hi, im probably going CYB this weekend for the first time in 8 years or something.

Would you recommend we do the Beast of Brenin (38km approx.) or instead do the MBR loop and then the Tarw loop (about same distance)? I remember enjoying the MBR and Tarw more than Beast but its been a while

We’re after a bit of flowy singletrack, fast descents and big fun an’ that

Its the CYB Antifreeze race this weekend so I am not too sure what that means for some on the trails being open.

MBR every time.

Depends what you’re after. The Beast’s a great day out, if you look at it objectively it’s probably not that great- too much riding for what seems like too little return. But I’ve never done the lap and not been absolutely happy at the end. So basically if I’m going to CYB I expect to do the Beast.

Mind you I love the tarw too.

Beast (without the top bit of Dragon’s Back). Lunch. Tawr!

I hadn’t been since the old visitor centre either.
We did Beast, but took a shortcut across the fire-road loop from the far cafe.
Thought it was great.

Beware: we did see this sign there 🙂

Usually mix things up, but been going for about 10 years now, so know the place well.

There’s a lot of road / fireroad on the Beast and if it’s downhill thrills and spills your looking for, then there are better trails which don’t have the masses of non singletrack to get through.

We usually do the MBR and then a bastardised route that see us do Pinderosa, Dreamtime, Buwch Bren, Offspring and then double back on the fireroad climb just before Uncle Fester, follow that up and round and you’ll eventually get to the top of the Adams Family, then it’s following down the fun bits to Uncle Fester, then Pink Heifer and repeat until cake is needed!

Best route at a big trail centre like that will always be a mash up of different coloured trails.
Enjoyed the Beast – recall there being a bit of a piss-take of a long hairpin on forest road. Be surprised if anyone did this routinely unless they were looking for a strava time of the whole route.

piss-take of a long hairpin on forest road

That’ll be the big silly bit after the halfway cafe. Miss that.

The Beast is ace. Yes, there are fire-road bits but IMHO the singletrack bits make up for it. You don’t expect to ride 38km of solid singletrack!

Follow the signs all the way to the halfway cafe. After that, keep following the signs until you hit the gravel fire-road (peels off to the right of the steep tarmac road). After a couple of hundred metres on the fire-road, take the hairpin on the left that doubles back on yourself. Stick to that back to the tarmac road and then turn right and straight into the next fire-road. That will take you straight to the top of the Addams Family on the left. Doing that means you can bypass a) the silly huge loop on another fireroad b) the absolute killer of a tarmac road climb.

Is Tarw the one on the other side of the road (the old Red Bull)?? Thats a cracking trail. We did it this time last year in the pouring rain and not had as much fun for a long while. Quite a drag up top but the long, long descent on singletrack, followed by a pretty funky knackered fireroad bit followed by more ace rocky singletrack… awesome.

great stuff thanks – Ill do a mix n match

I was there on Saturday and we did as others have recommended.

Go up the tarmac road after the half way cafe, instead of turning right to follow the actual trail, stay on the tarmac. You’ll then pass a gravel road on your right, turn right at the next one after that. The singletrack soon recommences on your left.

rode the beast last weekend. the MBR bit is great but from then on it just feels like one big dock off climb to reach the addams family stuff. so if was to return this week id do as you suggest MBR the Tarw. or MBR 2 or 3 times? also on MBR you can carry on past the start of False Teeth and get to the top of Lurch i think? which would vary it up a bit, but i dont reckon i could ride past false teeth, its mint.

MBR is pretty good throughout. We had lunch and then did Tarw du, which felt like a longer slog but was punctuated with scintillating descents. Happiest I’ve ever felt on a bike I think.

Go up the tarmac road after the half way cafe, instead of turning right to follow the actual trail, stay on the tarmac. You’ll then pass a gravel road on your right, turn right at the next one after that. The singletrack soon recommences on your left.

If you do what I suggested you miss out that horrific tarmac climb apart from the bottom section of it and zig zag gently up and pop out on that first gravel road on the right to just swing up the second one 🙂

Happy days…

DaveyBoy has it for the most civilised short cut of that loop. In nearly 20 years of riding CyB we only ever made the mistake of riding that fireroad round the hill once. Mix and match at CyB for the win always 😀

Is that “cafe” halfway round open this time of year? Going there on Saturday but only been in summer before.

You could do a mix and match of the MBR and Tarw Du.
This one is around 30km.
There will be a kids enduro on saturday starts around 12.

Just do all 3 if you’re there for the day, should take around 6 hours of riding

That’s what I do if I was there for a day out, and maybe the Minotaur at the beginning or end to finish it off.

Always the Beast. (usually cutting out the top loop between the cafe and the Adams Family)

Once did the Tarw Du instead and apart from the last couple of descents it wasn’t very exciting. (Pins n needles was ok though, or maybe it was snap, crackle & pop..)

Just do all 3 if you’re there for the day, should take around 6 hours of riding
That’s what I do if I was there for a day out, and maybe the Minotaur at the beginning or end to finish it off.

Some years ago Gee of this parish and myself did all 3 of the original trails twice – two laps of Karrimor, two laps of MBR, two laps of Red Bull. It was 98 miles, and took 11 hours.

Did bpw last Friday, then cyb last Saturday. Sunday – in the spirit of Friday – we shuttled the Addams Family. Naughty.

njee20- Member
Just do all 3 if you’re there for the day, should take around 6 hours of riding
That’s what I do if I was there for a day out, and maybe the Minotaur at the beginning or end to finish it off.
Some years ago Gee of this parish and myself did all 3 of the original trails twice – two laps of Karrimor, two laps of MBR, two laps of Red Bull. It was 98 miles, and took 11 hours.

If only historic Kudos existed, swoon