In a couple of weeks i'm fortunate enough to be getting a free week off work to ride, leading a group of colleages in N.Wales with our base at Betws-y-coed and the use of transport to take us and our bikes wherever we need to. The group consists of a couple of experienced riders who ride dh and tech trails/xc (myself included), a couple of competent riders who just lack a bit in the fitness department and 2 fit but new to mountain biking riders.
For this reason i'm taking the easier option of sticking to trail centres - my reasoning being that it's easier to clear with work and it gives the novices/less fit riders the chance to opt out but still have fun.
I haven't ridden in N.Wales myself, loads in the South though (no use here).
My current list:
- Marin trail (i'm not keen but should be ok for the novices and it's right on our doorstep).
- Penmachno (better than the Marin i'm told and again on our doorstep)
- Cli-Machx at Machynlleth (bit of a drive down i think but worth the trip for the long descents?).
- Llandegla (looks loads of fun for all, enough to keep newbies and experienced entertained hopefully).
- Coed-Y-Brenin, Dragons back has been suggested and maybe the beast for the final day of the week on an opt in basis.
There's a rest day planned which i'll be using to visit my mum on the doorstep of Cragg quarry where i'll either do Cragg to Lee to Cragg to Buck inn or a trip to Hebden Bridge - may offer a few of the more experienced riders the opportunity to join me for something a bit different.
Heading back down to Cornwall on the Fri and was thinking of a decent stop off, either FOD or Ashton Court for those keen to squeeze another ride in. We have 2 vehicles so no probs with people hanging around.
This is the first time i've done anything remotely like this, how does it sound?
Any other recommendations?
The aim is for everyone to enjoy themselves, get a little out of there comfort zones without causing injury or putting them off riding!
We are all in the forces so have a decent(ish) base level of fitness so nobody should die on a climb!!!
Cheers in advance for any help/critique,
Steve
Edit - i've done my level 3 mtb leaders course in the Bavarian Alps with work (tough job but someones got to do it!) so am happy enough with the leading side of things.
Just got back from that very area. Looks like a good itinerary.
We found Dragon's Back to be plenty tech enough (both pretty experienced, used to Dark Peak riding). Penmachno was a if anything a little more challenging, but we rode that on the last day and were tired. However it has a fantastic wilderness feel, and I'm very glad we did it.
I'd be prepared for more rest time, the less experienced will get tired. And remember you don't have to do it all, when it stops being fun, stop.
APF
Cheers APF, the last thing i want to do is run people into the ground so may have opt in rides where the weary can pass and chill out for the day.
Bump for the evening crowd.
Also realised this aft that the Snowdon voluntary cycling ban doesn't start until May 1st giving us the scope for a Snowdon ride - thinking of giving the experienced riders the option of joining me doing the llanberis path at the crack of dawn joining the rest of the group on a more leisurely ride late morning (maybe a slowtime Marin trail).
I can heartily recommend getting up early to do Snowdon, [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/snowdon-yesterday-morning ]we did it yesterday (watch the video)[/url], up and down in 4 hours and one of the best rides I've ever done. Given good conditions I'd certainly do that instead of the Marin if I had to choose.
We did dragons back a few weeks ago and there was a diversion in place after the beefy section and the final section was closed until aug. Also we did the long and pointles fire road up and down after the cafe - avoid this by continuing up the road as it is pointless!
Penmachno will be a lot of fun - prepare for wetness and pinch flats.
Hi Steve, I'm off for a couple of weeks that might tie in with your trip, maybe myself and some other locals from www.mbnw.co.uk will be able to tie in with you and show you some little 'extras' from the various routes you've got planned.
I've sent you an email with my details and feel free to contact me for info etc.
You can't go to North Wales and just ride trail centres!
Seriously man, it just isn't right.
It'd be like visiting Paris and eating in McDonalds.
Get a copy of the Bikefax guidebook and pick a few rides from there.
Go on you know you want to 😀
All my local trails 🙂 Good list.
If you want to save a day, just do the old loop on penmachno and the marin on the same day.
I ride the new loop a lot, but it is a bit of a waste of effort if your looking for fun per minute rode.
Defiantly do Snowdon if time allows, but watch the weather, it can get pretty grim up there.
As said there is lots more to North Wales than the centres, but they are guaranteed fun. Can't tell you how many times I've done epic rides in North Wales and ended up the feeling that the downs worth the ups. That said I've done lots of really good ones 😉
Cheers everyone.
Mintimperial - you've pretty much confirmed that i'll be making Snowdon happen.
highclimber - thanks for the heads up on both places, all for cutting out on pointless fireroad!
MrFannay - thats very kind of you, thanks, look forward to your email, a bit of local knowledge would be greatly appreciated.
Rusty Spanner - i thought someone would be along with that opinion, i share it to a point, if it was a riding holiday with my riding mates of similar ability then i'd aim to get some natural stuff in for sure but as i have unknown quantities in the group i think the fact a trail centre is graded, they have opt outs in some and a cafe in some to go and sulk/collapse/moan or just chill out in means the majority should enjoy themselves regardless.
johnikgriff - cheers for the penmachno/marin top tip.
Thanks all, much appreciated.
Rusty Spanner - i thought someone would be along with that opinion, i share it to a point, if it was a riding holiday with my riding mates of similar ability then i'd aim to get some natural stuff in for sure but as i have unknown quantities in the group i think the fact a trail centre is graded, they have opt outs in some and a cafe in some to go and sulk/collapse/moan or just chill out in means the majority should enjoy themselves regardless.
No worries mate.
Wouldn't want any rufty tufty services types to have to use a map, suffer a bit or go without their posh coffees 😉
Seriously, have a great time.
Hopefully they'll enjoy it so much they beg you to take 'em back.
Any feedback on the Cli-Machx trail at Machynlleth? Worth a trip down?
Cheers 🙂
LOL out Rusty Spanner! Would love to get a map out and do some proper trails but it's so hit and miss in an area i don't know and it's one thing getting myself knackered and lost but if i get the group more than 20mins from Costa/Starbucks it won't be worth the ear ache!!!
Any feedback on the Cli-Machx trail at Machynlleth? Worth a trip down?
I'd go for Nant yr Arian instead if accompanied by novices, but that really would be a long drive (mind you I've done it from Leicester & back in a day 😀 )
Climachx is all about one descent really, the bits of singletrack on the way to it are pretty good though and it's got some challenging climbing. In the past 4 years I've only done the descent and not bothered with the rest as it seems like a waste of time - as the descent is soooo much fun!
Novices might find it a bit much as it's a bit rough (personally I hope it never gets resurfaced) and hard to go fast on without a bit of skill/balls/idea what's coming next, but they'll get down in one piece - there's nothing particularly scary there and I reckon they'll love it - but might suffer from a bit of arm pump 🙂
Check what's open there before you go as there has been some logging work, apparently postponed due to dormice or something, but it may restart.
stevede
Any feedback on the Cli-Machx trail at Machynlleth? Worth a trip down?
Check if it's opened. We rode it on our last day of 3 days n. Wales and the final desent was closed (3 weeks ago)
We did cyb dragons back on fri ( last 2 miles was a killer)
Llandegla black & blue sat (most smiles per minute)
& cli machx on sun. (disappointing & difficult to find)
Cheers, will definately be checking if it's all open before heading down, i imagine that would be pretty disappointing driving down to find out what we had gone for was closed.