I enjoyed Penmachno, it has all your requirements if you do both loops.

Drum Mnt is great. Worth the up n’ down slog to the summit. The descent is fab.

NYA is my fave in mid wales recently.
Loved it on the SS.

Mach trails are good for some “out there” riding, if not that tech.

I prefer walking Cadair Idris persoanlly.

Never done snowdon though.

we were up there based in Mach a while back, did ClimachX Harder and Cadair Idris, both on the flattyres site. both excellent.

I like the new bits of the Marin trail
Penmachno has always been a great favourite
Drum descent is a near 4-mile-long hoon. Not particularly demanding but great fun.
Llyn Cowlyd loop for something a bit more natural and spectacular, although I think there’s a 300m tarmac drop
Snowdon Ranger is a must
There is so much more to Dyfi than Climach-x. Personally I’d spend the entire time in that forest.

Another vote for Elan Valley.
I’d avoid he trod though as it’s just a slog across the hill and not much fun. Golf links, Garreg Ddu and the chapel descent are much more fun.

Camp in/at/near Dollgellau and one evening, as the sun is setting, ride down the path to Barmouth, in flip flops or other unsuitable shoes, have chips from the chippy, then a couple of pints and gently meander your way back.
Take torches/bike lights.
Stop at the pub on the trail.

It’s ace.

Three days? Trans-Cambrian surely !

@Whitestone, those names are those used by riders who spent any time with Clive Powell. singlespeedstu has the correct names. The “black run” is the decent to the chapel. Just get an OS map of the area and look at all bridle ways. The Elan Valley is still to me one of the best places to ride an MTB, I am biasd though.
The Monks Trod should still be done, it right of passage for some.

Nant yr Arian black
Marin
Snowdon down via ranger
Ceriog valley/berwyns (not the llawnt though – sanitised)

Personally cant stand penmachno. Liked cadair idris but it’s over in minutes once you start descending

@mt Really useful, thanks.

Indeed. Its all about the speed. There was a thread on here a few years ago asking whats the fastest you’d been off-road. It was just a list of what speed everyone had hit on the Drum mountain descent. 45-50 mph was about right. So make sure you’ve plenty of meat on your brake pads. You’ll need ’em 😀

It has to be said that the views from Drum are pretty spectacular. And while you’re hooning down, you’ve the Welsh coastline in front of you. Its like a video game!

phuckit, im driving to conway…

maybe get an afternoon at Stinky on the way back….

Thers plenty of tech over there
The Athertons moved there for a good reason
Getting a local to guide you helps, some of the best mtb trails in the UK

gonna do this on friday i reckon.

fancy a lap of the Marin while im local too, will this be doable after drum mtn or will i be done!!?

Thanks monkeysfeet for the link to my website. Here’s a direct one to my North Wales routes: http://flattyres-mtb.co.uk/route-guides/north-wales-mtb-routes/

Outside of the usual ones mentioned I would recommend the Ceiriog Valley and the Berwyns. Often overlooked for some reason but it contains some of my favourite local riding.