Going camping for a lads mtb holiday next summer what trail centres would you recommend in Wales.

Coed-y-brenin will give you more than one day’s riding and stay near to Dolgellau for some pubs.

If you stay in or near Dolgellau or Machynlleth then Nant yr Arian, Cli-MachX, Coed y Brenin, Penmachno and Gwydyr/Betws y Coed are all close enough for driving to. Personally I prefer Machynlleth to Dolgellau as a place to stay, but Dolgellau is a bit more central to the various trail centres.

Edit – Of the above, my favourites are Coed y Brenin and Nant yr Arian. Coed y Brenin is fairly rocky and has the most trails. Nant yr Arian has a more back country feel and lots of lovely swoopy singletrack. Cli-MachX is mainly about its big final descent. Penmachno is fairly old-school XC except for its big finish. I can’t remember much about Gwydyr, it’s been 7 years since I last rode there.

2nd that. CyB is good trail riding and Snowdon isn’t far away. There’s quite a few other trails close by, too.

I loved CYB, it was really the standout trail for me and the one I’m dying to get back to. Lots of riding there too- we did the Beast one day and then Tarw and a bit of the Beast on a tireder day, could have done more.

Nant yr Arian was lovely- though did feel a wee bit hard work for the amount of good riding- but also, has the best climb I’ve ever done. And I don’t even like climbs but this one was mint.

snowdon should be top of your list for a trip to wales

+1 for CYB and Nant yr Arian

Thanks for the help guys

+1 for what ChrisL said. Brechfa down south is pretty sweet to.

Presumably this is the plan now G

It is Wales sounds good

+1 for snowdon

As ChrisL says. CDB+Nant yr Arian.
Northwind, did you actually like the ascent Syfydrim? Leg Burner? Thats the worst f’nn climb I’ve ever done! fireroad for about 1.5-2 miles, it just sucks. And thats coming from someone who likes a good climb 🙂 (Afan, whites level has the best climb imo)

Knowing Northwind, and the day we rode at Nant yr Arian, I think it’d be the climb at roughly the furthest point on the Syfidrin trail – starts as a fire road which then collapses into gullies and streams and things.

If the ascent Syfidrin is the big one that takes you back into the forest after the road section then I seriously doubt he’s talking about that as not only is it a horrid fire road slog it was also into a strong headwind on the day we were there. The Leg Burner is another painful crawl up a fire road so again I don’t think it’s something that Northwind would ever class as good…