Melindwr Trail opens at Bwlch Nant Yr Arian
Melindwr means water mill in case you were wondering and there was certainly a lot of water for the grand opening of Bwlch Nant yr Arian’s new trail and the first Blue trail in Mid Wales. The trail was officially opened on 19 October by Lord Elis Thomas, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, although he and the other dignitaries had to seek shelter in a marquee for the opening ceremony, even the greyhounds (from Hector’s Greyhound Rescue) went into hiding. Not so the riders who weren’t deterred by the little bit of Welsh rain which christened the new trail.
Photo Credit Dan Struthers
Melindwr is designed as a progression for riders who are competent at riding blue trails and want to improve their skills before progressing to the next grade. There are 2 loops and 5km of grin inducing fast berms and fun and flowing descents. It’s a great mix and match trail and there are plenty of options to combine with some of the other trails at Nant yr Arian. Ride both loops, or just loop 1 or loop 2 or throw in a ‘Drunken Druid’ and a ‘High as a Kite.’
The funding for the new trail came through the Tourism Amenity Investment Support scheme (TAIS) and the Welsh Government Rural Development Programme which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.
Information about all the trails at Nant yr Arian is available here