Coed y Brenin Question
Trying to decide what trail do do this weekend and need help.
Did the Beast last year and loved it. Although 2/3 the way round I was physically and mentally ruined. Even though I'm fitter this year I still think 38k goes past my limit for enjoying the ride.
So, Dragons Back, MBR or Tarw. Having done the beast before I must have pretty much seen MBR and Dragons Back. So Tarw would be a complete new ride, but I read many times that MBR has much more flow and reward for the climbs. But then MBR misses the Adams family sections.... grrrr! Too much choice!
Whats your opinions on Coed y Brenins trails?
Did the Beast last year and loved it. Although 2/3 the way round I was physically and mentally ruined. Even though I'm fitter this year I still think 38k goes past my limit for enjoying the ride.
So, Dragons Back, MBR or Tarw. Having done the beast before I must have pretty much seen MBR and Dragons Back. So Tarw would be a complete new ride, but I read many times that MBR has much more flow and reward for the climbs. But then MBR misses the Adams family sections.... grrrr! Too much choice!
Whats your opinions on Coed y Brenins trails?
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Comments
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MBR is wicked, but you're right, it does miss the Addam's family section.
HOWEVER, why not get a map of the trails, and link the Addam's family section into it with fire roads?
Personally, I also love the Tarw.0 -
Download the trail map like Yeeha said and make your own custom route. It is quite easy to add two sweet bits of singletrack- 'Dreamtime' and 'Uncle Fester' from the Dragons Back onto the MBR route for example.
Did you know you can cut about 4km off the Beast by going straight up the 1km long tarmac road after the cafe (this is very steep though) instead of doing the 5km fireroad loop?
Alternatively you could do the MBR followed by the new Cyflym Coch trail.
Only done the Tarw once and wasn't overly impressed to be honest (although there are some good bits).
The rebulit 'False Teeth' section (on the MBR and Beast) is fantastic!
Stu0 -
Looks like the beast with the shortcut might be the answer. That hill after the cafe was what finished me off last year... just went on for ever!
Cheers for the input guys 8)0 -
Stu 74 wrote:Download the trail map like Yeeha said and make your own custom route. It is quite easy to add two sweet bits of singletrack- 'Dreamtime' and 'Uncle Fester' from the Dragons Back onto the MBR route for example.
Did you know you can cut about 4km off the Beast by going straight up the 1km long tarmac road after the cafe (this is very steep though) instead of doing the 5km fireroad loop?
Stu
It's proper steep that road even for the fit, better to take the fire road initially (as for the Beast) and then turn left (still on fireroad)where the Beast goes right, this takes you to the top of the steep road, you then turn right on to the next fireroad to take you too the top of the Adams family descent,
As people say you can pretty much mix and match all the trail sections as you want - for example if at the end of the Adams family section you're feeling its all been a bit much you can simply roll back via the fireroads along the river rather than taking in the climb up to the beginning of the end, on the other hand if you're still full of beans you fit in a second run of Pink Heither.0 -
I'm not a fan of Tarw, I seem to always go for Dragons Back or MBR. Never actually got around to doing the Beast. Might do next time I visit the in-laws!
I'd go for Dragon Back, the climb definitely pays off!
EDIT: just realised I always go straight up the 1km road :shock: never noticed that left hand turn.. Ooops. Always thought that bit of tarmac was a slog.. Doh!0 -
if it help have a look here..
http://www.justgoride.co.uk/Content/Routes/Viewer.aspx?id=258
click on the nearby routes tab and you can overlay the other trails. It might help plot out a good route.
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Taking the short sharp road climb improves the beast significantly in my book. I'm also going to come down against the tarw as a whole, I didn't enjoy it a huge amount- felt like a lot of fire road for not much to me. That said, I've only done the whole thing once at the end of a long weekend, so it probably deserves a second chance. The last few sections- Mantrap, flightpath and r74 are well worth crossing the road for though.Rock Lobster 853, Trek 1200 and a very old, tired and loved Apollo Javelin.0
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I love the Tarw - I know I keep saying that, but I really do.
