Looking to make a MTB trip to Wales for a weekend, travelling by ferry from Dublin.

Thinking would be:-

Day 1 – Betws y Coed (only half day available after ferry)
Day 2 – Coed y Benin
Day 3 – Penmachno (on way home)

Also have the option that instead for Day 1 go to Coed Llandegia and day 3 go to Nant Yr Arian.

Looking for long XC-Enduro style trails, don’t mind the hills up but like to have fun decents

Anyone any experience/thoughts.

Thanks

I enjoyed the Marin Trail (Betws) but would say Llandegla was better / had more to offer. But it’s a fair distance from CYB.
Love CYB, loads to do there.
Not ridden Nant Yr Arian.
Pondmachno is good though.
Or you could go for a non-trail center big day out on one of the days?

Si

Love the marin, fine for an afternoon.
Degla is OK (I’ve over done it)
Beast of brenin is a good trail at coed y brenin.
Can’t stand Penmachno. Can’t see the appeal.
Nant yr arian is miles from the north Wales trails. It’s black route is awesome in my opinion though. It’s a mix of Man made trail centre and bridleways. Love it.

Thanks for the quick response.

Looks we will do the Betws y Coed from your feed back on the way down. CYB was the main reason for going so that will be all day Saturday.

Penmachno does not seem to be up there so would be interested in any ideas for non-trial centre routes or maybe you can point me in the right direction for this info?

Thanks

Flat tyres

Route Guides

Should help with routes.

I think you could squeeze 1.5 days at cyb maybe.

I personally came away from the Marin trail thinking that it was predominantly fireroad.
Wasn’t smitten and not been back.

You could wang up Cadair idris perhaps in an afternoon in that area.

I quite like Penmachno. Rate it well over Marin.

Llandegla – good when combined with the Worlds end extension (but the extension is illegal as it is all footpath)
Penmachno – a lot of good singletrack but very wet and overgrown when I was there in Mid Summer 2015. Was spoiled by the amount of climbing on steep forested fireroads though but generally was good whenever it was going downhill.
Betws y Coed – never done it but heard complaints about the amount of fire road climbs
Conwy mountain – not a trail centre – but some really good riding and scenery at the top. Only let down by the uphills they are mostly hard and steep

You can do Penmachno and Marin in half a day, they’re only 15 mins drive apart. Both great trails, yes you will have to ride uphill which seems to surprise a lot of people. Penmachno is the better of the two but prepare to get wet. Biblically wet.

You can do Penmachno and Marin in half a day,

I couldn’t .

Penmachno and Marin in half a day, they’re only 15 mins drive apart. Both great trails

I couldn’t do them in half a day either, I’m not fast but I’m not slow either. Plus I thought the Marin was the worst trail centre ride I’ve ever done.

For Enduro stylee, how about Antor Stiniog. Maybe not the full on bits, but it isn’t too far from CYB.

Personally I think the Syfydrin trail at Arian is one of best (if not the best) trail centre routes I’ve ridden. Nice and away from it all but still guided. There is a bit of road in it, and one bit comes just as it goes up forever and you start to wonder if you’ve gone off course 😆 , but it’s a great ride.

Maybe too XC orientated if your after more rocks n roots over short bursts.

CYB is probably what you want tbh.

I just rode Nant yr Arian for the first time at the weekend… I had a blast. It was loads of fun. Super twisty rocky / gravel single track. I’d say it’s one of the most XC of all the trails listed because you just don’t have to stop anywhere if you like pedalling. You can “enduro” the named sections though too.

I use my 160 bike for everything if that matters.

I love them all though. Betws y Coed – Marin (Gwydir Mawr now), Penmachno (always soaking wet and was hub deep on July 1st when I last went so will be worse by now – I love Loop 2 though and everyone else hates that), Coed y Brenin is excellent in any weather and I enjoy Llandegla for a fast blast now and again too (it’s my local).

But Nant yr Arian… I’ve not had so much fun riding for ages. Go there if you can! You can loop High as a Kite as many times as your legs will let you as the climb up is only short and it’s so much fun to ride. I did the Summit trail, then the Pendam trail and then did 2 more High as a Kite runs (4 in total!) in the rain on Saturday morning while Mrs G went to Aberystwyth for a run on the front (where it didn’t rain) and shopping. I ran out of time not legs. I didn’t fancy the Syfydrin as I ride a lot of local mountains anyway and only visit trail centres for a nice no brains take away blast. There was also plenty of over the mountain bits in Summit anyway. They could do with some repeater signs on that bit.

