The Marin Trail in North Wales…

Any good?

Personally I love it. Some really fun descents and the climbs aren’t too bad.

Yep.

Do you have to pay? Five of us heading up there in mid May and plan on doing the Marin trail on the Saturday with an option for some riding around Bedgellert on the Sunday

Way better options around that area. Worth ticking the box I guess but for me there isn’t a pay off for all that fire road climbing.

A few quid for the car park if the machines are working but that’s all. It’s been around for years and has quite a weathered feel but is the better for it IMHO. Big fireroad climb from the car park , 20 mins ish, but you get that back in the final descent which is fantastic.

Did a full week holiday in N.Wales a few years back. Marin trail had some of the most memorable sections, but over all, one of the more underwhelming trails due to being a bit fireroady.

I find it a bit dull! but each to their own, if your up that way you could do Penmachno instead/aswell

What would you suggest for an all day route in the area? Is Penmachno that long?

I love the Marin Trail. Penmachno is ace too.
Do them both.

definitely do penmachno if it’s one or the other.

and do both loops on penmachno, which is a good-length half-day route.

The Marin and Penmachno are two of the best in Wales in my opinion. If you’re after ‘Tech Gnar’ then look elsewhere, but for fast flowing trails they’re both superb.

If you do both loops at Penmachno, which you should, it might take you a couple of hours and then the Marin similar I guess as there’s a lot of climbing. I’ve never tried but apparently you can link them.

You could also do the Llyn Cowlyd Loop..

Some of it’s very techy and It’s possible to link this with a lap of the Marin as well and that should certainly fill a day!

the final descent which is fantastic

Seconded.

AM – Marin

PM – Penmachno

Start early and have a decent lunch break between the two. Will make an excellent days riding without any stress or afternoon energy slumps. Don’t listen to the trail riding gods who say they are dull to ride. Just try hard on the climbs and rip it up on the decents, as there are plent of sections that will test both legs and skill.

I’m yet to meet anyone who can ride the whole of the Marin without dabbing 😉

Enjoy!

Sounds like a plan, thanks guys!

I like the Marin, especially the end cos it’s downhill all the way back to the car.

Penmachno is definitely worth a visit and Coed-y-Brenin is only a half hour drive away.

Although old the Marin Trail is still very good and the scenery in places (where you look over to the mountains) is some of the best of any UK trail centre. If you want to extend things then take the road down to Llyn Geirionedd and then fireroad over to and then around Crafnant and possibly Cowlydd of you’re feeling fit. Not super technical – just a nice day out on the bike.

Does anyone have any route maps of the Marin trail and Penmachno, and how to link them?

i always find the second fire road climb is the worse/most tedious, and the fire road “descents” on the far side annoying. Though I would like to know if anyone here can claim to have cleaned it all.

Good day out as we did a few years back was Snowdon in the morning followed by Marin in the afternoon.

I’m yet to meet anyone who can ride the whole of the Marin without dabbing

I’ve ridden it once about 3 years ago – is that the one with the 4 fireroad climbs?

If so i can’t remember any of it being particularly tricky, or is there a style at one point?

Penmachno is at least an hour longer than the Marin if you do both loops, and more technical, although the latter has its moments including some nice rocky bits and the final downhill.

If so i can’t remember any of it being particularly tricky

there isn’t till you have to ride up this.

Klunk – there isn’t till you have to ride up this.

We got to that and thought we’d gone the wrong way lol! Old school hike-a-bike section?

Marin: I just like spinning up the fire-road to where the trail crosses back over itself, and then turning right and blatting the final descents; multiple times. They are quite raggged, and hair-raising fun.

The forest car park is a little tricky to find – go to Llanrwst and cross the narrow stone bridge over the river. Then take the road up into the forest and turn when you see the car park signs. I think there is a parking fee. Trail is signed from the car park.

The loop is OK, but as everyone has said – the final descent is the best bit. Having ridden the whole thing once, I wouldn’t bother again – just session the last descent with the downhillers 🙂

I wasn’t impressed with the Marin, very rocky and a lot of fire road climbing but there are some nice flowy downhill sections on it.

I’ll be hitting penmachno myself hopefully later this week!

there isn’t till you have to ride up this.

I’ve never understood that section! Why is it built like that? Are you supposed to hop up it trials style!? – seems a bit much for a red graded trail. I’d like to see some video evidence of that seciton being ridden if that’s the intention. I thought I’d gone the wrong way first time I rode that section as well.

Whats wrong with the odd descent on fire road? – you can get some crazy speed up if you pedal like mad at the top and then when you run out of gears hunch up behind the bars ‘Tour de France’ decent style.

The fastest one on the Marin is a hoot, particularly when you barrel round the bottom corner (before turning left up the way steep but thankfully short road section) to find that things get quite loose.

Just adds to the variety I think!

i think that section was built that way as its a tripple SI area and it was the only way they would allow passage through it.
i might be wrong though.

Some of it here.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Mattyb1527?feature=mhum#p/a/u/0/y_FD2Z82_nU
Thats not me with the skinny legs BTW.

We did the last descent twice. One of the best around.

nonk – Member

i think that section was built that way as its a tripple SI area and it was the only way they would allow passage through it.
i might be wrong though.

This is correct.

That video made my head hurt!

as per the above. the marin is very good a bit too much fireroad but some very nice sections. the last downhill as mentioned numerous times already is class. penmachno edges it for me though as you can pick up ridiculous speed on most of the singletrack and it is slightly exposed in places which adds to the fun. penmachno is my favourite trail centre full stop. both the marin and penmchno have a good view of snowdon too.

Nothing wrong with the Marin IMHO, I’d have ridden it more over the last couple of years if I’d been well enough to & been able to drive myself to get there.

There is no view of Snowdon from the Marin, sorry.

Raindog – There is no view of Snowdon from the Marin, sorry.

Are you sure? I swear this was the Marin Trail.. or is that not Snowdon lol! Don’t remember seeing it from Penmachno though..

Easy enough to link Marin and Penmachno together for a good day’s riding. Got a GPX somewhere if you want it?

frogstomp: Marin does have a view of Snowdon (from Dragons Back), that nice picture is of Moel Siabod (the monks peak).

Sorry!

Siabod from the marin.
Easy to link marin and penmachno on a map but slightly tougher on the legs!