Snap Crackle and Pop, the root of all evil, Hermon, all class.
i even like that drifty fireroad descent about halfway round, although I most often take the rough doubletrack shortcut instead of it.0 -
Shame I only have 1 day there, would love to give Tarw a go but to get the most out of the day I think its going to be beast with the short sharp road climb. It caught me out last year, the full 5k beast climb is not a nice experience, but I'm ready this year... rest at the cafe before the hard work 0
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Have you considered the Marin trail at Betws-Y-Coed? its a further north but well worth a visit. At 25K long its not exactly a ball buster, but still a top trail with some sweet single track. And free parking whoop!Ride bike, eat cake, drink tea, ride bike, eat cake, dri...........0
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Tarw + me = Fractured femur!
But, was my fav route before then.0 -
Oooooh. Was that circa 1999/2000? If so I think I may have been there. The only tim eI ever heard the sound of a bone break, we were all stood around at the top of the old dual course, and thought a farmer had fired off one of those bird scaring guns or something, until we heard the scream.Splottboy wrote:Tarw + me = Fractured femur!
But, was my fav route before then.
Oh, as for the free parking thing. I probably shouldn;t say this, but the parking at FC sites is .......
nah, I'll keep it a secret, sssssssh!0 -
Splottboy wrote:Tarw + me = Fractured femur!
But, was my fav route before then.
Oh, dont tell me that!! I have had a 3 week concussion and dislocated elbow already this year... and a nasty spiral fractured collar bone last year too... If there is injurys to be had on saturday I can guarentee that it will be me
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Do all 3!
A few years back, when they were still Karrimor/Red Bull/MBR a friend and I did all 3 trails in a day, twice. 98 miles and 16000ft climbing IIRC. Happy times.0 -
That would be great fun, only I would probably be a broken man after 20 miles!
Been given a highlights tour guide by a friend. Not sure I know the place well enough to give it a go but here it is if anyone else wants to follow it:
Start -
Tarw - Lifes good, Seven Sisters, Black Steps, under road bridge, round back of old visitor centre, pins and needles, Flightpath (best bit of Tarw), R74 if feeling fit, under road bridge
Beast - Badger, Pinderosa,
Temtiwr - Dreamtime (best bit in forest), back round on road for Dreamtime again if feeling fit, Cross Pont bridge, left to follow river north, second fire road to pickup
Beast - Uncle Fester, Pink Heifer, Big Doug, road up past turning on left (don't do beefy) right on to Herman, Short cut as linked above to avoid long fire road, Gomez, Morticia, Pugsy, Lurch (great picture looking down S bends) Uncle Fester again, Pink Heifer again if fit but not Big Dug follow MBR signs
Across bridge again, don't turn right go left up road past start of dream time and keep going up, steeper at start but much shorter than forest climb, Beginning of End and Glide if you can still hold on over the rocks.
Ride back into car park tired but happy about 20miles less then 25.0 -
Tarw + me = Fractured Femur, in March 2008.
Was traniing for an Air Ambulance charity event, and was just by the old cafe.
( Thinks..."Mm, that first lap wasn't too bad, I'll call in the new cafe, have a coffee/cake and do another lap. I'll go thro the right rock. No, the left, no the right...
Why is the sky where the ground should be and vice versa. AAAAARRRRGGGHHH!!! " )
Amubulance, then air ambulance.
Metal Dynamic Hip Screw fittted to pin the femur...
Never mind, new frame arriving today!!!!0 -
definately the dragons back or the beast.
take the short steep road section. it's not that bad, i smoke 20 a day and have done fir 20 years and i can still get up it on my 30lb AM rig. if, you don't want to ride it, push, but definately don't bother with the 5K fire road loop, it's pointless.
if you're short of time, head for thee MBR. definately the most bang for your buck and the newly manacured 'begining of the end' is a blast0 -
no way... i find the tarw just a bit dull really, MBR is the best grin per peddle i reakon and if you struggle with the beast you will find the mbr easier as its a pretty short trail..0
