For those of you who've done the Traws Eryri, if you were going to do it over three days, with two nights in pubs/hostels/b&bs etc how would you divide it up and where would you suggest to stay and replenish supplies etc?
Does anyone know if The Eagles Penmachno is still open, the website doesn't seem to be working?
I haven't done it but we are planning on it this year. 30 miles ish first day, big middle day then whatever's left to finish. We will be taking in a few trails along the way.
My wife and child are going to drop us off at Mach then meet us each night at a campsite. My friend will sleep in his tent and me in our camper.
They will ride a trail centre or two along the way.
There's a Facebook group too.
Out of interest, I'm looking at all the train connections and not fancying the faff of returning to Mach that way. Would doing Traws Eryi up and returning via Sarn Helen (doesn't seem to be much crossover) be a good trip?
Martin, thinking of much the same as that in May. Planning on 4 days to do TE popping into trail centres then got to get back to FoD. Got the rest of the week
Best itererary i reckon is mach-ffestiniog-bettws-conwy.
Depends on start time.
As said above big 2nd day looks to be the way. That's what I am planning this summer.
Train to Mach > boost up to dog/traws > massive day to chapel curig > cruise up to Bethesda then along to Conwy > train home.
Looking fwd to it, although will be using some local knowledge to avoid a ton of road.
@martinhutch yes!
I live locally and we did it last summer before it was official.
It’s more of a gravel ride than a mountainbike ride in my opinion.
If doing it over 3 days, I’d stay in the George 3 in Penmaenpool or head slightly off course to Dolgellau, and then stay in Betws y Coed on the second night. The only thing is that this leaves you with a long second day.
If you are not carrying your supplies, maybe take a mountainbike and ride the Climachx, Coed y Brenin and Marin trails along the way, as you pass them close enough. Maybe then though you will require more than 3 days!!
If doing it over 3 days, I’d stay in the George 3 in Penmaenpool or head slightly off course to Dolgellau, and then stay in Betws y Coed on the second night. The only thing is that this leaves you with a long second day.
If you are not carrying your supplies, maybe take a mountainbike and ride the Climachx, Coed y Brenin and Marin trails along the way, as you pass them close enough. Maybe then though you will require more than 3 days!!
Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking too. Either take my gravel bike and try and knock it off in two days, or take my hardtail and add in those extra bits and make it more fun.
Part of the reason for doing it is a fitness check/gear shakedown with the aim of riding from my doorstep to Cape Wrath along the Great North Trail next summer, which makes me edge towards doing it on the hardtail.
Thanks for the tips and advice on here, especially to @Mugboo.
Does anyone have the GPX for Sarn Helen?
Is this any use to you? From the 'Keep Smiling Adventures' Youtube channel.
https://www.strava.com/activities/7141250925
I did search for a Sarn Helen gpx, but the only version I found followed the road all the way to Betws, which isn't ideal.
If you're on komoot, you can download the route and play about with it in multi-day tour setting.
Did it last year with a group of friends and was a life of riding highlight - although we were very very lucky with the weather! Took 3 nights and it felt like a decent day's riding each day but we didn't hurry. If doing it in two nights I'd be very tempted to cut out the pretty pointless fire road loop after Sarn Helen that went on for ages south before turning back north towards Betws. If there's a decent decent into the valley from SH 77740 55983 I'd take that.
@pedlad yeah, I've noticed that there are a few loops that are off road just for the sake of it.
Can you download the gpx route from OS - https://explore.osmaps.com/route/18214037/Traws-Eryri-full-route
Or DM me and I will see if you can attached it.
I've been vaguely interested in this since it was unveiled, and especially like the idea of doing it on a gravel bike.
I found this nice write-up, where the author seems to be saying it's firmly MTB.
Sweat and Slate: Riding the multi-day Traws Eryri route - MBR
But I know how frustrating it is to be over-biked for long ride, just because of a couple of little gnarly bits.
Any more opinions on gravel vs MTB from those who have done it?
We did it last September. You can use a gravel bike but i took a hardtail and thought it was the right choice. The published route is fine apart from on the last day across the moorland. Last climb before Conwy is a brute!
Hardtail on fast rolling tyres is a great tool for the job, but a half decent rider on a gravel bike would be having fun and getting up all but one or two of the climbs more efficiently. Lad in our group did the additional Coed Y Brenin Loop (Adams family etc) on his but he's slightly better than half decent.
Two tricky ascents I remember where thin tyres may be a weakness were out of Coed Y Brenin to Penmaen and up Sarn Helen from Pont Y Pant (aptly named BIG climb!).
Thanks for the feedback guys.
Choice for me would be a Ragley Trig or Orange Stage Evo, so I think I'd lean toward the gravel bike.
Our son did it over the Easter period. He did the Traws Eryri plus diversions to trails centres just off of the route.
Traws Eryri - Full route with all the trail centres on the way! (youtube.com)