Start of The Gap Trail – Pontsticill Reservoir loop from Merthyr Tydfil

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

Start of The Gap Trail – Pontsticill Reservoir loop from Merthyr Tydfil

Hard

5.0

(4)

riders

Start of The Gap Trail – Pontsticill Reservoir loop from Merthyr Tydfil

03:32

43.6km

720m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: November 4, 2026

Tips

The surface for a segment of your route may not be suitable

Some segments of your route comprise a surface that may not be suitable for your chosen sport.

After 17.9 km for 206 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

1.62 km

Morlais Brook

Forest

11.6 km

Pentwyn Reservoir

Lake

12.3 km

Taf Fechan Forest

Forest

13.2 km

Waterfall and Stone Bridge on the River, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park

Highlight • Viewpoint

Used to be a great wild camping spot

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15.5 km

Start of The Gap Trail

Highlight • Climb

This first section is nasty. Maybe worth taking the road and skipping the gully in favour of a sharp climb up.

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15.7 km

The Gap Pass (Bwlch ar y Fan), Brecon Beacons National Park

Highlight (Segment) • Viewpoint

Be aware that the surface of this section is really rather tough terrain, and large sections are unrideable with anything short of a full suspension MTB. I attempted this on …

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18.0 km

Rocky Descent Trail, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park

Highlight • Viewpoint

Tough climb up but the views make it worth the hard climb

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23.8 km

View of the Peaks in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park

Highlight • Viewpoint

33.1 km

Pontsticill Reservoir

Highlight • Structure

Built in 1927, the Pontsticill Reservoir is a large reservoir in the Brecon Beacons National Park that can hold 3400 million gallons (14,460 million liters) of water. The beautiful reservoir …

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36.3 km

Pontsticill Reservoir Dam and Tower

Highlight • Structure

This reservoir is located in the breathtaking Brecon Beacons of Wales. It is part of a series of reservoirs within the Taff Fechan Valley and was constructed between 1923 and …

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