Staying at Garth Dderwen in Betws y Coed and want to pack in as much as possible
April;

Wed 9th …..PM drive down from ferry (Heysham)….Llandegla on way????

Thur 10 th…..?????

Fri 11th……?????

Sat 12th….????? (Enduro at Coed y Brenin… will it interfere with normal trails ??)

Sun 13th….return IOM

never really done trail centres properly…..I’m no aggressive DH fan but quite capable on rocky, gnarly,rooty ups and fairly techy downs (in a trail/XC stylee)

Quite happy to do 1/2 day here 1/2 day there

Any help appreciated

I’d make sure I did Snowdon, assuming the weather is ok, down via the Rangers Path if you like fairly techie stuff.

And probably this too:

http://www.hitthehills.com/blog/index.php/2012/01/llyn-cowlyd-loop-in-snowdonia/

another xc route on your doorstep here:

http://www.hitthehills.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/sarn-helen-dolwyddelan-betws-y-coed-north-wales/

(not promoting that company BTW – just popped up when I googled those routes).

Weds – yes do Llandegla if you can?
Thur – Marin trail & Penmachno
Fri – Snowdon, then rest for enduro
Sat – Enduro, no idea if it interferes with the trails.

I think the enduro’s been rescheduled- think it is now Ae that weekend.

We did almost exactly what stevelol said except we did snowdon first. We did plan to do the marin and penmachno in one day but we faffed too much and ended up just doing the marin then going drinking. So your 2nd day has to be either Snowdon or coed y brenin, depends if you prefer trail centre or XC stuff. Call it after looking at the weather nearer the date. Snowdon is an epic adventure though, if you get a clear sunny day that should be your preference.

Antur Stiniog, let the minibus do the climbing save the legs.
Could be a safer bet if the weather is poor / dangerous to go up snowdon, It’s got a fair amount of snow at the moment.

Maybe throw in an uplift @ Antur Stiniog? Did it last year and had great fun on the red and blue..none of us on DH bikes

Thursday: Stiniog
Friday: Stiniog
Saturday: Stiniog

If the logging has finished by then, I’d plump for the Syfydrin Trail at Nant yr Arian

I wouldn’t do 3 days at antur stiniog but one, defo, it is really good. And should be better by April with the new blue and the faster uplift on the tarmac’d road. Great day out, even if you don’t want to get into the harder trails some of our guys spent all day on the blue and had a great time. And absolutely knackering, don’t think of the uplift as cheating, it just means you can wear yourself out on the descents.

Think we’ll be there on the sunday actually! Taking the big bike this time but really not needed.

Cheers guys…..loads of stuff to go on there…..are the ( weather permitting) Snowdonia/Snowdonia trails obvious or is in LBS for maps etc?

Ride in Gwdyr woods or the Marin (trail centre) would be a good option. Llyn Elsi is nice (the climb up isn’t) and Llyn Cowlyd is an epic ride. Check out the Hit the Hills routes page as referenced above.

You’ll want OS Explorer 17 for Snowdon (and/or the Llyn Cowlyd loop). There have been numerous discussions on here about the route up the Llanberis path, down the Snowdon Ranger Path and back across (north) on the bridleway through Brithdir, which are all marked on the OS. Although the voluntary bike ban doesn’t apply until May, it is worth getting up Snowdon early. Explorer 18 covers Penmachno and Sarn Helen if you want to do those. The Marin trail in Gwydyr Forest, Penmachno and CyB trails are all signed.

The Marin has quite a lot of fire road linking up the singletrack but the final few kms are lovely switch-back singletrack. The CyB routes have more singletrack and are about 30 mins drive from Betws, whereas the Nant Yr Arian trails are quite a bit further. If you like long cross-country type routes, the Hireathog-Clocaenog loops are pretty and remote with some singletrack through the Clocaenog Forest.

Have fun!

Quite happy to do 1/2 day here 1/2 day there

From experience of many a Welsh road trip, unless you’re on a solo mission, or a single car, two person trip, avoid that option! Once you start the faffing around of getting people and bikes in and out of cars, then driving and repeating, it soon loses the novelty!

Wed 9/4 Yes Llandegla on the way
Thursday AM Marin PM Penmachno and if the legs are feeling it maybe only loop 1
Friday Dyfi Forest. Possibly retrace the Dyfi Enduro or maybe just go with a map and an open mind
Saturday Coed y Brenin. The UK Gravity Enduro isnt going there this year. Ride the Beast AM and depending on the legs, in the afternoon ride the Tawr or have a play in the skills area. Easily spend a few hours there progressing onto some of the almost Alpine-esque features
Sunday. Snowdon. The voluntary ban will be back in place by then so it’ll be an early start anyway.

Sounds like a great weekend. Hell, I might even do it myself!!

I still have nightmares of my day on the Penmachno 😥

johnnygooner – Member

Snowdon. The voluntary ban will be back in place by then so it’ll be an early start anyway.

Thought it’s May to September?

You’re only right Northwind!!

Apols. I had it in my head it matched BST. Dont know where that came from!!

I still have nightmares of my day on the Penmachno

Oh no. Where did it all go wrong scandal42?

Scandal42…..why the nightmares???……just watched vid of it, looks scary but nice…….johnnygooner…..that looks like a plan…..many thanks, can’t wait. We are a 2 guys (one old—-me (58 but fit)…..and 1 car so minimal faffing

IIRC Penmachno is the trail with the reverse drainage, so that the riding surface is still under water even while the surroundings turn to dust? Some really class riding though.

It was purely a weather issue coupled with lack of prep on our behalf.

The weather changed about 25 mins in to utterly horrendous conditions. The part across the open deforested slope was utter hell.

Wettest trail known to man, like biking down the amazon.

Great riding though 😀

“. The part across the open deforested slope was utter hell. “
the bit with the log bridge over the stream on a very steep slope?
last year i was blown flat against the hill side about 6feet before that. I think a little bit of poo came out.

Ok so we’re getting close now (9th April)getting excited!!!! I’m normally a Lycra clad mincer and am planning trying the usual as above Llandegla, Marin, Penmachno , CYB, maybe Antur and contemplating my need for a bit if armour…….should I get some knee pads???? …..what’s best/easiest to wear ???? apart from that I have a trail helmet(will I die) and a Tallboy LTC

Sorry waffling now,issue is do I need knee pads and which are best light ish options??