Hi,im thinking of doing this trail on saturday if its worth the three hour plus drive but its just that i dont know much about it.I did llandegla yesterday and loved it so now im after trying another welsh trail centre.cheers

no

CyB is good but the peak district is very dry currently. Personally I would save the long drives for later in the year and go play out there instead

too far for one day, but a good trail

If you enjoyed llandegla you will enjoy Brenin. The Beast is pointlessly long though with seemingly endless fire road climbs from what I can remember. Get a map and do your own thing based around the MBR (if that’s what it’s called these days)

If you haven’t done it then its definately one to tick off !
Its long and fast in places, peddaly in places, and a bit flowy in others, its not Wharncliffe in terms of technical ability but its good for a trail centre, or at least I think it is ?

Thought it might be a bit far to be honest for a one dayer,i just need a change from the peaks for a bit.Any other suggestions for a two hour minimum ride closer to sheffield.

Dalby ?

This might be the only week of the year when cut gate is dry and you’re considering driving all that way to ride a trail that is fine in the wet? 😯

Long way for one day unless you’ve mined out all the local stuff. I drove from scotland for a long weekend of cyb, marin and antur stiniog and that was 100% worth it, though. Beast is great riding, a great ride, and a riding great.

Just do the MBR, beast has too much fire road really. Better to try and stay overnight and do Penmachno the next morning.

as the guys above, have you not seen how dry it is out in the Peak? not much rain forecast either this week… 😯

Just do the MBR, beast has too much fire road really. Better to try and stay overnight and do Penmachno the next morning.

No. No. No. Why go all that way just to do the mbr and not the beast? You’ll miss out the best bits – the Addams family sections and the run down to the cafe. There’s not that many fire roads. You can miss a lot out by cycling up the tarmac road from the cafe about two thirds of the way round – it’s hard work but you miss out a pointless fire road section and then down into the Addams family 😀

We drive from Stafford – about 2.5 hours. Not doing the beast wouldn’t make it worthwhile

I agree with muly above

MBR + dream time and the Adams family section. Easy to link together without too much effort.

I wouldn’t go for one day though, too far. Make a weekend of it at some point.

Looks like llandegla again or the peaks then(either cut gate or kinder circuit).

The beast at CYB does sound epic but ill leave it till i can make a weekend of it.cheers for input dudes.

Have you tried the other side of the Peaks? Hayfield/New Mills end has a lot of trails that get hardly used, as they not always the ‘honey pot spots’.
Here around Marple the trails are in tip top condition and not far for you to travel

Any other suggestions for a two hour minimum ride closer to sheffield.

Skip the dull fireroad climb & descent section halfway round. When you hit the steep road climb just after the Dolfrwynog cafe, the trail is straight on, while road continues to climb to left. Stay on the road to the summit & take the fireroad climb on your right. You will climb to the beginning of the singletrack descent, which will be on your left (proper route brings you down the fireroad, having come out of the junction you can see up the trail on the right).
Other than that, great trail. Make a weekend of it though…Llandegla on friday & sat/sun to hit the beast, mbr & tarw (still red bull trail to me).

Regularly have guests drive from South coast (5.5 – 6 or more hours) on a Friday night to ride the Coed y Brenin trails and they’re always enthusiastic to come back. So I assume that it’s worth the journey.

Cannock is probably just about within 2 hours from sheffield.

I have ridden at nine different trail centres over the last few years and CyB would be very high on my list of favourites. The Beast is a decent ride, but has a lot of f/r climbing.
Right now, with weather as it is I have no intention of driving miles though, with Wyre Forest on my doorstep. You have the Peak on yours.I’d maybe save it til the Autumn if you are undecided.
A change though, is often as good as a re…………………..

I really enjoyed the Beast and didn’t think there was too much fire road (anyway I quite like long sit-down fire road climbs as it’s an easy way to gain altitude, having all tough techy climbs leaves you ruined before the descents). It was a long old day’s riding though, no chance I’d want to drive 3 hours either side of it.

No, not that it isnt a very enjoyable trail just there’s other riding to be done when it’s dry. If you do go then better to make a trip of it and do one day trail centre and on rights of way. Pont Scethin ride for example.

Closer to home – W side of the Peak as bunnyhop said or SW into Macc Forest / Wildboar Clough / Gradbach Woods. It’s really nice riding when dry and the singletrack off Roach End to Goldstich Moss is worth a look. The link is via permisive bridleway from Gradbach to Paddock and then out to the minor road. Shown as FP on OS map but is bridleway.

Its a good summer addition to the general Macc choices menu of loops linking off the core forest circuit. My prefered option is climb out of Three Shires Head to Cut Thorn. Out to the A54, down to Tagsclough Hill, over to Burntcliff Top (Eagle and Child), Gradbach Village and link as above. Back via Bridleway from Wildstone Rock eventually ending up at Hawks nest. Left and approahing three shires form the S is the definately on rights of way way. Right and via Knotbury approaching Three Shires from the E is a grey area, seen some stuff saying it is and some that say it isnt. Again not been for a couple of years but it did have rocks the size of TVs in places. Both are good tech riding. Then either climb out to Cut Thorn again or reverse the in route from Holt.

The limestone lanes and trails around Millersdale / Monsal Dale / Cheedale along the Monsal trail are also worth doing when dry.

Slightly off-topic, but related to the Sheffield side of things – has anyone got any links to decent resources with routing advice for trails around the Sheffield side of the Peak?

Had a frustrating ride around on Saturday aiming for trails I’d ridden with mates but mainly finding walking trail entry points, but can’t find anything helpful online.

No reason you couldn’t ride the Mbr at Brenin in the morning then do the short loop at Penmachno in the afternoon you will of only done about 40k and ridden the best both have to offer