Wales riding hol where should I ride?

dirtbiker100
dirtbiker100 Posts: 1,997
edited November 2007 in MTB general
The places I'm going to be riding:
drive out from cirencester/cheltenham to cardiff and stay with brother overnight then
friday - brechfa forest
saturday - machnylleth
sunday - coed-y-brenin
monday - betws-y-coed
tuesday - drive back home!

I've sort of got an idea for accommodation but if you have recommendations I'll be listening.

The main point is which trails shall I ride at these places? I'm into the more aggressive side of XC with berms and jumps putting a big smile on my face. I ride a steel hardtail (on-one inbred 456 with 5" tora's on the front) but happy to put it to the test. I'll probably do a max of 45km a day which is 2 trails? one in the morning one in the afternoon.

my ideas at the moment:
brechfa forest - there's really only the one trail I think? I know theres berms and jumps so can't wait
machnylleth - cli-mach and mach 2 probably
coed-y-brenin - no idea theres so many?!
betws-y-coed - is it only the marin trail there?

Any tips / experiences / ideas welcome! and if you're going to be at these places I might see you there :D

Comments

  • comments on Ceod Y Brenin, all depends on fitness really, MBR or Tawrn trail, both about 20 km and great or dragons back or beast, mostly same section but abot 30 - 38km.

    In Betws Y Coed i would avoid the Marin Trail and head for Penmachno, village is down the road from Betsy, nothing there but the trail is superb one of my favorites in fact. Marin trail start can be a bit of a bugger to find if you decide to do that, it is through the village and over the bridge about 2 miles.

    Penmachno is in my opinion far superiour, look it up on threads on here, you won't be disapointed.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,691
    Marin trail is above Llanwryst, many people do Marin in the morning and Penmachno loop 1 when the light allows but this would be pushing it unless you started at sparrows fart....

    Marin trail is closer to the hardcore XC of which you speak mind....Penmachno (either loop) is mostly all wheels on the ground and the are no berms at all (my only complaint) but its still a really good ride
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  • I would disagree with the description of the Marin Trail as being more Hardcore? I mean hardcore if endless fireroad is your cup of tea, I thought it a tad boring myself, Penmachno far superior in my opinion as for details check October MBUK for an in depth assessment of Penmachno.
  • I'm heading to Aber next week to vist a mate at uni and we going to be visting a few of the trails up there. He's done most of them. We going to go for what we feel like on the day but the one trial we defanitaly going to do is Brecfa as from what he'e told me it will be right up my street :twisted: so can't wait
  • dave_hill
    dave_hill Posts: 3,877
    At CYB, try doing the Pink Heifer and Big Dug for a start, then combine the lot into Beast. Should be enough to keep you happy!
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  • Stu 74
    Stu 74 Posts: 463
    If you are going to Betws Y Coed I would highly recommend Penmachno. Loop 2 is now open and combined with Loop 1 will give you a pretty tough (well it is for me!) but very rewarding 30km ride consisting mostly of singletrack. I would say that it would be enough for most people to tackle in a day. Go prepared though as it is quite remote and some parts are exposed to the elements.

    If you like jumps and berms you will love Llandegla, especially the Black sections. If you go in the week it will be nice and quiet there so you can really have a good thrash around it! If you are travelling from Betws Y Coed to Cirencester it will be on your way home too!

    Stu
  • coed y brenin - beast is about 38km great riding
    - drangons back about 30km i think similar to the beast but a bit
    shorter
    - Tawr and MBR are also really good could easily do both in a day

    afan - iv only done the skyline trail and that was amazing can't remember how far it
    is but its not short! was better than a lot of the stuff at coed y brenin!

    i havnt ridden the other places you have said so can't advice you on them
  • forgot to check back on this thread. thanks for all the replies!
    you've really made me think about llandegla now
    Intermediate Route (red) 18 km/11 miles
    For experienced mountain bikers, technical singletrack is the name of the game, with great flowing sections of trail cutting through the more remote areas of the forest. This track utilises huge bermed switchbacks, whoops, tabletops and more, to test a rider’s ability and nerve.
    A new black run is now open at Coed Llandegla Forest, complete with steep downhills and a wild series of jumps. It is located as an optional loop as part of the Intermediate Trail, and is under 1 km/just over half a mile in length.
    oh gosh :D
    seems like at betws it might be penmachno - how long is it?
    at coed.. might actually be the beast see if i'm feeling up to it!

    what are Pink Heifer and Big Dug at coed?

    did afan - the wall this weekend i hope the rest of wales is on the same level!
  • clas
    clas Posts: 187
    Coed is nice.
    I spent a week there during the summer with the whole family never got in the car once! didnt manage to do the beast as a whole but ranthrough every bit of marked single track it was gggrrreat! from painful clattering through to smooth flowing berms! However Afan is nicer IMHO whites level is good with the new "energy" section being excellent but Skyline is superb. Nantyr arain is good though but not much there once youve done the big loop.
    Pink heifer at coed is a trail that slides along a steep slope with a couple of little switchbacks and many chances for air before going into the great grandad of all berms it is Mahoosive!. Big dug is a slow gentle climbing trail which was OK but not like the family favourite of dreamtime.....sigh have to get back there.
    I never touched it! It was broke when I got here.
  • Penmachno loop one is about 22km, and hard, not ridden loop two yet so not sure, you wont find much about it on tinternet either as not widely publicised however Oct MBUK has plenty of info on it in the trail master section.
  • billy79
    billy79 Posts: 607
    I think there are two trails now at Brechfa forest, think its call the The Derwen Trial and around 12km. The Gorlech Trail at Brechfa is awesome, and if you like lots of jumps and berms you will love this trail. The final descent is awesome!
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  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,691
    Penmachno loop 1 is 18km, loop 1 & 2 is 30km, Marin is 25km

    Loop one won't take you 2 hours, marin is about 2 hours, maybe 15 mins, Whole of 'machno is about 3 hours maybe with my lazy-boy stops

    I reckon the Single track itself is more technical on the marin trail but 'machno is better all round, some of the climbing is on single track that is whereas marin is all up fire roads and down single track - seemed to fit in more with his big jumps and berms ideas, seeing as neither trail has either
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • well i've started it and the first night is at my brothers uni house.
    not going to brechfa cos i found out this morning that the welsh rally is there and the forest is closed all weekend...
    so the plan for any interested is:
    today (done) - newport skatepark on my bmx for 4 hours and staying for free in cardiff
    friday - afan forest instead of brechfa, going to do pen...(?) as have done whites and the wall (both great trails) - driving up to machnylleth and staying at Marchlyn Farm B+B
    saturday riding mach 2 and climach driving up to near blenau ffestiniog at Hostel Llys Ednowain
    sunday riding coed y brenin. will probably do dragons back and another if i can manage it staying back at the hostel
    monday going to llandegla on way home...

    I'll try n make a thread about my thoughts on it all for others to reference
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,691
    well done, I took a day off to go down to Llandegla and have slept in so i can't go anywhere now !!!! bu**er it....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver