So I'm going to forest freeride for a weekend in July, and I'm rather excited, and I want to spend the monday and tuesday trying out my new skills 🙂

I'm all by my lonesome and not the bravest of mountain bikers, so I want to stick to well signed trail centres – plan is to stay in Llys Ednowain hostel and do Coed Y Brenin on the Monday…
then do Llandegla on the Tuesday. I've read very mixed reviews on this, but I like the big blue runs at Glentress and the 'bike park' at Laggan – I'm getting the impression the trails at Llandegla would be similar to these?

I'm going back up to Edinburgh after this, so can anyone recommend a cheapish place that has secure storage for the bike around Llandegla or slightly further up north? (I'm not sure how long it takes to get round Llandegla so I don't know how far up north I should aim for)

Any advice is extremely welcome, and though I have looked at some videos and gone through old threads, I'm still a little unsure if what I have planned will be enough to keep me busy.
I hope I don't get lost because I'm not going to be able to pronounce any of these names if I have to ask for directions.. 😳

More than enough to keep you busy at CyB for a day … I like the MBR but everyone's different. Can't really say about Llandegla as everytime I've been it's snowed but I'm confident someone will be along shortly.

I'll teach you how to say the place names if you like and see you in July 😉

Stuart

Never been to Coed Llandegla but we just got back from Dolgellau after a long weekend. We only did the MBR trail at Coed-y-brenin. I really liked it and it was fun riding such a well armoured trail. We have nothing quite like that in the South Wales trail centres we usually frequent. If you're new to riding that sort of thing then i imagine MBR trail would be a good bet. The very final section is also session-able as it starts at the car park entrance and ends below the cafe building.

The rest of our riding was Snowdon and a great natural route around Pont Scethin. Probably not a good idea from what you say above though.

Llandegla has bits quite like the two things you mention and is generally lots of flowing fun. If you do one lap of the red and black there it should take around 2 hours.

Coed y brenin is good too, very different though, lots of section made from big pieces of rick. Still good fun tho.

I think it'll keep your busy but if you're keen the marin trail or penmachno ones are both between the two you mention.

Have fun.

As said, at CyB the MBR is good. Did the Tarw a few weeks ago, wont be hurrying back to that one, really not my cup of tea. Too much climbing for seemingly small amount of downhill. If you want something a bit more serious can highly recomend the MachX at Machynleth, about 40mins south of CyB.

Machynlleth, do the Climachx. Great trail. Some lovely open country riding around there as well.

Do not, under any circumstances, go and ride the marin trail.

I'm never getting those couple of hours back.

Both loops at Penmachno are also great. A good mixture of well armoured and 'normal' trail surfaces. Forgot to mention Climachx…did that on our way up from Bristol….F-ing fantastic! Loads of flowy singletrack and an absolutely belting final descent that seems never ending. I just wanted to go faster and faster! It felt as if i was in the air more than on the ground!

Nant yr Arian (near Aberystwyth) is a lovely trail centre and being high up overlooking the sea has a very different wilderness feel to it.