I'm riding the Dyfi and the family are coming with me for a cheap weekend, they can manage a couple of laps of the family route at Llandegla but I suspect the Mach 1 would be a bit much, any suggestions for a ride with them on the Saturday and Monday?
You could do the Mawddach Trail route, it's probably a 20 min drive from Mac. If you start at Dolgellau. Very nice disused railway and flat as runs along the Estuary .
You can also go over the wooden bridge at Barmouth (kids like it)
[url= http://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/pages/maw_c_ph.htm ]some photos here[/url]
One way it 10 miles I think or 25 as a round route (or 20 if you do 10 there and back)
[url= http://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/pages/mawd_cycw.htm ]Some more info here[/url]
If that's a bit of a trip then Coed-Y-Brenin isn't far (20-30 mins) and has a family route.
There's a cycle hire place near bird rock which is kind of the next valley up I think. I'm not sure if its just road riding but defo something the family can involved with. There's plenty of fire road up round that area too.
http://www.cefn-coch.co.uk/cyclehire.html
While you are doing the Enduro they can ride out to CAT. Cycle route out of town (over its own bridge) then up the quiet back road (the road you ride heading out to the "start" of the enduro). There are a few hills if kids are really young....
Railway path from Dolgellau to Barmouth crossing over the viaduct at the estuary mouth. Fish & chips in Barmouth then return (very little on road so safe for kids apart from busy and dangerous last 200 yds at Barmounth...). If one of the kids is young / not up to big distance then drop strong half of family off at Dolgellau and drive up to car park at Estuary mouth. Meet up for last bit over to Barmouth. Take a bell as path sometimes full of dozy walkers 🙂
Coedy Brenin or Nant Yr Arian forest stuff is fine for kids depending which way your are heading.
Tiger have you done that trail? Logic would say that it would be slightly downhill from Dolgellau to Barmouth so starting in Barmouth would be the sensible choice? I ask as I want to do it this summer with my family but I don't fancy the second half being the uphill half.
Yep done it a few times it's as flat as very flat thing from flatville that's just been run over with a steam roller. Either way.
The other thing you can do which is quite fun is cycle along the beach from Aberdyfi to Tywyn and back 6-7 mile round trip, you have to do it when the tide is going out so you've got hard sand near the water but it's quite good fun.
using the [url= http://www.mapquestdrivingdirections.net ]mapquest driving directions[/url] you can also find great biking routes, is what I usually do
Mawddach is lovely gentle ride and flat as hell, best doing to Barmouth as it's a lovely costal town and great for icecreams.
yeah done the Mawddach route last year when camping at Graig Wen, nice but if it's windy you get a hell of a head wind one way!
I can also recommend the Mawddach Trail. We did it a few times last year from Barmouth, over the railway bridge (which the kids loved) then along the side of the Estuary to the George III pub at Penmaenpool for lunch/liquid refreshments.
Kids were 7 and 9 at the time and had no problems at all with the route, which was about 16 miles. It's completely flat and well surfaced, which is a bonus for the kids.
This is the railway bridge crossing from Barmouth:
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