Can a mountain-biking break in Carmarthenshire, Wales, deliver the same thrills, spills and comforts as the ski-chalet experience?It was while reading about "the aftermath of a burst testicle" in Mountain Bike Rider magazine that I realised our mountain biking holiday in Wales in November might not be quite as similar to a posh ski chalet retreat in Chamonix as I had been led to believe.Searing sunlight, thrilling downhills, laid-back evenings sipping single malt while casually dismissing the chef so they can wash the dishes ... these were the delights I had been promised by MudTrek (mudtrek.com). The company bills its fully-catered holiday escape in Carmarthenshire as a "ski chalet for mountain bikers".I've done quite a few snowboard chalet holidays. On none of them have I looked out the window in the morning to find myself eye to eye with a sheep. Would MudTrek's pitch be more than just a catchy comparison?The husband-and-wife team of Nikki (the "chalet girl") and Jason (the guide) met us at midnight outside their home in rural Llanllwni after our five-hour journey from London, and set us up in our accommodation for the weekend: a lovely, homely barn conversion.The building is divided in two, connected by a hidden door, should you have a particularly large party. There's an open-plan room with a contemporary kitchen and a lounge area enlivened by candles and tasteful fairy lights. Two plainly furnished bedrooms are tucked under the sharply sloping roof beams upstairs; there's some ducking involved, but plenty of light.The second half of the barn is more exalted, with its main room opening straight up to the roof beams and the two bedrooms tucked away at the side; there's also a multi-fuel stove to warm your bones. Both bedrooms have en suites, though we had to provide our own toiletries. Outside, resin-rattan tables overlook a small lawn, fenced off against curious sheep; the view over the hills is marvellous.Nikki cooks the meals herself, including a fry-up breakfast (or something healthier), a packed lunch, and a choice from a set dinner menu, with starters ranging from bruschetta to homemade mackerel p�t�, and mains including lamb stew and chorizo and whitefish chowder.The holiday is for mountain bikers of all levels, though I expect most guests will have a bit more experience than my friends. To his credit, Jason stayed chirpy when one declared her firm intention to "only do the kiddie trails".His first clue that we weren't exactly seasoned carbon-frame jockeys had probably come earlier on the phone.Jason: "So, have you tackled any trails in Wales before?"Me: "Well, we're more into urban cycling."Jason: "Street biking? Great! Where do you ride?"Me: "Erm ? the street?"After Jason and Nikki bid us goodnight I began flipping through Mountain Bike Rider. I kept the story of the burst testicle to myself.To the east of the more trammelled and expensive Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire is clearly one of the closest things there is to a well-kept secret in UK land speculation.As the wisps of fog burned away in the morning sun and we drank black coffee outside the barn, Nikki came by with breakfast. "You're lucky. This is a nicer day than we had pretty much all summer!"After a full English breakfast, which Nikki both cooked and cleared, Jason piled us into the Land Rover and we drove off towards "the best-value trail in Wales".Welsh mountain biking, Jason explained, is not as well developed as it is in Scotland ? but it's a rapidly growing scene.There's not much of anything, really, except sheep, hills and picturesque villages. Of the local pubs, the Black Lion in Abergorlech (blion.co.uk) is friendliest to the English who, Jason estimates, now make up 80% of the local population; the Angel in Llansawel can be a bit less welcoming. Neither is walking distance from the Mudtrek complex. "We have to take turns driving to the pub," Jason explains. "I drive there, Nikki drives back."Before we even got to the trail, the former soldier and cruise-ship singer had filled us in on his plans to build a jump park near the house, to institute a first-aid certification specifically for mountain bikers, and to team up with a local helicopter owner to run heli-biking excursions. He flexed his plastic knuckle for us to admire: an artificial joint inserted into the little finger of his right hand after a particularly rough crash. In the back of the Land Rover, the disquiet was becoming palpable.It didn't abate when we pulled up to the trail entrance and saw a pair of teenagers ride past, totally slathered in mud. If this is a nice day, what's it like when it rains? But once we were on our bikes ? shop rentals for our visit, though MudTrek's been given a grant by Carmarthenshire's tourist-business initiative to purchase its own fleet of full-suspension Scott Genius bikes ? the sun raised everybody's mood.A half-hour ride uphill, with spectacular views of waterfalls and distant hills, and we make it to the top of the trail. "Pretend your bike's a horse ? stay balanced and let it absorb the trail underneath you," Jason remarked. Easy for him to say ? he was in the army for nine years.Then we headed off on the downhill ? and I realised that the comparison to skiing is an excellent one. The rush generated by splashing through mud, clattering over rocks and roots, and taking curved inclines at a 45-degree angle was the same. So was the opportunity for calamity. The excitement was so enthralling that you were constantly tempted to go faster, to rely more on the bike, to push the limits. Several times I found myself a half-inch or a lucky bounce away from being hurled into the forest."When you have your first fall, your confidence drops," Jason says. "You gradually build it back up and have a bigger fall. Then you gradually build it back up again and have a really bad crash. The only solution then? Get right back on the bike."This is the kind of thinking that keeps the manufacturers of plastic knuckles in business.It's certainly a shedload of mud and fun, and Jason was an extremely patient guide, going so far as to physically lift the more nervous of us over treacherous obstacles.He's clearly a pro, and heads off-piste with experienced riders, as well as on "enduros" (multiday mountain biking tours) across the world.After an abnormally beautiful day, and a stop in front of the roaring fire at the Black Lion, he dropped us at the barn to collapse into couches and showers, boast about our bruises, pound Glenlivet and devour mackerel p�t� and warming chicken stew. Ski chalet experience, check.A perfect weekend trip, then: high on warm weather, delicious home cooking and natural endorphins; low on exploding genitalia. But there's an elephant in the room (or at least a sheep): what's it like when it rains?"I once rode for four straight hours, completely soaked, head to toe," Jason says.? MudTrek (01267 202423, mudtrek.com) mountain bike breaks start from �95pp for two nights, including all meals and one day's guiding, based on six sharing. First Great Western (firstgreatwestern.co.uk) has trains from London Paddington to Carmarthen. For further information, visit discovercarmarthenshire.comWalesCycling holidaysAdventure travelUnited KingdomEuropeCyclingFitnessShort breaksWeekend breaksChris Michaelguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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