I'll post up some images from Friday's 3hrs (dry & fast) ride on the Pen's 2x Loops followed by the (wet) Marin Trail in the afternoon.

I if you are looking for a cracking XC circuit that flows brilliantly, Pen's the one. I / we had an absolute hoot. One to do again, for sure, and rewards swift progress, so testing of ones fitness if you do both loops at one sitting.

Marin? Zzzzzz. In fairness it was chucking it down after lunch, I was a little fatigued and needed stimlating but what a boring trail that was. I bailed 1.25hrs into it, at the furthest point from the lower car park, so maybe there was more to it than I rode.

Up Snowdon on the Saturday in less than 2hrs which was far better than expected, then down the Ranger's Path. Back up 500m and over up the saddle with a long continous decent back to the car park at the train station. A good ride.

You missed the best bit of the Marin. Numpty

The two last sections of the Marin are good. Unfortunately they last around 10 minutes while the rest of it is the worst, most boring trail I have ever done.

A pointless waste of space.

I'd read the last bit was good, but the rest – dire, especially ridden after the thrill of the trail at Penmachno.
Maybe another time, and I really did not mind as I ultimately saved some energy for the Snowdon Adventure (4.5hrs on the mountain) and on Sunday, a few laps of Follow the Dog at Cannock on my way home last night (low light stopped play -7pm and it was too dark to continue sans lights).

My thoughts exactly Ti29er. I love Penmachno, and whilst the Marin is ok, after riding pen first the marin would be a huge disappointment. The last descent is good on the marin though.

Don't be too harsh om the Marin, it lovely on a nice day. But to be fair its about two generations behind all the other welsh trail centres now.

The final descents of the Marin are ace and some of the most fun I've done. But the rest is mostly just a pleasant ride in the woods IMO.

Buzz.
Have you ridden the Pen?

I'll give the Marin a 2nd chance a.n.other time.
Still buzzing post Penmachno tbh – you do need a decent fitness level and then the whole 3hrs just flow beautifully.
It's more like a walking trail than a bike trail & never have I caught so much air.
Glad I read the guide book and took the 4 inch travel 26er over the 29er.

Did Pen over xmas last year and anywhere water could lay there was ice! some of the flat bits on the second loop were just mad. Could walk never mind ride. But still one of the best days out i've had>

I'd not fancy it in the wet, let alone in freezing wet conditions!
You've bigger danglies than I own Spesh!
Pic to follow.

I dunno mate there was a few people out that day. And if they are big they were tucked up out of the way that day.

Just reading back… that's pics of the ride not a pic of my danglies.

The Red Route at Cannock was fun too. My initial sighting lap was 42 mins, so I'm getting ever closer to a sub 40 minute lap. Maybe this time next year when I'm a little fitter and a little faster, although I'll be a little older at 46 ;(

i really like the marin (the end and middle sections are the best), it often gets poor remarks as people really don't apprecriate that it was built quite a while ago and the latest manmade trails are quite different and at least it drains, which is my biggest issue with penmachno – even after a week of no rain you still get soaked (but we have just had a fab dry september though)…

Buzz. Have you ridden the Pen

Yes loop1 a couple of times, once before loop 2 was built and once since but the weather was very poor and we wanted to get back to the pub to skipped loop2 🙁

I really like Pen as an XC trail it feels more natural and out there being narrower and more pedally. It does get a lot of puddles but I think the issue is the volume of rain – Penmachno valley is known for it.

Pictures for the Penmachno, Marin and Snowdon AdventurePictures of Penmachno, Marin & Snowdon

Note!
The low quality stills are the first image each time from video footage.