Mid week ride – Degla or Marin?

Looking at a mid week ride next week.

Thinking either Degla or Marin trail – which one would make the better ride?

Having never ridden either of them appreciate that Marin has no facilities and would mean going to Betws-y-coed for lunch/coffee/cake. The cafe at Degla aloeapp to be legendary though with burgers and shakes.

So what do the STW hive recommend?

Both trails are great … marin is more old skull but still great with the new bits … degla is a good ride with a better cafe ….

Marin gives you a bit of a longer trail, some great views and a more technical ride. Degla gives you a fun blast and a great bacon bap afterwards.

Either are good, but with a day off I’d take the Marin, or depending on where you’re coming from, do both with Degla on the way back?

Marin. Unless cafe facilities are important.

Marin is a longer loop, with better views, and the newest section is good fun. Plus it even has intentional hike-a-bike, which makes it unique among trail centres I’ve visited.

PS It’s called Gwydr Forest, or something like that, now, to save confusion when you try to find it.

Depends what you like…

If you like nice floaty air and jumps with a grin then Degla, good clean and fast fun

wow times are a changin

no ones popped up & said degla is a crappy bmx track

I did the Main (or whatever it’s now called as pointed out above) last Sunday and was very impressed, really good natural feeling trail, the technical bits were far better than at Degla, and that’s from someone who loves jumps.

If only riding one in the area I’d do Penmachno…  might even be fairly dry.

Marin with extra bits is ok and Degla would be my last choice, still enjoyable though.

If the choice becomes Marin vs. Penmachno, it’s Marin for me. With new mid-trail additions and changes to final sections, it beats Penmachno hands down.

On Marin vs. Degla, deffo Marin (also v.easy to navigate/add on some extra “natural” bits if you want to extend it)

‘Degla is a crappy BMX track….

my my choice is the Marin, there is a nice tea room just over the bridge at llanwrst, covered in ivy, can’t miss it

Or the Ugly House at the southern tip of the loop, nice cake there.

Gwydir for me too anyway, either add some off-piste or do it twice to make it worth the journey.

Penmachno…  might even be fairly dry.

Don’t be ridiculous.

Penmachno…  might even be fairly dry.

like the ravens at the Tower, legend has it that if Penmachno ever dries out, everyone’s bike magically turns into a Kirk Magnesium

I rode them both a few months ago, I wasn’t expecting much from the Marin trail but I really enjoyed it!  Most of the climbing is on fire road, but the descents are a nice mix and feel more natural than Degla.  I do like Degla as well so you can’t go wrong with either but I would probably lean more towards Marin.

Thanks all.

I’m leaning towards Marin/Gwydir mainly for the scenery. Couple of decent places to eat in B-Y-C that I’ve been to before.

Gwydir for me too anyway, either add some off-piste or do it twice to make it worth the journey.

I’ve done a couple of routes which start/finish with the Marin – heading south along the Sarn Helen from the halfway point,, both were OK but not terribly exciting. What add-ons would people suggest to turn it into a full day?

Thanks all.

I’m leaning towards Marin/Gwydir mainly for the scenery. Couple of decent places to eat in B-Y-C that I’ve been to before.

Hangin’ Pizzeria gets my vote!

Looks like there are a couple of sections closed and diversions in place during weekdays at Gwydir for forestry works – with Gwydir Bach being completely closed.

How does Llandegla compare to the Dog/Monkey at Cannock or Coed-Y-Brenin.

Also looking like it might be a wet one do they have showers/somewhere dry to get changed?

It’s a lot shorter than CYB, probably half the length of the Beast. If it’s really wet and nasty, that might turn out to be a good thing. I believe they do have changing facilities.

Must admit, if I were making a day of it, I’d just get up earlier and drive a bit further and ride CYB.

might be a crappy bmx track but i like it. you can do two laps? really attack it 2nd time round when not riding blind! could also add in the worlds end loop for your natural fix.

CYB is superior tho. lots more to go at. especially when you use a tailored route that cuts out the nonsense… but i probably wouldnt drive past Deggers to get there…

Marin for me, though I do ride Degla twice a week most weeks! Before I lived up here I always thought the Marin, Penmachno and CYB were better (and still do to be fair, Degla is just so convenient!) so I’d pick from one of those. The Degla Cafe is great though, but the others have better trails. Degla feels very man-made, but it is cut to sh!t at the minute, some of the braking bumps in sections are insane! There’s a few blown-out off-camber corners that need some attention too, they’re lethal in the wet!

Went to Degla yesterday – really enjoyed it despite the biblical rain and wind.

Considering how rocky it is I was surprised how grippy it was even in the wet.

Original plan was 2 laps but with how wet we were we decided on an early lunch.

I will be going back.