Headed off to Betws-y-Coed for the weekend tonight and was planning on riding the Penmachno loop (Dolen Machno). I’m assuming I can ride to the trail head from the village, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips?

I’m doing it over the Marin trail so shout if you think that’s a terrible idea.

Cheer n’that.

p.s. I know, the weather will be shite.

Trail Head is just through the village but not sign posted as far as I recall.

Follow main road through til you’re on a straightish road and there’s a track up to your right with cars parked usually with mountain bikerist stuff all around

Good stuff, thanks. Get’s pretty busy then?

never been busy when I’ve been there

Terrible idea

Sorry wysiwyg I said you’ll have to SHOUT

Penmachno on your own in dodgy weather?

TERRIBLE IDEA.

Is that louder?

Can be absolutely soul destroying in the wrong weather (like it ever has the right weather 😉 )

Was red hot a fortnight ago. Just didn’t rate it too highly. Bits closed. Lots of singletrack up and fire road descents. Wouldn’t hurry back.

Not on my own, but equally I’m not with people that are very experienced, so wouldn’t want them getting in to difficulty half way round.

Soul destroying in what way – mushy ground? Or just general feeling of desolation?

I was at Penmachno last sunday and thought it was spectacular! despite the bout of dry weather we had, there is a far bit of standing water on the second loop but nothing to worry about. There were two diversions, one takes you up a short muddy climb the other sends you back down the firetrack to the carpark.
For what it’s worth, I did the beast at Coed y Brenin and the Marin Trail the day before and i rate Penmachno higher than both, so much fun!

Crikey slimporcini, high praise indeed! I only planned on doing one of the loops – is one noticeably better than the other?

TBH every time I’ve done it the weather has been pretty naff and there are a couple of sections that can be really desolate if you’re not in the right state of mind, especially when the singletrack looks like it’s going downhill but it actually goes up.

Personally if I was going with not very experienced people I’d do the Marin over Penmachno any day of the week.

Loop 2 is the more technical (and wettest) of the pair. lots of big rocks to ride over. Loop 1 is has alot more flow to it!

I did Penmachno loop 1 on Sunday also – it was great, even with last two sections closed.

Just to add balance I rode there on Sunday on the way back from the Marin, and I thought it was gash!

Couple of great bits but it’s very much sit and spin IMO. Go to CyB.

This was at the top of the first fireroad climb on Wednesday.
The weather was gurt lush…

….until it rained, and then it was still quite pleasant.

I was on my own and so got a bit wary of crashing and dying and years later, someone finding my decayed and sheep-nibbled skellington clinging to a rock for warmth.
However, it ripped, in the main. The middle descent sections are great fun, really flowy.

However, as mentioned above, the final descent is diverted and so sadly you end up losing all of that lovely height by caning down a fireroad that you climbed earlier, wanging it uphill again, and then going down the very first fireroad climb again.
Crying shame, but needs must.

I did the Marin trail for the first time on Monday too. It had really nice sections of singletrack here and there but struck me as being about 90% uphill fireroad… I was getting a little tired of it by the end.

Maybe I did the worst loop. Did loop 2. Decidedly meh.

It’s currently raining in snowdonia.
Heavy rain is forecast tomorrow.
Penmachno in the rain is just awful.
Check whether it’s not too late to change your plans.

Penmacho is fine in any weather, ridden it in thick snow which was fun, rode it once at minus 8 with sheet ice everywhere but it was still a hoot. It’ll be wet with lots of standing water but it’s not too cold now so once you’re wet you’ll probably stay wet but won’t be too cold. I’m against the grain but I absolutely love loop two.

Don’t think it’s ever been ‘busy’ while I’ve been there, unlike the marin.

Forget Penmachno, er i mean forget loop 2…Especially if you are with inexperienced riders.

The good news? You can ride there from the village.

Good luck.

Good stuff.

Just for clarification is Loop 1 Dolen Machno and Loop 2 Deloen Eryri?

If it’s heinous I’ll just do the Marin trail. Mrs88’s cousin has a B&B in Betws (next to the bridge on the river – Swn y Dwr Guest House check it out!) so I can always do it another time.

Penmachno in the rain is just awful normal

ftfy 🙂

The first loop starts from the parking. The second bit of loop is an option (as I understood it).
You get to a bright red Saracen frame screwed to a post which says loop 1 left, loop 2 right. I went left.

Dolen Machno is indeed the first loop of 19km.

What are these closures you all take about.I didn’t notice any force fields that stopped me riding all of the two loops two weeks ago.Just ride them.No problems at all.. 😉

I did it with some friends over Easter. I’ve always loved it but there were some mixed reviews. What didn’t help is that last two descents were ‘closed’ with a diversion and they are really good. However, the last descent is actually open, its just the normal access to it is shut.

To get to it just take the hill up from the car park and you will find it on the left after about 1.5km.

I do agree though that it doesn’t drain well and so it can get quite puddley and the open section in the rain and wind can be suicidal!

ps as you can see we had very good weather 🙂

To clarify: loop 2 is an extension you can tack on to loop 1. You rejoin loop 1 just up the fire road from where you leave it for loop 2. I like Penmachno, it has a nice remote feel to it.
If you’re going up there it’s worth doing the whole thing. Be prepared to get BIBLICALLY wet! (Even if it’s sunny)

I’d take the car and ride the Marin trail as well. It gets a lot of stick for not being Llangegla, but it’s a nice loop.

Yea, I like the Marin trail.

I’m away with a mix of people (a few ride occasionally, most do not), so probably only be able to squeeze one day in.

We’re based in the village so can make a decision in the morning to pedal to either Penmachno or Marin.

I rode it in horrific weather and nearly died (both bits) It can be quite soul destroying when on the open moor style sections and the wind is kicking the living daylights out of you and it’s raining sideways.

Still enjoyed both this and the Marin, although

Print off the trail map and choose the best bits.
1.4, 1.5 make 1 good descent. 1.6 is switchback climbs with pedally bit after. 1.7 is hard, pedally, and very open. 1.1 and 1.2 are very pedally singletrack. 1.3 is slightly downhill with a bit of up. 1.8 is good pedally descent with a nice fast bit at the end. 1.9 and 1.10 are closed for felling, but look at the map and choose a different way down.

Numbers relate to the singletrack number, not the signpost markers. 1.1 is the first singletrack, 1.2 the second, etc)

Loop 1 is never as wet as loop 2 which turns into a river. But if you want an easy bail out option if you get tired/cold, don’t do loop 2 as it takes you a fair way away from everywhere. You can roll back to the village from anywhere on loop 1.

Marin will be drier. but lots more fireroad.

Can be absolutely soul destroying in the wrong weather (like it ever has the right weather

we rode it last autumn in force 9 gales and torrential rain, the trail was replaced by a river almost all the way around

it was epic and one of the best rides of the year

we had a weekend in wales about 2 months ago. a bit wet and cold. did penmachno, marin and tarn? really enjoyed them all. i thought penmachno was a manmade trail that has weathered and worn over the years. it has all sorts of features fast bits, tech bits, fireroads etc. we rode the smaller loop then back and did the longer one, about 3 1/2 hours in all. i thought it was a great day out on a bike. quite remote never met anyone all day

Never done Marin trail but love Penmachno. I don’t remember any fire road downs spoken of above and I’ve done it a few times, last time being about 3 weeks ago. The wrong weather though and it’s not nice, also not nice if you’re having an off day and not quite feeling it as you’re constantly on it, either riding up or concentrating on the tight singletrack down. But when it’s good, it’s great.