Hi, visiting N Wales in 2 weeks so planning an afternoon at Coed Y Brenin.
Any advice on which trails offer the best for an afternoon please?
Happy doing Whinlatter Black, and Llandegla Red/Black.
Non E bikes, with a grumpy 16 year old too. Cheers….

Just do the beast. All of the best stuff.

Just do Gwydir Mawr instead.

The Marin Trail is better ^^^

Ha ha…done the Marin a few times. Old School!!

Yeah, the Marin trail is about 98% fire road.
Pretty, but not very exciting.

Surely you mean the Beast is mostly fire road?

Start following MBR, but after false teeth-bugsy, turn right along the river, then right up the next fire road. Will plop you out at the bottom of the steep tarmac climb upto the Adams Family descent. Joins back up nicely at the bottom of the short climb before Pink Heifer.

Couple of weeks ago there was a bit of the Adams family closed for forest works, if you head right it takes you back round for another bash at false teeth, then scoot up the fire road, past bugsy to join the last section.

Penmachno is definitely worth your time, if you’re over that way. Ace wee loop, particularly now all of the last bit is open again.

I love the Beast. Cut off the top fireroad loop though, it’s pointless except for a fairly good view (turn off at waymarker 118- and go up the horrendous steep road. It’s horrible, but short, and takes you straight up to Gomez)

It’s one of those trails that’s great fun, but maybe not good value- it’s quite a lot of effort for the reward. But that doesn’t mean the reward’s not great. Very much like the Marin actually.

Tarw is great too, and shorter. And do make time for the Foundry skills area, it’s pretty ridiculous.

I love the Beast. Cut off the top fireroad loop though, it’s pointless except for a fairly good view (turn off at waymarker 118- and go up the horrendous steep road. It’s horrible, but short, and takes you straight up to Gomez)

Or miss out most of the shirty steep road by keeping on the fire road and take the 1st left (marker 119) at the road go right then through the forest barrier, Gomez is about 200m up on the left

Tarw du is massively underated imo, best trail there.

Otherwise as above, shortened beast works well. Honestly I like to shorten it further and take the fireroads between posts 80 and 123. None of the singletrack there is any good imo compared to the rest of the place. Use the time to do Tarw du as well or jib about in the skills area.

I think this is the route @Northwind mentions.

Coed-y-Brenin best bits mashup.

Off up there for a 3 day weekend, will be doing some of C-Y-B and the Pont Scethin loop, what other options would anyone suggested without travelling too far, from an already lovely location.. obviously Cadair

No way would I do Marin over Beast best bits. Love CYB and haven’t been for a few years so looking forward to a Sept visit.

The Beast is ace as far as trail centres go and @carlos is right about missing the steep road by using the first bit of fire road.

cheers all, I wouldn’t mind doing all the Beast, but with a 16 yr old who just wants to do jumps it could be a bit much. Will deffo be doing the skillzzzz area 🙂

Cut off the top fireroad loop though, it’s pointless except for a fairly good view

It’s a great view, esp. on a good day! If you’re only riding the Beast that day, keep it in!