North Wales MTB

[Pothole Racing]

Planning a trip in August to go to Snowdon, staying a hour east in Derwen and have a few free days i'm hoping to get some riding in.
Found Coed Llandegla is down the road so will pay a visit there, Antur Stiniog is also on my list if Zipworld doesn't take all day.

Anyone have any routes they can recommend to really get most out of the area and explore a bit? Don't mind the bike park vibe but would like to get out on a long days XC ride.

Lewis

[Mr Gearchange]

Antur is probably my favourite place to ride - excellent trails that ride well in all weathers - just be mindful that it might it will be a bit hairy if you are on an XC bike.

Penmachno is about 30K if you do both loops - again rides well in all weathers but if it's really wet some of the uphill sections you will effectively be riding up a stream
http://www.penmachnobiketrails.org.uk/

I can highly recommend doing Snowdon - it's a bit of an epic ride. You can ride the majority of the way up the Llanberris path and the descent from the top back down is, I think the longest continuous MTB descent in the UK. There will be some hike-a-bike though as on the way up quite a bit of it is too steep and rough to pedal up so you'll have to have your bike on your back. Worth it though. Just make sure you start really early so you start your descent by 8am - that way you won't have to keep slowing down for the walkers on the way up

[wobert]

Marin Trail at Betws y coed is a good ride out.

Ive also got a route from Llanberis which comes down Telegraph Valley, which is proper wild riding in stunning scenery.

If you are prepared to head south towards Aberystwyth, Nant yr Arian is epic wilderness riding too.

[P-Jay]

I think if you're after some non-waymarked stuff MBR might be a good start, they produce lots of maps and routes.

Waymarked stuff, Llandgela is great, very 'fake' lots of table tops, berms etc, I love it, some don't.
Coed y Brenin is good too, lots of rocks, less fake than Llandegla.

I didn’t like the Marin trail, it’s lots and lots and lots and lots of fireroad, and a nice little final descent.

As someone said AS is really proper hairy once you're up to the Red/Black trails. It's a proper DH venue, unlike say Bike Park Wales in the South which, whilst a 'Gravity' venue is designed with trail bikes in mind.

If you do fancy a climb/descent of Snowdon - please keep in mind the Snowdon Voluntary Cycling Agreement, we're effectively 'banned' from riding from 10am to 5pm May to Sept. So it means a very early start or very late finish in Summer. I'm pretty sure it does allow you to climb it before 5pm if you push - but some Bobble Hat will not doubt tut at you if you do. They also want you to ride in a careful, controlled manner... make of that what you will.

[Pothole Racing]

Penmachno looks like a good days ride, some nice looking trails.
Which would people recommend out of Penmachno or Coed Llandegla?


I looked into Snowdon, from what I read during summer months MTB seems a bit of a no go?

[Pothole Racing]

P-Jay said:

If you do fancy a climb/descent of Snowdon - please keep in mind the Snowdon Voluntary Cycling Agreement, we're effectively 'banned' from riding from 10am to 5pm May to Sept. So it means a very early start or very late finish in Summer. I'm pretty sure it does allow you to climb it before 5pm if you push - but some Bobble Hat will not doubt tut at you if you do. They also want you to ride in a careful, controlled manner... make of that what you will.

Think will give Snowdon on a bike a miss then.

Will give Nant yr Arian a look.

Only got 2/3 days I can ditch the family and get out on bike so trying to get as much in as i can

[Mr Gearchange]

I wouldn't count Snowdon out - it's a really good adventure.

I've done it in the summer - you can be out of the car-park at 4:30 be at the top by 7:00 ish and be back at the car by around 7:30 before anyone has started coming up the hill. You then get the rest of the day for family stuff which always goes down well.

[P-Jay]

Pothole Racing said:

Penmachno looks like a good days ride, some nice looking trails.
Which would people recommend out of Penmachno or Coed Llandegla?


I looked into Snowdon, from what I read during summer months MTB seems a bit of a no go?

Llandegla would be my choice, the main XC trails are fun. The Green and Blue is too tame to justify the drive for me, but the Red and Black are great - they're the same trail really with extra black bits, but even that has optional bits like the brillaint B-Line.

