Done a bit of searching but after some more info. Anyone here done the sarn Helen route as published in that little guide thingy. Specifically the northern 2 days worth. Just wondering what the going is like. Alright the bit by Llyn Colwyd is a touch bumpy but after that the bits I know are more suitable for my Kaffenbach than a MTB. Intend to ignore the Bwlch Y Groes bit as I know from frequent experience that it's not a nice cycle but an over grown carry. Got several alternatives. I don't know the bit from Penmachno to Festiniog or onwards to Dolgellau. You comments please.
Also has anyone come across a website showing the real Sarn Helen marked. I know that in places the old route is not indicated on the map but the published route ignore accuracy considerably and I was thinking about a route that more true to the old way. Maybe a historical website?

Five of us did it last September following the same guide thinghy.(I am not convinced that the man who wrote the guide had actually ridden it !!!!) You are right about the Bwlch yr Groes bit not much fun specially if wet, but then to miss means you haven't done the route !!??.

The Penmanco to Festinoig bit through the quarries was no problem but easy to get lost ( the 1st day is hardwork). From Festiniog to Dolgellau was good.

Best advice is check the described route on google earth as the right of way on the map does not always exsist on the ground.

Parts of midwales and the brecon beacons was quite remote so you need to take food and drinks.

Part of the route are very rocky, we did it on hardtails, I think an XC full suspension would have been more suitable.

All in all we had a great week, the coastgauard at Worms Head gave us a really good welcome.

ta.
sticking to that route isn't an issue. In fact it's just a framework as it manages to miss much of the Sarn for the sake of the riding.
any one have more details? of day 2 especially?Even pics or links to them?

I rode the route from the booklet recently, and there are photos etc on my blog here:

http://iamnotasinglespeeder.blogspot.com/

The route as described in the booklet is almost impossible to follow in the area of Coed Y Brenin. I just made it up as I went along and ended up doing a lot of fire-road. It would be nice to go back through and modify my route to make use of the trail centres I passed close to – that booklet predates them so you can end up just hauling down gravel when there's singletrack nearby.

Myself and two others cycled the Sarn Helen in May of this year.

The 1st day was tough, you are lulled into a false sense of security by the short 8 – 10 mile road blast at the begging of the day then it soon turns in to fun but demanding trails.

Festiniog to Dolgellau is a good ride especially as we used as many of the trails at Coed Y Brenin as we could. We continued on to Machynlleth which made day two into a massive day.

I used a Sat Map to navigate near enough the exact route as described in Tim Woodcooks guide. I got Sat Map to custom make a map of the route that we had already planned on OS Maps then transferred to the Sat Map Route via there route planning function on their web site. We had no navigational issues what so ever it was great plus we posted the different OS paper maps that we need to the different B&B’s we stayed at to act as a backup should we have any technical issues with the Sat Map

I would not recommend doing the route on anything but a MTB bike. There are some serious rocky climbs and descents throughout the whole trail, like ‘thunderer’ stated we all did it on hard tails but on reflection may be a XC full suspension would have been a better choice.

I have saved the route in .gpx files somewhere on my PC; I can send you a copy of them f you want. I also have a kit list and B&B accommodation list if you want those as well. We opted to stay In B&B’s rather than camp or hostel so (A) we did not have to carry to much kit and (B) knew we had a decent bed/shower at the end of a long day cycling, also one of the group liked his creature comforts to much!!

I could not find any historic route guide for the Sarn Helen when we were in the planning stages, we just used the guide and the limited pats of the route that were marked on the OS maps to try to get as close to the route as possible.

We had a great 7 days and had bright sunshine for the whole week which is unheard of for Wales. I would seriously recommend doing it just make sure you are aware of the physical demands and have planned it thoroughly as at some points you are in the middle of nowhere and if the weather turns I could see it being not much fun, cycling in the rain for 10 hours!!!

Two websites that I found useful where:-
http://members.multimania.co.uk/garyjohnhill/sarnhelen/#Cyclists
http://www.numplumz.com/C2C06/C2C06.htm – this is Cardiff to Conway but it gives alternative route ideas and good descriptions of the route and what it was like.

Hmmm. Still wondering. I'm guessing its day 2 that was the the harder bit and as you rode some of the Coed bits does that add to it? The only really tough bit I can visualise on day one (having walked and run all of it a few years back having lived in Capel Curig) is the bit up alongside Llyn Colwyd. I don't count that tatty little bit up out of Capel as it not the Sarn which runs up from Betws traditionally. Memories are dodgy though. Bugger taking my suss bike. An 06 Enduro is too heavy and it won't take a rack. Camping you see. We have decided to shorten day one by camping immediately we hit the hills after driving up. Second camp is roughly Festiniog, know of a few soft spots in the slate.
I have done a big chunk several times as much of it is/was vehicular. That tended to be winter trips. Foul.
I would be really glad of any gps stuff you have. an email to
mattsccm at fsmail dot net would get it to me.
Thanks a lot

mattsccm

Email sent with the gpx route files attached. Let me know if they don’t arrive.

Tom

Got em, reply sent . ta

Can anyone with the gpx files pass them on to me also

monkeyspacepilot@yahoo.com

I’m looking for the gpx route for day 1 of the sarn trail – can anyone help?
Thanks

Hello there, I am also looking for these GPX files. Tom, I have dropped you an email, but if anyone else has them, could they please let me know?

Local to the Area and I have done a section from “Tomen y mur” the roman fort across from the power station to the trunk road leading from Trawsfynydd to Bala. Went along a tarmc back road towards the top end of the Rhiw Goch camp site.
There is a chapel above here call ” penstryt” from here a track gets you into the heart of Coed y Brenin.

Is there anyone going this year?