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So, it's my 40th biking weekend coming up in a couple of weeks and we (12 of us) are off to north Wales for 4 days of biking. We are looking to do trail centres as it makes the whole thing much easier to organise.
We are traveling up from the Malverns on Friday afternoon and staying in Betws-Y-Coed til Monday.
On the list I've got:
Betws-Y: Marin and Penmachno
Coed-Y: MBR and Tarw
Llandegla: Red and Black
As we are driving past I thought we could do Red @ Llandegla on the way up to start then do Betws-Y one day, Coed-Y the other then on the final morning do Llandegla Black to finish.
Any other options? Ideas?
Cheers
Steve
snowdon.
Just a note. The black runs at Llandegla are extensions of the red (apart from the final new section) so you would be repeating a lot of it if you want to do it on two days. Not necessarily a bad thing mind.
I'd ditch the multi-centre option as much as you can, and stay at CYB. Do the whole set of routes, going back to the bits you really like.
Less time travelling/packing/faffing between centres, more time riding/drinking/eating etc.
The Captains advice above is worth considering, remembering the old stuff over the road at CYB as still worth riding.
Some of the routes do replicate each other though similar to Degla but on a much better trail.
The only thing with this option is you only get to ride one centre and visiting other places is always a draw, even if they disppoint compared to another.
Penmach and Marin are a lot less 'trail centre' with no trail head or facilities, these split opinion but IMHO give a more wilderness natural feel to them than say CYB and much more than Degla which can sometimes feel like a motorway, particularly weekends.
Whatever you end up doing, you'll be with mates, in the mountains, riding bikes.... it'll be all good.
Friday drive straight to Betws, check into digs then go ride the Marin, no need to drive to the trail head carpark as you can join it above Betws, if you want less pub time you can do the final section twice 🙂
Saturday theres a great off road route from Betws to join Penmachno somewhere near the cross over point, ride all and return the same way, makes for a day out and again no driving involved.
Sunday drive and have a day out at Coedy.
Monday Llandegla on the wway home if the legs are up for it....
Wouldn't bother with Llandegla, its one of my least favourite trail centres. Would be ok if it was local but traveling any real distance its going to be a disappointment imo. The best one is Nant yr Arian imo, but I guess that's more mid Wales? CyB not bad and a few trail options to choose from. Definitely do Snowdon though, its a good'un!
where are you coming from ? as above go via Nanty
[i]where are you coming from ?[/i]
From the OP
[i]We are traveling up from the Malverns on Friday afternoon and staying in Betws-Y-Coed til Monday.[/i]
where the marin trail starts and ends there is a fantastic curry house literally over the road, well over the river on the corner. The taxi driver said it's the best curry house in all of north wales and their list of specials is extensive, we enjoyed a very nice curry there:
Asha Balti House
4 Denbigh St, LL26 0LL
Tel: 01492 641910
I'd go with davidxbrown's list, marin on the first night with dinner at the curry house straight after, yum yum!
I only read the headings 😉
Nanty on the way up Llandegla on the way back or visa versa for variety. though I would do nanty on the way back too.
A bit longer at CyB is a good call. It'll allow the fitter riders to do a bit more while the rest take a break at the visitor centre. Lots of good riding there. Snowdon is a good ride and a good experience. How about an uplift at Antur Stiniog? The blacks are pretty full on but the red and blue and very rideable by all.
For my mates 40th last Aug we stayed at Penmachno. Drove up morning and rode Penmachno 1+2 in the afternoon. 2nd day we did The Beast at CyB. On the way home we stopped at Llangdegla and rode the red/black. Fantastic w/e, only wish we had booked onto Antur uplift instead of maybe CyB (we'd done CyB a few times before).
I'd avoid Marin, boring bar last descent, too much fire trail, Penmachno loops 1 & 2 far better IMHO.
Snowdon
LLandegla
Antur Stiniog uplift day
Bewts y Coed
done
Yep, Antur Stiniog uplift day - if nothing else it's something different to 4 days of XC trail centres. I had a brilliant time there last week. If everyone is happy on black rails at the places you've mentioned then they should be fine on the blue and red runs.
