OK Ok i'm sure this has been asked before but what's the best trail(s) for a day ride at coed these days.

Not been there for about 8 years, I'm pretty happy on any grade of trail but don't want pointless lungbursting climbs without any downhill fun reward!

Recommendations anyone?

Ta

If 'The Begiining of the End' sections are open do the Beast (can shorten the long out and back loop after the forest cafe if required). If those sections are closed do the new 'Coch' and then Tarw.

Enjoy.

Personnely, we do the Beast every time we go. As it includes all the singletrack on that side of the road. If you've not been for 8 years its change a bit. Most of the trails (all except the Tawrn) are on the other side of the road from where they use to start, the cafe looks better but foods not as good (although was getting better last time I went). Some really nice new sections and loads of upgrades to what was there. Ups arn't to bad and all have rewarding downs. Enjoy.

I reckon MBR would be most down for least up … saying that, I could be wrong, don't go often as I'm not keen on the place.

Only one I've done is the Beast, which I think is most of the MBR and Dragon's Back trails. I really enjoyed it, some techy bits on the MBR, and some nice fast twisty descents. Bit too much boring fireroad climbing on the Dragon's Back section for my liking but still well worth doing imo.

Yeah – the fireroad bit on The Beast (turns right through a gate just after the forest cafe) is a PITA, but I feel I have cheated if I miss it out.

Apparently, you can just coast up the road (instead of turning right through the gate) and it soon joins up to the next DH section and misses about 6 miles of boring stuff out.

How long do you guys allow for the beast?

4 hrs is a fair time I would say (of course someone will tell you they can do it in under an hour, but just ignore them 😉

i'm off there as well for the first time in a long time a week on monday. looking forward to it. 🙂

About 4hrs, plus how long you are going to spend in the forest cafe 😉

The short cut after the cafe does cut out a mostly boring loop, but its a bit more that a coast as its pretty steep. If you do take the short cut, take the fireroad on the right further round, takes you to the top of Gomez. If you miss Gomez out and stay on the road you will come across the trail crossing the road further down, but be warned the trail has changes and the first place you come across is the old trail and it runs of of trail after bit (if that make sense). You'll see what we mean on a trail map

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/CoedYBreninMtBksafety2007lowres.pdf/$FILE/CoedYBreninMtBksafety2007lowres.pdf

Yeah I reckon around 4 hours would be right. It took us about 6 but we were with a big group and did an enourmous amount of fannying around – including some people managing to get lost!

Thanks Guys, I'lll give the beast a go I reckon

on a similar note, i'm going to get two full days of riding there a week on mon and tue. what would your guys suggestions be to get the best of the trails, with pretty full two days?

John
Yes thats exactly the sort of pointless climb that would be good to miss out! nipping up the steep bit of road for us i reckon. I take it the fire road to the top of gomez is pretty easy to spot?

A good day out is start with half the Tarw trail (get to the top of Mantrap ASAP, missing the long drag to Snap Crackle Pop and come straight back then do the Beast (missing the fireroad loop after Dolfrwynog) BUT add in Dreamtime on the way out.

Day 2? Go somewhere else. Some people say this is good.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/pont-scethin-bit-of-local-advice-please

cheers john, i'll take a look at that for the first day. second day option sounds good, but i'll be by myself and though i enjoy the mapreading wilderness rides, i'm quite happy to get in two trail centre days while the gf does her own thing.

Well still go somewhere else then. Mach or ByC. Depends which is on the way home.

A good day out is start with half the Tarw trail (get to the top of Mantrap ASAP, missing the long drag to Snap Crackle Pop and come straight back then do the Beast (missing the fireroad loop after Dolfrwynog) BUT add in Dreamtime on the way out.

Now that is *the* best of the CyB waymarked trails!! 🙂

Paul

i've had a look on the trail maps to crosscheck john's suggestion – is it more straightforward when you're there, cos it looks a bit confusing to follow looking at the map! might just do the beast one day and the dragon's back the next, though they look virtually identical! 😀

Dragon's Back is part of The Beast.

Dragons Back is the Beast (its a bit like ordering a Little Chef Breakfast, this) but without Cain & Abel etc, and with extra Dreamtime.

Yep, follow Dragon's Back to end of Dreamtime then rejoin Beast (return) to crossover and continue.

Do the Tarw trail as a warm up then back to the centre, top up with water and then do the beast. 60kms for the day – worth the trip then

The trails over the old side are still like the ones you would remember years ago. The trails on the Beast have changed abit from the old Karrimor – some would say sanitised, others would say made more flowing/resistant to errosion – you decide.

nice one, jumping that sounds like a plan. i went there years ago when it was basically only the red bull trail. which one is that these days?

Tarw trail is mostly the old Red Bull trail. Starts at the new centre then under the road and past the old centre.
The Beast starts at the new centre and has parts of the old Karrimor, if not all of it. It also follows the Dragons Back trail for some of the sections.

Tarw is about 20kms so should be good to get the legs warm before the Beast.
If the weather is crap or you don't fancy the long fireroad climb on the beast – as others have said – stay on the road after the cafe to the start of the singletrack.

cheers. if they're good i may well just end up doing the long one/s 2 days running – we're camping right near by so can't really go too far as the gf's dropping me off then occupying herself while i hit the trails!