What a weekend to pick for North Wales

kona_matt

A planned trip to the lakes this weekend has hit the skids and we're now going to North Wales. We arrive Friday morning and leave monday afternoon.

Now obviously the weather forecast is not great and i'm thinking trail centres may be the best option. At the moment i'm thinking:

Friday - Penmacho
Saturday - Coed Y Brenin (the beast?)
Sunday - Landgela (black loop and pump track)
Monday - ? something shortish, maybe a natural route, maybe a short trail at CyB again.

The above can be shifted about to suit weather conditions so i'm really after some advice as to which of the 3 centres give the best shelter from the conditions and which are most exposed.

Cheers guys.

Thanks guys.

Stu 74

Llandegla is the best place to ride in bad weather but is the worst place to ride at the weekend as it is mad busy.

Coed Y Brenin is OK in bad weather.

Penmachno is the best trail in North Wales in my opinion but is not somewhere you want to be if the weather is really nasty!

I wouldn't be worrying too much about the weather right now. 5 day forecasts are almost useless in my experience!

Where are you going to be based?

Stu

kona_matt

thanks stu

I have to agree about 5 day forecasts, fairly useless, but i think we can assume it will be very wet at some point.

we've booked a cottage in Gywnedd.

linky to cottage

maybe Landegla on monday on the way home then?

omegas

Stu 74 wrote:

Llandegla is the best place to ride in bad weather but is the worst place to ride at the weekend as it is mad busy.

I was riding Llandegla Sunday 7th Nov about 13:00 , did not see anyone after leaving the carpark until almost at the top, chatted to a few people on rest breaks on the way back in. Otherwise it was quiet even though the carpark and centre is full everyone gets spread out plus you do get a lot of walkers parking there that makes it feel busy.

miss notax

kona_matt wrote:

thanks stu

I have to agree about 5 day forecasts, fairly useless, but i think we can assume it will be very wet at some point.

we've booked a cottage in Gywnedd.

linky to cottage

maybe Landegla on monday on the way home then?

I can't add much here as I don't know the trails up there very well, but that cottage looks lovely! Will definitely keep that link for when we next go up there

kona_matt

miss notax wrote:

I can't add much here as I don't know the trails up there very well, but that cottage looks lovely! Will definitely keep that link for when we next go up there

the cottage does look fantastic, very resonably priced too, don't know the exact price as a mate booked it but i believe it was about £300.

Anonymous

Just a warning that it would be wise to stay away from the Machynlleth area, in case you were thinking of wandering that far south.
The world rally championship is in town, and will be using some forestry round there.

kona_matt

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Just a warning that it would be wise to stay away from the Machynlleth area, in case you were thinking of wandering that far south.
The world rally championship is in town, and will be using some forestry round there.

thanks for that, wasn't planning to but will definately avoid now.

Anonymous

I don't even know if the Machynlleth trails will be affected, but getting around, and parking is going to be "interesting"
My vote would be for the usuals, Coed y Brenin (particularly the MBR route), Penmachno (although when it's wet, it really IS wet!).
And a blast around llandegla.

joshtp

CYB is just an awesome place... did Tarw and Dragon's back last year (wanted to do MBR but it was closed) Awesome place to go, more than a bit recommended. Llandegla is worth a go too, and Penmachno is good.

kona_matt

so is penmacho fairly exposed to wind and rain then? not much shelter provided by trees?

Anonymous

Penmachno just doesn't drain as well as the others. A significant portion of it is wooded singletrack, but there are also some hefty chunks of open mountainside.
But it's not built like the reinforced trail centres.
Still rideable, but expect to become completely soaked in no time at all!

kona_matt

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Penmachno just doesn't drain as well as the others. A significant portion of it is wooded singletrack, but there are also some hefty chunks of open mountainside.
But it's not built like the reinforced trail centres.
Still rideable, but expect to become completely soaked in no time at all!

thanks for that

jt1984

Theres also the Marin Trail which is well worth a visit, if you're fit you could do it before or after Penmachno. The start/finish is just north of Betws y Coed in LLrwst. If you cross the river using the narrow bridge on the way into the town coming from Betws, then take the first left and immediately right. Not far along is a car park on the left. It's a good fun, varied trail.

kona_matt

well, what a weekend to pick indeed. perfect weather 8) rather than the downpours and wind we were expecting. bloody beautiful, what a weekend.

had to change plans slightly as when one of the group went to get his bike out of the shed thursday night it was gone! thieving mother farkers :evil: so that made it tricky to ride spots that didn't have on site hire. ended up doing llandegla friday, coed y brenin saturday and cannock chase monday. day a boys day boozing and watching sport (mainly F1) sunday! missed our on penmachno which we will definately hit next time.

i've got to say that llandegla has got to be the most fun i have ever had on a bike. not sure if i was just having a good day or the trail builders had got it spot on but i just felt that i could hit anything at any speed and nail it. and we saw none other than current downhill world champ Tracey Moseley with a big group of other ladies on bikes at the pump track. all in all a bloody amazing day finished off with a blast down some of the best driving roads wales had to offer and a curry dinner.

thanks for advice again, can't wait to go back.