I do the Marin for a history lesson after you arrive, Penmachno because it's fantastic, and the routes around Conwy mountain from this:
[img] 
[/img]
If you like swearing, the Colwydd/Crafnant route should at least be attempted once in your life. 😀
Not keen on CYB, personally - if you're going to North Wales, it'd be nice to actually see some of it.
Landegla black x 2
Cyb mbr + tarw if possible
Antur stiniog
Cyb beast
Thanks guys. Had forgotten about Antur 8)
Hopefully the rest of the guys will be up for that!
So I reckon:
Day 1: Penmachno + curry
Day 2: Coed-Y MBR + tarw
Day 3: Antur Stiniog
Day 4: Landegla on the way home
That'll give everyone time to get a bit of riding in before the carnage @ Antur.
Obviously all 3 nights will be + beer 
Mates, bikes, beer...happy days!
+1 for a full day at CYB, if not more. I've done the Beast and the red squirelly one in one day, then some stuff over the road on another visit, would have made a great long day all in one go. Bike shop there for the 'It was alright before I put it in the van' tech problems of day one, good food, etc.
Got to be worth considering Snowdon for the 'I've done it' badge, although it's not much actual riding. Ranger's Path descent is something to remember.
And Antur Stiniog is just a great laugh. I'd do it in that order as well - big day first, then the techier descent on Snowdon second day, then the pure fun of Antur last day, as you'll be right in the mood, plus anyone who wilts a bit can just stop getting in the uplift van and got for a cuppa/goof about on the pump track without disrupting the day.
Penmachno's fun, but the one I'd least like to do again.
I'd do Penmachno on the way up, Marin & Llyn Colwyd the next day, then a day at Antur and do the Beast on the way home. If you're desperate to only do trail centres then do CyB instead of Marin and go to Degla on the way back. NyA is a bit out of the way to be considered N Wales.
Penmachno is not riding as well at the moment as most of Loop 2 is covered with undergrowth and brambles. As a result I prefered my ride around the Marin this time and I've never said that before I feel like a traitor.
if you're going to North Wales, it'd be nice to actually see some of it.
You get to see quite a lot of it at Antur Stiniog.
Have a look in Electric Mountain and have some food at Pete's Eats. Not a proper trip to North Wales without Pete's Eats.
Have to do stinky dog!
I'd do the Beast instead of MBR + Tarw.
Haven't read thread! But my 2p's worth....
penmachno guff stay away! Marin trail ace. Never done Llandegla.
If going to CyB do The Beast.
oR look at this:
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/welsh-trail-centres-which-would-be-your-pick
.
Just done Llandegla tonight and there is a horrible diversion off the red. I'd swerve it for a while.
Would try and tie in Nant yr Arian if you can
Antur Stiniog uplift booked for the Sunday 😯
have some food at Pete's Eats. Not a proper trip to North Wales without Pete's Eats.
I really don't get the attraction with Petes Eats, the food's average at best.
True, but the brews are huge and the ice cream shop across the road is fantastic. 🙂
Y Caban at Brynrefail is my favourite place for food for miles.
Closes at 4 though, shame.
Penceunant Isaf at the bottom of the Llanberis path is a wonderful little place & the owner (Steff?) is a bit of a legend.
I'd definitely pop down to Machynlleth for a morning blast of the Climach-x trail if spending a couple of days at CYB. I reckon it's fantastic for a short blast, not worth a whole day mind.
Y Caban at Brynrefail is my favourite place for food for miles.
Closes at 4 though, shame.
they have taken over the pen-y-pass cafe--with same menu....
Oooooh, ta for that.
Just Googled it and apparantly the chef is the bloke who ran the Gallt Y Glyn.
Will stop in for a snack next time we ride up the pass.
Follow Llandegla red until you get to the black diversions and do those. The newer black sections are kin ace if you like riding flow at a decent lick. If not its all rollable so nothing to worry about.
Antur Stiniog uplift (adviseable to book) http://www.anturstiniog.com/
Not keen on CyB personally but is good for. Wide range of abilities and tastes and the cafe is a nice spot to reflect on th days riding. Best. To read the trail descriptions when you get there.
Enjoy!
aye rusty-- something to look forward too ! -- caban is a real nice setting though ! they do have film and food nights on a wed eve sometimes-- more of a social event...