Advice on where to head to in Wales?

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Comments

  • LoUiS1985
    LoUiS1985 Posts: 841
    Dirtydog11 wrote:
    LoUiS1985 wrote:
    Meh. Not a big fan of the marin trail here. It's ok, but nothing special. Far better trails in the area.

    Yeehaa..... so where are your 'ultimate' North Wales trails then, both natural and man made? I'm heading up that way next month

    You must know some good ones if you think the Marin trail wasn't up to much, i thought it was brilliant.

    I've also done Coed- Y- Brenin (Dragons Back) and wasn't impressed. Done a natural circuit around Capel Curig and that was a cracker.

    +1

    Would that have been the Llyn Cowlyd route with the murderous climb out of Trefriw, 450m in under 2km? :lol:

    I reckon its about time Yeeha showed some of us around his local haunts.

    Forum ride Yeeha?

    I've been thinking about this

    http://www.flattyresmtbroutes.com/MarinMoelSiabod.html

    that's the one, it's a fookin killer but all in all an awesome epic ride, can't wait to give it another go!.

    yeah i'd love to get across to north wales and have a blast with some locals... :wink:
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Ooh, tell you what would be a good forum ride, I've been meaning to try it for a while. From Capel Curig, over the Glyders, down into the Llanberis slate quarries, would be a good mix of everything. Barely rideable terrain, epic climbs, and some fantastic DH at the end.
    Could either leave it as a one way, or sort a return route.
  • Dirtydog11
    Dirtydog11 Posts: 1,621
    Ooh, tell you what would be a good forum ride, I've been meaning to try it for a while. From Capel Curig, over the Glyders, down into the Llanberis slate quarries, would be a good mix of everything. Barely rideable terrain, epic climbs, and some fantastic DH at the end.
    Could either leave it as a one way, or sort a return route.

    Sounds good to me! I don't mind a bit of hike a bike if that's what it takes.

    Any ideas on how long it would take? I'd ask the distance but its an irrelevance when it comes to that sort of terrain.
  • LoUiS1985
    LoUiS1985 Posts: 841
    sort a date and time out, and as long as i'm not working then i'm in...! :wink:
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Dirtydog11 wrote:
    Ooh, tell you what would be a good forum ride, I've been meaning to try it for a while. From Capel Curig, over the Glyders, down into the Llanberis slate quarries, would be a good mix of everything. Barely rideable terrain, epic climbs, and some fantastic DH at the end.
    Could either leave it as a one way, or sort a return route.

    Sounds good to me! I don't mind a bit of hike a bike if that's what it takes.

    Any ideas on how long it would take? I'd ask the distance but its an irrelevance when it comes to that sort of terrain.
    Absolutely no idea how long, I've hardley ever been to the top of the glyders, so I don't know what the hell the terrain is like, might be a hike a bike kind of thing, who knows.
    Probably best to allow a full day, just in case - especially if we need to find a route back to Capel curig.

    Another fun one is Cwmorthin, but that's another one of those "carry bike up to top of quarry, ride back down again" escapades. Same with Cnicht - I failed miserably at trying to ride to it's summit from the Croesor side.
    I think Capel Curig over the Glyders might be achievable though, but you'll probably have to wait for me at the top, climbing isn't my strongest area.
  • :oops:

    Erm hello ! im new

    Just been looking at Rides in Wales, i,m dying to do CYB ! which is the best one to do ?

    I,m unsure reading the posts above ! and dont really wanna be inviting myself across for a Forum Jolly having only just logged in ! :shock:
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I'd say that the best all-round trail in Coed y Brenin is the MBR trail, it's damned well near perfect.
  • OK i,ll take your advice and go with that, Just done a quick google search and revealed the following details.

    Coed y Brenin : Route 3
    MBR TRAIL
    Distance 22km
    Climb 300m
    Time 1.5 - 3 hours
    Level Suitable for experienced mountain bikers !


    Should be up there the weekend of 24th / 25th July all being well.
    From a seperate source elsewhere on the forum i,ve also found that there is Local camping fascilities close to the trail ! 8)

    Just spoke to my mate, we are doing this late on Sat afternoon and then the Beast ? on the Sunday ?
  • Dirtydog11
    Dirtydog11 Posts: 1,621
    Dirtydog11 wrote:
    Ooh, tell you what would be a good forum ride, I've been meaning to try it for a while. From Capel Curig, over the Glyders, down into the Llanberis slate quarries, would be a good mix of everything. Barely rideable terrain, epic climbs, and some fantastic DH at the end.
    Could either leave it as a one way, or sort a return route.

    Sounds good to me! I don't mind a bit of hike a bike if that's what it takes.

    Any ideas on how long it would take? I'd ask the distance but its an irrelevance when it comes to that sort of terrain.
    Absolutely no idea how long, I've hardley ever been to the top of the glyders, so I don't know what the hell the terrain is like, might be a hike a bike kind of thing, who knows.
    Probably best to allow a full day, just in case - especially if we need to find a route back to Capel curig.

    Another fun one is Cwmorthin, but that's another one of those "carry bike up to top of quarry, ride back down again" escapades. Same with Cnicht - I failed miserably at trying to ride to it's summit from the Croesor side.
    I think Capel Curig over the Glyders might be achievable though, but you'll probably have to wait for me at the top, climbing isn't my strongest area.

    Its not mine either, I think when your going into the unknown its not always sensible to try and smash the climbs.

