Coed Y Brenin - Advice Please!

ClimbBoy
ClimbBoy Posts: 105
edited February 2011 in Routes
Hi

Me and a mate are heading to Wales tomorrow to do Penmachno on Thurs and then CYB for 2 days on the Fri and Sat.

Never been to CYB before so was wondering if anyone could enlighten me on the following:

- what are the trail conditions like at the mo?

- what are they like when it's wet (rain forecasted on Sat)?

- what are the best trails to do given the 2 days we have? We are reasonably fit but not superhuman...

- any other tips/ useful info?

Thanks very much in advance.

Comments

  • agg25
    agg25 Posts: 619
    I went there a few weeks ago and it was freezing cold but dry. The Dragons Back course is said to be the best, coming out the main area and its pretty well signposted. Was about 21 miles but we cut some out. The start was quite rocky but it smoothed out later on with some great single tracks with berms and some little jumps thrown in and a few fire trail uphill sections. Great course, dunno about it in the wet though. There was all sorts of bikes riding it from hardtails to 160mm big mountain bikes. You'll have fun. Oh, dont forget £3 for parking machine ;-)
  • darren555
    darren555 Posts: 194
    It's fine when it's wet. It drains well too.

    I would suggest that the first day you do Cyflym Coch to get your eye in and after a cake & cuppa, you then do the MBR.
    Second day I would do the Dragon's Back, but miss out the fireroad section.
  • Clark3y
    Clark3y Posts: 129
    Darren555 wrote:
    It's fine when it's wet. It drains well too.

    I would suggest that the first day you do Cyflym Coch to get your eye in and after a cake & cuppa, you then do the MBR.
    Second day I would do the Dragon's Back, but miss out the fireroad section.

    How does one get to the top without going up the fire road?

    When I went I killed two rear tubes pinch flatting on the rocks, ended up walking in the pitch dark. So yeah, nice high volume tyres and not too low on the pressure for me next time, it's rocky out there!
  • Ian P
    Ian P Posts: 36
    Clark3y wrote:
    How does one get to the top without going up the fire road?

    When I went I killed two rear tubes pinch flatting on the rocks, ended up walking in the pitch dark. So yeah, nice high volume tyres and not too low on the pressure for me next time, it's rocky out there!

    Need to do some fire road but can miss out the big loop. From the mid way cafe follow the road up then go on to the fire road signed for Dragons Back / Beast, about 200 yrds up this signs go right, take fireroad left instead, follow this until hit the road then straight right on to another fireroad which leads directly to the Gomez descent. Easy to see on the map, you can also go straight up the road to the same place but it is horribly steep.

    Other advice is good imo, CyB is probably one of the most weatherproof trails around, take spare tubes and don't run pressure too low. Cyflym Coch is a nice quick run to start with, could then do MBR or Dragons Back. Next day either the one you missed or go for the Beast, If you're OK with a map it's fairly easy to pick and choose between routes and redo things you enjoyed. Don;t miss the forest cafe when you do Dragons Back / The Beast, great homemade soup and cakes and definitely a part of the CyB experience,
  • Clark3y
    Clark3y Posts: 129
    I think I see what you mean. I don't think i'd go for it though, the view from the top is the highlight of the day imo, but I'm a sucker for an epic mountain view.
  • plodtv
    plodtv Posts: 40
    few weeks ago you had to go left there because of felling

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