned that this won't be the case if the cafe shuts. There are essential facilities in there including accessible toilets and a babychange which, more than the cafe itself even, will drastically cut visiting if they're no longer available. Sure, the trails and paths might still be accessible, although they may no longer be well-maintained (which is dangerous on the one hand and ruins accessibility on the other). But biking aside, most weekday visitors to Bwlch Nant yr Arian are either tourists planning to spend a full day or half day at the site, or else disabled and elderly people and young families who all rely on easy access to toilet facilities and food/drink to be safe to visit. I can't imagine they'd save more by closing the visitor centre than they make with it open on a typical year. It's almost certainly dissuaded people that hot meals have been replaced by cold sandwiches (especially problematic if you're unable to eat wheat!) and that closing time has changed from 5pm to 3pm (the former meant a comfortable seat for visitors to eat and chat while still in sight of the flock, while the latter means there's no food, drink or facilities available for people when they've seen the birds, especially bad for the gift shop). It really just doesn't make any sense. And the less the place makes in total, and the more TripAdvisor visitors get fed up when they cannot eat, the less important it will become to NRW to keep the place open at all. It's really awful news.
I really hope this place doesn’t close, my mum and dad love going here, my mum sits at the cafe and watches the birds 🦅 while my dad does a few laps on his bike. They love the place so much would be a shame if it closed.
Yeah it would be a real shame
Don’t know when this video was but I was riding there Saturday 10 February and visitor centre was open
Wish I'd seen this video before! The news only dropped to the majority of local visitors this week. We're gutted, and worried.
@@DebbieJacksonArtist I hope it stays open. It’s a fun couple of trails.
Problem is still that the trails don’t appear to be maintained to the same standard as they were a while back - Tar Du, Mark of Zorro ………
That'll definitely worsen if the visitor's centre also closes. Please help us fight to keep it going!
Is it closed now (the cafes) and trails?
Crazy how amazing places like this can be under threat. Ive ridden Nant and Brenin and both are a hundred times busier (And better!) than my local at Haldon!
Yeah I know what you mean. The carpark at Coed y Brenin is always packed. I guess it is to do with the finding they recieve from the local council? who knows.
I'm pretty sure that Mask of Zorro section was also closed when I last rode there in 2022. Did you visit the skills area? It looked pretty good but I was too tired after riding Syfydrin to try it out.
Yeah we had a little go at the skills area after our ride. It looks pretty good but like you we were knackered after the blue and red trails, so didn’t give it a proper session.
Any idea what stem jim is running?
I dropped him a message and he says it’s a DMR Defy 👍🏻
@@bikeandbeyond thanks, I like the look of the rise as much as anything else
The trails won't close
Man, they've destroyed that area with all the felling.
That used to be my back yard, but all the trails were in forest. Now it's just tree stumps. So sad. No wonder the Visitor's Centre isn't making any money and has closed.
It's more that the kitchen was shut "for refurbishment" with no known end date, so people stopped going for lunch and tea; then it reopened with cold food only and the finish time changed to 3pm (some days 1pm now) rather than 5pm, which meant nobody could spend money after seeing the main event.
The trees are a crop, they are grown for the wood.
They said they'll just be closing the cafes, routes will continue as normal at all the 3 welsh trail centers
It’s a shame really it’s a fantastic centre
I completely agree. It’s not a done deal yet so fingers crossed!
@@bikeandbeyond Sadly they've just warned staff now this week. Please do anything you can to fight it back.
'promo sm' 😭
Trails arent closing, click bait
If you know something others don’t then perhaps share it rather than just moaning about “clickbait”. I just read the MBR article and it says ‘the fate of the trails is unknown’ and that ‘it is unclear how the mountain bike trails would operate if the visitor centres were to close’
@@Schwimano they would operate like the numerous trails in the UK which DON'T have a 'centre'. Don't be sarcastic, it's clearly a clickbait title