Marin and Penmachno Trails

Its been a good 3-4 years since ive last been.Can anyone shed a light on the parking and fees. I know they have done a lot of work at Martin over the last 24 months due to the trees being blown over/felled. To be fair I had forgotten how stunning Snowdonia was, and need to spend more time there other than the lakes.

The car park in Llanrwst was free last time I went (god nearly 2 years ago with lockdown), but it’s small and fills up early. Cracking circuit, but lots of climbing. Love the Dragons Back.

Did the marin ( now gwydr mawr or sumfink similar) last week after a gap of several years- car park is still free and trails were ace as feels out there but still has waymarking ( small diversion for logging near the end)- still amazed how i originally did this on a rigid singlespeed….
I like the fact much of the climbing is fire road although some don’t.
Saw a video of penmachno from the weekend and no rivers on the trails- get in early before it changes!

Yep, parking as it always was. A tiny diversion on the Marin, but nothing exciting lost. One of the Penmachno descents is closed though so make sure you do loop 2 as well, else you’ll be done pretty quick! The felling in loop 2 gives it a very different feel. Still very XC, but quite techy in parts. I’m big enough to say I dabbed!

If you’re in the area, Llyn Colywd should be dry enough for riding too 🙂

They’re free and ridin’ good 🙂

saxabar please enlighten me my good man ?

I did Gwydyr Mawr trail in September. I started from Saw Bench carpark which was free and pretty much empty on a Friday morning. Loved it.

Strava Gwydyr Mawr link.

@stevedoc

https://flattyres-mtb.co.uk/route-guides/north-wales-mtb-routes/llyn-cowlyd-mtb-route-guide/

worth it – especially the down into Capel Curig from Craftnant 🙂

Penmachno has a donation box under the info board or did.

I did find this which adds a bit of both https://flattyres-mtb.co.uk/route-guides/north-wales-mtb-routes/the-marin-cowlyd-killer-mtb-route-guide/ just dont like the look of that climb out of Trefriw

Yeah, it’s a climb out of Trefriw, but it’s not that bad. There’s also a very cheeky cut-through to Crafnant, but it’s not for busy times or an open forum.

There’s also a very cheeky cut-through to Crafnant, but it’s not for busy times or an open forum.

If you mean the one from Gwydir, I agree I wouldn’t share it here – but it’s very useful for getting to that nice descent to Capel. Then I go left up the road a bit and left again back up into the forest.

Only did the Colwyd singletrack once about 10 years ago and felt underwhelmed. Is it actually good?

Only did the Colwyd singletrack once about 10 years ago and felt underwhelmed. Is it actually good?

Well, it’s not exactly a flow trail, or even having big steeps, but I like it. I am biased as I’m pretty local and the views are stunning (all should agree!).

Well, it’s not exactly a flow trail, or even having big steeps, but I like it. I am biased as I’m pretty local and the views are stunning (all should agree!).

Cheers, might as well try it again at some point, but I also remember a depressingly long road descent toward Trefriw?

If that’s unavoidable, would the Colwyd singletrack be better done as an out-and-back?

Both trails have free parking. Sawbench for Marin (Gwydir Mawr) or the hill-parking just off the main road into the Penmachno trail and yes, there’s a donation slot at the bottom of penmach parking since it’s not managed with public funds like the Marin is. If it floats your boat, you can link both up via Gwydir forest, coming into penmachno at the furthest point on loop2 (up a monster, endless fireroad climb), it’s an absolute BEAST of a ride at 90km and 2700m of climbing but a good one. If you do this, it’s recommended to park at the Cae’n y Coed parking on the A5 and start the Marin at The Ugly House taking you onto the new(ish) Dirty Dozen trail. A killer of a start, but it means after 90km, you roll down the hill from Moel Siabod straight to your car and collapse in a heap. There is some awesome off-piste stuff from the Marin down into Betws which is another level of technical, again if that flicks your switch. I’m a regular so will be looking for this cut through to Crafnant and the descent to Capel. Assuming it’s the bridal way on the OS map, starting at Blaen y nant? Anyone confirm? Happy Riding. Both trails are my sanctuaries.

The descent to Capel is a legit BW and part of the classic Llyn Colwyd/Crafnant loop.

It’s rocky but not steep, good fun trying to carry speed.

I love the trail centre and the off-piste at Gwydir, there’s always something new to try there.

🙂

I would wholeheartedly recommend going up to llyn elsi. The view towards moel siabod is one of my favourites in north wales.

Great cheeky path around lake and an awesome cheeky descent down to pont gethin. Couldn’t believe my luck when I first found it.

There’s also a great bw descent from cefn rhydd down to the a5, nice set of switchbacks halfway down 😀

+ 1 for crafnant and the cheeky trail there (if it’s the same one I know)