It’s almost that time of the year again, and we are hoping to make our 3rd visit to the stunning Afan Valley in Wales the best one yet! Slipstreamers get to hang out with friends, overcome fears, beat challenges, and experience some of the most exhilirating off-road trails in the UK!
The dates are confirmed from Friday 30th June – Sunday 2nd July 2017, and as per last year we have booked Afan Lodge for the weekend in anticipation of an action packed weekend of cycling and fun. Louise and Richard, the owners, have been generous enough to offer the weekend to us at last year’s rate of £65 per adult per night, £55 per child under 15, with breakfast and dinner included.
Be inspired by the 2015 recap here where our Mudslingers tell you all about their epic, funtastic, incredibly awesome weekend in their own words; and click here to view some fun photos from the 2016 weekend’s antics.
Thinking of Coming Along? A Few Things to Be Aware Of…
Who Is Invited?
This is a social family weekend organised by the club for Slipstreamers members and parents/ guardians only. As long as you are a current Slipstreamer member, have some mountain bike experience, and have the fitness to last a weekend out on the mountainous trails, you are invited. However, it is important to note that the terrain in the Afan Valley are technical in some areas so a fair amount of skill is required. If you are a complete novice to mountain biking, we would suggest building up your skills first and joining us next year! Unfortunately, siblings who are not members will be unable to join the groups riding out on the trails.
Are Parents/ Guardians Required To Attend?
Slipstreamers Volunteers will be in attendance, including our MTB Coaches/ Leaders, CWO and helper teams, and we will do the organising, planning, and all the co-ordination to ensure you have a memorable weekend. However, at least 1 parent/ guardian must also ride on the trails as you will be responsible for your child.
Requirement to Attend Pre-Afan Training Rides
Participants – member & adult – should be able to comfortably ride off-road. You really don’t have to be an expert (none of us are!), but should have some experience mountain biking either during Saturday sessions at Hillingdon or elsewhere. Due to the nature of the technical terrain in Afan, everyone interested (adults included) in joining us in Wales will need to attend at least 1 of our off-road rides in the run up to July. This is necessary to practice your MTB handling skills, test your endurance, and also provide the MTB Coaches with an idea of your skills to help them determine groupings for the weekend.
So keep an eye out for the next Swinley Forest ride (3rd Sunday of each month) and join us at one of our off-site coaching sessions at Hadleigh Park (the next one is 29th May plus another will follow mid June). If you are unsure of your skills, come and join these sessions – if anything, they are great fun and you’ll certainly learn a thing or two!
How Do I Register My Interest?
Afan Lodge can only fit so many families, and before we allocate rooms we need to know numbers so we can work out configurations accordingly. If you are interested in joining us, please let us know ASAP by registering your interest using the online form here.
Important: this does not mean your place is confirmed – this will be subject to room availability based on a first-come-first-served basis, attendance at our off-road sessions, and deposits received. As soon as you register interest, you will be contacted to discuss next steps and given further details.
If you have any questions, do please talk to or email Asti!