    That Glyders route sounds good . I suppose if if we where to get stuck for time we could begrudgingly take the road back up to Capel Curig.

    I just Googled Cwmorthin, what a place that is, those minors must have had a it hard.

    I hope this isn't what you had in mind when you say downhill.

    http://www.jgd.org.uk/rotwsi/cwmorthin05.htm
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    The beast is really just dragon's back plus the MBR route, so unless you fancy a ride of epic lengths, I'd suggest that you ride the MBR, and then do the Dragon's back.
    Actually, since the MBR is better, I might suggest that you do Dragon's back first, leaving yourself the best still to come, so to speak.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Regarding Cwmorthin, that's the kind of thing, yeah. I think the descent I scoped out includes the images on page 6.
  • LoUiS1985
    LoUiS1985 Posts: 841
    yeah that descent looks rideable, doesn't look any harder than the descent down the mountain you climb after you have passed by the tea-rooms at Llyn Crafnant reservoir. that was bloody rocky and technical as hell, but a great buzz.

    Just a shame my buddy impaled his thigh with his brake lever.....ouch.......it was black for about 3 weeks afterwards.... :oops:
  • tsenior
    tsenior Posts: 664
    yeeha,

    ouch! i seem to remember the climb up to elinid fawr being pretty brutal and that was walking it, if thats a regular ride for you i dont believe you're a slow climber :wink:

    coming the other way from capel would be, erm, interesting, the problem bit would be between the 2 glyders and picking a route down to the pass by twll du, its just piles of massive rocks there and its hard to navigate when the clouds down..I wouldent fancy it on a bike in bad weather myself, but on a clear day would be ok i guess.
  • Dirtydog11
    Dirtydog11 Posts: 1,621
    LoUiS1985 wrote:
    yeah that descent looks rideable, doesn't look any harder than the descent down the mountain you climb after you have passed by the tea-rooms at Llyn Crafnant reservoir. that was bloody rocky and technical as hell, but a great buzz.

    Just a shame my buddy impaled his thigh with his brake lever.....ouch.......it was black for about 3 weeks afterwards.... :oops:

    This?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/38378636@N ... 632219931/ :D

    I've tried getting down it a couple of times without putting a foot down but still haven't succeeded.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    tsenior wrote:
    yeeha,

    ouch! i seem to remember the climb up to elinid fawr being pretty brutal and that was walking it, if thats a regular ride for you i dont believe you're a slow climber :wink:

    coming the other way from capel would be, erm, interesting, the problem bit would be between the 2 glyders and picking a route down to the pass by twll du, its just piles of massive rocks there and its hard to navigate when the clouds down..I wouldent fancy it on a bike in bad weather myself, but on a clear day would be ok i guess.
    Well, slow and steady is my approach to getting up hills.

    I still really like the idea of starting in Capel Curig, it's the adventure and sense of unknown that appeals to me. I've only ever been up to devil's kitchen before, and that was aeons ago, never explored the rest of the Glyder tops.
    Whatever happens, it should be a laugh.
  • LoUiS1985
    LoUiS1985 Posts: 841
    Dirtydog11 wrote:
    LoUiS1985 wrote:
    yeah that descent looks rideable, doesn't look any harder than the descent down the mountain you climb after you have passed by the tea-rooms at Llyn Crafnant reservoir. that was bloody rocky and technical as hell, but a great buzz.

    Just a shame my buddy impaled his thigh with his brake lever.....ouch.......it was black for about 3 weeks afterwards.... :oops:

    This?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/38378636@N ... 632219931/ :D

    I've tried getting down it a couple of times without putting a foot down but still haven't succeeded.

    that looks something like it yeah......i managed to ride it all without coming off, althogh i thought every second going down there was my last...... :shock:

    is there a bridge at the bottom on the right hand side if you're going down?? if so then that's the same one for sure
  • The beast is really just dragon's back plus the MBR route, so unless you fancy a ride of epic lengths, I'd suggest that you ride the MBR, and then do the Dragon's back.
    Actually, since the MBR is better, I might suggest that you do Dragon's back first, leaving yourself the best still to come, so to speak.

    OK,
    Just sorting out the weekends riding, looks like The Beast is a definate for the Sunday,
    i dont mind the epic length or the technical ability required for the trail, i,m pretty competant on a bike and have been looking at riding North Wales for some time,

    What i need to know for the Sat evening ?
    Where to ride In / Near Snowdon, i,m walking up there on the Saturday, taking my bike and will be out riding on the Sat late afternoon early evening, camping in snowdonia before moving down to CYB on the sat early.
    Wheres the best spot, again the harder the better........

    Cheers.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Just head out to the mountains, find somewhere silly and go and play. Works for me.

    It might be worth considering, if you're going to do two trails at Coedy, to do say, MBR, and Tarw. That way, very very little of the trail is shared between the two, and you get complete, unique loops.
  • OK Thanks,

    Been looking at Btews y coed near ish to Snowdon, Then looked at Tawr & the MBR,

    I like the look of both these so will do prob the Tawr on sat night followed by The beast on Sunday :twisted:

    Looking forward to that one !
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Betws y Coed is a beautiful place, really stunning.
    If you're staying there, the Marin trail is only a handful of minutes down the road in Llanrwst, worth checking out (even though I'm not a big fan, personally).
    Or, the forests either side of Betws also have some nice walks in them around the lakes and so on.