There's also a cool freeride track you can session from the Carpark and the Cafe is good.

[Pothole Racing]

Mr Gearchange said:

I wouldn't count Snowdon out - it's a really good adventure.

I've done it in the summer - you can be out of the car-park at 4:30 be at the top by 7:00 ish and be back at the car by around 7:30 before anyone has started coming up the hill. You then get the rest of the day for family stuff which always goes down well.

Okay with that in mind it could set me up for a good day.
Ride Snowdon early, pick up family go to Zipworld do few bits there that partner wants to do, late afternoon I could sneak of too Antur for few hours to finish off the day, perfect!

P-Jay said:

Llandegla would be my choice, the main XC trails are fun. The Green and Blue is too tame to justify the drive for me, but the Red and Black are great - they're the same trail really with extra black bits, but even that has optional bits like the brillaint B-Line.

There's also a cool freeride track you can session from the Carpark and the Cafe is good.

Sounds a good venue. Going to do my best to try visit both if time allows

Edited by Pothole Racing on Friday 17th February 14:05

[wobert]

Pothole Racing said:

Mr Gearchange said:

I wouldn't count Snowdon out - it's a really good adventure.

I've done it in the summer - you can be out of the car-park at 4:30 be at the top by 7:00 ish and be back at the car by around 7:30 before anyone has started coming up the hill. You then get the rest of the day for family stuff which always goes down well.

Okay with that in mind it could set me up for a good day.
Ride Snowdon early, pick up family go to Zipworld do few bits there that partner wants to do, late afternoon I could sneak of too Antur for few hours to finish off the day, perfect!

P-Jay said:

Llandegla would be my choice, the main XC trails are fun. The Green and Blue is too tame to justify the drive for me, but the Red and Black are great - they're the same trail really with extra black bits, but even that has optional bits like the brillaint B-Line.

There's also a cool freeride track you can session from the Carpark and the Cafe is good.

Sounds a good venue. Going to do my best to try visit both if time allows

Edited by Pothole Racing on Friday 17th February 14:05

At Deggie the three trails share the same path to thetop.

From there the blue and red split, as as PJ alludes to, the black is bits tacked onto the red - I live 15 mins from there.

At best a circuit of the red is 2 hrs tops, add in a blue as well and that woulod be 3 hrs.

Depending upon where you are travelling fro,m / to, you maybe better off stopping by enroute?

Nant yr Arian would be a full day out from Derwen, allowing for getting there/ back and enough time to do the long trail.

[Fetchez la vache]

wobert said:

If you are prepared to head south towards Aberystwyth, Nant yr Arian is epic wilderness riding too.

If you're with the family, do remember that Nant is also a red kite feeding station. In summer they feed the red kites at 3pm (I think it's 2pm in winter), so the family may love that (if they're there). Obviously the kites don't wear watches, so any time 2-4pm the skies can be full of them - honestly too many to even think about counting ( vid from the Cafe)

[Mr Gearchange]

Pothole Racing said:

Mr Gearchange said:

I wouldn't count Snowdon out - it's a really good adventure.

I've done it in the summer - you can be out of the car-park at 4:30 be at the top by 7:00 ish and be back at the car by around 7:30 before anyone has started coming up the hill. You then get the rest of the day for family stuff which always goes down well.

Okay with that in mind it could set me up for a good day.
Ride Snowdon early, pick up family go to Zipworld do few bits there that partner wants to do, late afternoon I could sneak of too Antur for few hours to finish off the day, perfect!

Or - do the Zipworld at Antur (which is awesome) and you're already there. They can do that all day and you can ride the uplift.

[Pothole Racing]

Thanks all for the replies.

Think I've got my few days riding planned out now. Going to give Llandegla a full days visit and do Snowdon and Antur together. If i can find anymore spare time will get over to Penmachno.
Doubt I will get the time to head to Nant yr Arian this trip, don't think i could stop on way as its a long days drive from South coast to get to Derwen! Will be heading straight to pub.