Hi STW – Off for a family holiday in Bethesda on thursday for a long weekend and will be taking my bicycle. Its been a long time since I’ve ridden around here and my memory fails me so I am appealing for routes and suggestions.

Llanberis and Beddgellert are close by but the mountains north of Bethesda look interesting too.

Or should I play it safe and do a lap or two of Gwyder? Or a bit more of a drive to Coed y Brenin as I’ve not been there for years and its changed a fair bit.

Thanks

T

It depends on what you fancy doing. There’s a couple of downhill trails in the area, but there are also XC epics. The easiest to navigate is this one here. The best place from Bethesda to start is from the A5 opposite the camp site (I can also scan a better route map, albeit slight shorter, if that helps). If you’re also looking for family oriented routes the North Wales path is nearby and there’s a cycle path that goes right through the Ogwen valley. Just ask if you want more detail.

Edit: if the route suggested above is more than what you had in mind, there are milder runs around. A loop around Moel y Ci and the slate mines above Llanberis is fun, although involves a fair bit of tarmac.

There’s a good blast from Bethesada up to Mynydd Llandegai, over to the Slate Quarry at Dinorwic, then back the way you came before going off left and clockwise round Moel Y Ci.
Back to Bethesda via Sling. Quite a bit of road but worth it.

You could always go up the Old A5, via the trail through Bethesda Quarry then Ogwen and off road to Capel Curig.
You could ride round Lyn Crafnant and down to Betws from there?

Please ignore 🙂

Mild is my middle name 😀

Great views on those routes too and the zig-zag route down through Dinorwic Quarry is a cracker.

The first time I did Dinorwic Quarry I went down the wrong way straight going straight down the mountainside by the viewing point rather than left to head between the two giant rocks. Spicy doesn’t quite cover it!

As well as the loop around Moel y Ci, also head into the woods where there’s all sort of surprises 😉

Thanks for the suggestions. I like the idea of heading out the back of my friends house and out into the local trails rather than doing a trail centre.

The limiting factor may be how much time I can escape for. The Cowlyd Killer looks good if I can get the time out.

If you email me I’ve scanned a route map although you’ll def’ need an OS map just in case. It’s a shorter run at 16 mile taking in Llyn [lake] Colwyd and Llyn Crafnant, and heading over the pass for a tasty descent into Capel Curig. Give yourself three hours just in case as much of it is quite technical and there’s a bit of hike-a-bike (in my case at least/I’d be amazed if anyone can clean it).

Thanks – email sent for route
Cheers
T

Sent!

Did the ride early Saturday morning. The bits I didn’t clear were two bits on the shore of reservoir and the last rocky climb out of the valley as you head back to Capel Curig. It was quite boggy in places and the extensive decent on tarmac was incredibly upsetting. But a good ride and better than just doing another lap of a trail centre.

I forgot about that! I suspect that on dropping a quarter of the way down the tarmac, there’s a cheeky right turn that will take you through the woods and rejoin on the way to Llyn Crafnant. I’ve only ridden it dry but can imagine it gets a bit wet in places. Hats off to anyone who can do that Capel Curig climb. While technically it’s possible, I ain’t got that kind of stamina!