You did pay a hefty price for the very awesome Mark of Zorro 5-7 minute section though…the Leg Burner was a horrible 20 minutes and I really enjoy climbing.

You’ll need legs to do them all that’s for sure. I don’t think you can make a bad choice… they’re all great!

Have a smashing time OP. Let us know what you did afterwards.

Marin (now called Gwydyr) is much improved by the new section just after the halfway mark. I’d do that in preference to Penmachno.

Llandegla is too short to be worth the drive IMO.

My choice would be Marin, CYB (Beast then Tawr Du), NYA.

Or… Snowdon pushing up late first afternoon, weather permitting!

Mach trails – or is Machynlleth too far away?

2nd loop of Penmachno in really bad shape at the mo’. Totally overgrown and broken boardwalk. I’m a fan, but would give the 2nd loop a miss. First loop fine though. Marin on the other hand is running brilliantly. I’d do Marin, CyB and Stiniog. Maybe do Penmanchno Loop 1 on afternoon of Day 1 if you’re still fresh?

I think that’s too many trail centres and you will get bored of them – You should fit some natural stuff – I know there are convenient, sign posted, but there will all have a samey feeling after 2 days.

Be more tempted by climachX and Nant ye Arian… Not that far away from each other.

saxabar
2nd loop of Penmachno in really bad shape at the mo’. Totally overgrown and broken boardwalk. I’m a fan, but would give the 2nd loop a miss

Bugger! Guess who has a cottage right on the 2nd loop the week after next…….

Conwy Mountain is good – This is the Last Descent:

(Not my video )

It will look really nice at this time of the year with the Purple Heather.

Guess it depends how much travelling you want to do and where you are based.

Personally, if I had weekend, and had to hit my favourites it would be without doubt;

Nant-yr-Arian, Syfydrin trail. All the best bits of the trail centre built sections combined with a decent ish XC loop. Stunning views when weather allows. Last Sunday was the best weather I’ve had there, and it was breathtakingly lovely up there. My favourite place in Wales. Its not steep and techy (although there is some off piste if you are inclined to go find it) but its got good descents, flowy without being a trail centre motorway and the Syfydrin extension does have the odd rocky bit for fun. Plus even when its busy you will be lucky to see a single other person. Bloody love it.

CYB. Classic trail centre, but personally I find it more entertaining than somewhere like Llandegla. Some really good sections, rarely packed. Another nice part of the world, never not had a good time, lots of choice. No brainer if you want to check out the template for N.Wales trail centres.

Mach Loops. Seeing as Machynlleth is slap bang between the two above I would slot these in. Not been that much compared to other locations listed, but I found it nicely challenging with some really really great riding. Only issue, some of the best stuff is tricky to find, or at least, not obvious compared with the above. I went with a local after doing the Dyfi Enduro (which was ace also) and it was absolutely mega. I’d certainly go, using the marked loops and some strava research could see a really ace day out.

To be honest, everything people have listed are worth a visit so in reality you can’t really go far wrong. I love a bit of degla (go every month or so for a predictable pedal), but those three above would win out for a once in a blue moon visit like yours.

As a local Nant Y Arian is a hidden gem, lots of fire road if you feel like taking it easy but loads of way marked quality single track too and some cheeky steep off piste stuff as a bonus.
Stunning setting too, stay for the Red Kite feeding and then play around on the new jump/pump track, it’s a great day out and Aberystwyth has some nice places to eat afterwards.

Conwy Mountain is good – This is the Last Descent busy footpath along the top

(It has been done, obviously, but choose your timing carefully! 😕 )

slowbloke
Bugger! Guess who has a cottage right on the 2nd loop the week after next…….

Bring yer shears then! 😉 Fear not though, totally rideable and boardwalk section is very short.

I might just do that – I’m there all week but unfortunately I’ve just realised it’s the week after!

Conwy Mountain is good – This is the Last Descent busy footpath along the top

It has been done, obviously, but choose your timing carefully!

Weekends are obviously to avoid, but even mid week at this time of year ?