An action packed weekend of mountain bike fun and nutritional hearty food led us to in Midlands and out to the hills of South Shropshire to meet the team behind Muddy Cwtch. A test to endurance, stamina and concentration a Muddy Cwtch weekender puts you through your paces exploring the glorious landscape on the boarder of Wales. As well as providing a thrilling rush through an exhilarating ride deep in woodland and steep hills there’s a little education in what your body needs to absorb to see you through the strenuous but FUN activities.
Craig & Charlotte are Muddy Cwtch. Craig the Mountain Bike Leader, is the expert in the trails while Charlotte, soon to be qualified in Nutritional Therapy (CNM Dip NT) is in charge of the fuel that is full of the essentials to aid your body and mind and tastes good too.
Housed up in the local YHA, which is conveniently located next to a decent pub, these both act as your base for food and playtime. First up you’re introduced to your ride for the weekend, a monster wheeled, suspension loaded beast of a bike that is light, agile and has handle bars wider than goal posts. Then you’re taken through an important M-Check, making sure the bike is in good condition and understanding all the tools on it to help do the work for you. You need your gear to be in good condition when you’re hurtling down hills at ferocious speeds, scattered with rocks, thick tree roots, bogged down in water and with plenty of hidden objects that could easily throw you the other side of the mynd.
Monstrous amounts of energy is needed to match the monstrous efforts put in whilst out on the trails. This is done with a breakfast of bircher, fresh fruit, banana bread, toast, granola and super juice…it’s a guilt free feast. Lunch is provided in snack packs and see’s burritos packed with beans and salad, homemade protein balls (we could eat these all day), a mix of nuts and banana bread all washed down with the super rehydration powers of coconut water.
So besides the exercise, the awesome food, the fresh air, adventure and changing scenery Muddy Cwtch also offers you a bloody good time; it’s fun, relaxed and easy going and having a good chuckle is part of who they are. You don’t need much experience either and this weekend has shown us how accessible the Shrophsire hills are plus. Cwtch in welsh means ‘hug’…you’ll have a few of them we can tell you.
Interested? There is a special ‘summer start up’ rate of £150 p/p (excluding bike hire), more info can be found here. Gear up and check your helmet…we’re off up the long mynd!
