Help me find a Welsh ride…

I have the honour of organising my mates stag do.

The invite list is a 50/50 split of people who ride and people who don’t but are baseline fit outdoorsy types.

The stag wants to find a cottage or similar and go ride bikes with drinking et al being kept low key.

The general consensus is we’d like to do some proper mountain biking and go conquer a peak so everyone walks away with a tale of daring do.

Snowdon or cadair idris are the obvious choices but provide too much of a technical challenge for the non riders.

So Is there some sort of low key route that will still be challenging but just not dangerous for the uninitiated?

Moel famau? A shortened version of the gap ride in the Brecon beacons maybe?

All thoughts appreciated, Box

Maybe the Gap done as a “there and back” approaching from south. Avoids the more technical rocky descent on the north face, which might trouble non-MTBers/beginners. Still gives the challenge of the climb and some nice views above the reservoir.

Depending upon how self-organised you want to be maybe get in touch with Phill & Polly at MTB Wales – they’ll definitely be able to suggest something and provide some or all of guiding, accommodation, catering and (e)bike hire.

I’d have thought the gap would be ideal as none of it is technical really.

That said BPW could be good for a stag do – plenty of variety of difficulty of trails and no-one gets left behind on the climb if you use the uplift.

Edit – if based by Merthyr we found an air bnb that was effectively a bunk house above a pub a few years ago. It was ace – maybe 6 or 8 beds in the bigger bunk room , they had a bike room to lock bikes in securely, a hose pipe and bike cleaning kit and then the pub was reasonably priced. They didn’t do food but let you order takeaway to eat in the pub whilst you bought their drinks.

Which part od Wales? and what time of year?

You can do the gap from Brecon then ride back along the canal. Means the last bit is non tech and there’s a few pubs for a meal or drink break.

Or there’s a few nice mid wales loops. The mach loops out of Machynleth have a wild feel without being too challenging. The big loop at Nant y Arian is also good day out for that sort of group. Another nice remote feeling ride. Or something around Elan Valley. Nice part of the country to stay too.

I ended up marrying my “Welsh ride”

Apart from the steep,janky, rocky, ravine-y summit section which is hard (at 2:04 in the video below with Dan Atherton) ,

I don’t really recall anything much on the classic Cadair Idris ride as being particularly technically challenging having done it a couple of times.
It can certainly be walked if there are bits beyond the skill level of people in the group.
I suppose it’s the speed you can get in rocks and shale that makes it tricky/fun.
Nice to get that summit feeling you’re after.

Having said that, the Gap is maybe better suited. It’s a long loop for a non-rider so as suggested an out and back might work better.

Do The Gap & take a cable lock, dump the bikes and walk to the summit and then complete the bike loop.

+1 for getting Phil and Polly involved if you don’t mind the costs. Such good people.

Also the guides at The Forest of Dean would do stuff close to the border. With the added advantage that you could rent something around Symonds yat, evening meals at the Saracens head or the Ferrie Inn. 😀

Antur Stiniog uplift then a day of walking? Hike a bike is very marmite.

Why not Cadair ? Those who want to ride and those who want to walk ?