# Wales ride suggestions?



## dyurcik (Feb 22, 2005)

I'm coming to London for a week this month (May), but wanted to get a MTB ride in while I was there. I was reading the thread from March (Ride Suggestions In SW England), but am still not sure what my best options are. Sounds like Wales is a beautiful place to see so I'm leaning towards going there. Any more suggestions regarding best places to ride in Wales would be greatly appreciated. If you could tell me how long it would take to get there from London that would be helpful too. I won't have a car, so I'll need to rely on public trans and I'll need to rent a bike. Thanks a million.
-Dennis


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## forge197 (Apr 18, 2007)

Have a look at http://www.mbwales.com. Afan has bike hire and some nice trails. Not sure on the public transport element, a bit nearer to London is Swinley Forest http://www.gorrick.com/swinley/ little bit about it here and has a bike hire centre (limited opening hours) But I think it's Martin's Heron train station is very near. It depends what sort of terrain you are expecting, Swinley is probably an hour from London and Afan 3 - 4 hours.


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## dyurcik (Feb 22, 2005)

forge197,
Thanks for that info. Those sites have set me on the right track.
Dennis


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## flemingcool (Dec 23, 2007)

Make the effort and get up to North Wales. Coed Llandegla Forest is good, but further along the coast we have Coed y Brenin which has a bit of everything, and is sited at the foot of Snowdon.
Llandegla

Coed y Brenin


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## nuru nuru (Apr 4, 2008)

Another vote for Coed y Brenin. Went biking there a few years back and thoroughly enjoyed it.


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## k2biker (Jan 13, 2004)

Another vote here for CyB, but check out www.bike-fax.com -- they are local to Snowdonia and have some awesome trail guides for Wales. If you hit CyB, you'll have two good shops -- one at the Visitor Center and one in Dolgellau. Dolgellau Cycles took good care of my bike in a pinch and on short order.


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## Dr.Strangelove (Jun 6, 2008)

I enjoyed Coed y Brenin, but there were a lot of fireroad descents which didn't rock my boat. I absolutley loved a trail called ClimachX, the final descent is UNREAL. It's near Machlineth I think. We stayed in Betsy Coedy, which is good and central. The nearest trail is the very good Marin Trail, which is 5 minute cycle from the town. We had a great weekend, well four days in total, and 30 of us went!!

Do Climachx, find the loop that brings you back to the top of the last descent, and do it about eight times like we did!!:thumbsup:


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## flemingcool (Dec 23, 2007)

Dr.Strangelove said:


> I enjoyed Coed y Brenin, but there were a lot of fireroad descents which didn't rock my boat. I absolutley loved a trail called ClimachX, the final descent is UNREAL. It's near Machlineth I think. We stayed in Betsy Coedy, which is good and central. The nearest trail is the very good Marin Trail, which is 5 minute cycle from the town. We had a great weekend, well four days in total, and 30 of us went!!
> 
> Do Climachx, find the loop that brings you back to the top of the last descent, and do it about eight times like we did!!:thumbsup:


I've only done the one trail so far at Coed y Brenin, the MTBR one, it had very little fireroad stuff on it. Looking at the maps the only one that looks like it has quite a bit is the Tarw trail. Is that the one you did?

The good thing about Coed y Brenin is that they have about 5 or 6 trails there. If you've travelled a long way you can crash at a camp-site nearby and enjoy 2 or 3 days of good riding, with some wicked views.


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## k2biker (Jan 13, 2004)

Campsite? Forget that yo! Stay at Cae Gwyn Farm just up the road a piece from CyB visitors center. They have some campsites there with hot showers et al, also have a caravan you can stay or the best part is the B&B. Private bath, TV / movies, beds, large skylight, breakfast included in the dining room, in room tea service -- very nice and not too expensive. The lady is really a sweetheart but her husband is a little cranky so don't deal with him.

More details here...
http://www.caegwynfarm.co.uk/

I forget the exact route I did, but from the bike path that leads to Dolgellau, I took the road to the top of Morticia > Uncle Fester > etc (I believe it's the red dragon signposts) all the way to The Beginning of The End which finishes at the visitors center. That was some sweet downhill and I wish I had a helmet cam for all that!

I didn't make it to the other side of the road from the visitors center but I was told it's just as nice, but it's the older trails. I think that's the MTBR trail, if I'm not mistaken.

Either way ya go, I don't think you'll be disappointed with CyB.

Pictures: 
1. Cae Gwyn Farm B&B


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## flemingcool (Dec 23, 2007)

k2biker said:


> I forget the exact route I did, but from the bike path that leads to Dolgellau, I took the road to the top of Morticia > Uncle Fester > etc (I believe it's the red dragon signposts) all the way to The Beginning of The End which finishes at the visitors center. That was some sweet downhill and I wish I had a helmet cam for all that!
> 
> I didn't make it to the other side of the road from the visitors center but I was told it's just as nice, but it's the older trails. I think that's the MTBR trail, if I'm not mistaken.
> 
> Either way ya go, I don't think you'll be disappointed with CyB.


B&B probably more relaxing after a full day bombing around the trails I agree!

The trail over the road is Tarw. the MTBR trail joins up with Dragons back, the beginning of the end is common on both trails. TBH I was ruined by then! I'll be heading back up there this week probably to give Dragons Back a tryout.


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## billflat12 (Jun 14, 2008)

coed e brenin in my opinion has lost some charcter since the new centre and trails were re vamped i,ve ridden them all past an present current dragons back or the longer beast of coed e brenin with the nice cafe !/2 way round gets my vote. if time is limited then the mbr. trail


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## billflat12 (Jun 14, 2008)

*no car no problem*

The climach trail is ok but end is short and sweet, recommend penmachno trail http://www.mbwales.com/en/content/cms/Bases/Betws_y_Coed/Penmachno/Penmachno.aspx 
only 4 miles is bewstycoed http://www.walesdirectory.co.uk/Towns_in_Wales/Betws_y_Coed_Town.htm there are 2good bike hire shops here a friend of mine had a run in with a certain one behind the local post office when he folded the front wheel of a top scott fuel he hired ( short ride with costly lesson on how not to land a jump :-( Telephone: 01690 710 766 / 01690 710 829 Fax: 01690 710 766 Email: [email protected]

it has awsome trail sections which feel natural and have that flow we all crave + a new extension to the trail loop 2 has opened this year signposted off older loop 1 this has some north shore sections with some open scenic views of snowdonia and snowden itself which returns back to loop 1 so you only miss few hundred yards of a boring fireroad climb of loop1

If you like to keep it simple there,s a local village pub called eagles hotel that does B+B from £12 - with bikewash, + real ale just 1/2 mile from the trail-head at the end of the road which is approx 4 miles from betwsycoed station http://members.aol.com/eaglespenmachno/
just north of betwsycoed is also the famous marin trail.http://www.mbwales.com/en/content/cms/Bases/Betws_y_Coed/Marin_Trail/Marin_Trail.aspx

coed e brenin is quite local too, nearest station Dolgellau is 12 mile away.from the centre


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