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Heading to Dolgellau for a week's family holiday. Unlikely to get a days riding in as we're going to be busy doing family days out, but I figure I should get chance for a couple of evening rides.
I was thinking the MBR trail at CYB would be a good shout for an evening ride, but is there anything else I should be doing whilst I'm there? Proximity to Dolgellau is essential and easy navigating!
I think you're probably right. MBR, Cyflym Coch (sp) or the one across the road should all be doable.
Hello Richard,when you say easy navigating do you mean signposts rather the GPS?
Climachx Trail is all signposted and is a blast to ride as is Here
Pont Scethin is meant to be a nice natural loop (I've never yet done it) and is This
Cadair Idris is a wee mountain in between the two Here
Yeah, I don't have GPS. I'm quite happy map reading, but as I'm just after rides of a couple of hours, I'm by myself and it might go dark on me, I don't really want to mess about navigating!
Think Climachx could be a good shout, I've heard of it but never ridden it before.
It will take you longer to get to the start of Climachx from Dolgellau. CYB is 10 minutes up the road.
Pont Scethin is a fantastic natural loop that we did in late summer rain and fog last year. Even our more hardened group members commented that it was one of the toughest 12 milers they’d done. It would have been nice to have the views, but the descent to Pont Scethin itself near the end is excellent. It was wet, though - it is the first time I have ridden down a trail looking for back eddys to indicate submerged rocks.
Get on the Mawdach estuary trail, ride across the bridge to Barmouth, have some bevvies, ride back.
We were there with a couple of other families during the spring half term. The Mawdach ride to Barmouth was smashing - and all of the littlies made it without too much bribery. A couple of us then rode back to Dolgellau to collect the cars as it was getting dark. The other parents and the children went for dinner at a pizza place with an ice cream shop next to it, so a bit of a winner all round. The estuary is absolutely stunning and worth the trip for a family ride. Other than that, you are massively spoilt for choice around that part, as detailed above. You can even nip over to Mach and ride some of the nice stuff there as well. Rainy day for the sprogs - highly recommend Bounce Below up at Antur Stiniog if you don't mind the drive and have a spare sent of knees!
I'd love to do bounce below, but the little one has just turned 3 a few days ago so I think she's too small just yet. Going to visit king Arthur's cave and look for dragons, port merion, possibly up snowdon on the train, a beach trip if the weather is good, maybe look at the forest roller coaster. Should be able to keep busy!
Any other essentials (with a three year old?)
Pont Scethin from Dolgellau via the Estuary trail is a great ride (get on it in Barmouth just after the bridge and ride it anticlockwise), but maybe a bit much for an evening ride!
Route here: http://flattyres-mtb.co.uk/route-guides/north-wales-mtb-routes/the-mawddach-estuary-and-pont-scethin-mtb-route-guide/
I did a loop in the foothills of Cadair starting in Dolgellau, partway along the estuary and then UP. It was ok but not fantastic. I based it on a longer ookroute from this book:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=RKn4PwAACAAJ&dq=north+wales+mountain+biking&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjQlN7U_oviAhXBTBUIHVRNCDEQ6AEIJTAA
TBH, if time is a factor CYB is probably your best bet.
You could do the MBR one evening and the Dragon's Back or Tawr the other.
Yeah, CyB is your best bet by far if you're short on time. Machno and Marin are too far away, Cadair is too long for ya.
Take the little one round to the Mach Loop.....pack some snacks to keep bribing him with while your waiting for the jets..... Well worth a couple of hours sat on a hill.
Oh yeah, forgot to mention the mach loop. Might squeeze that in, little one can already identify the sound of a Eurofighter coz we live in Blackpool. She knows what a Spitfire is as well (I'm so proud!) 😝
Mildly off topic but. If you want a nice beach go to dyffryn arduddwy. It's a few miles north of Barmouth & is beautiful & quite quiet.
There's a cracking little bistro in Barmouth, bistro Vermont, book if you can as it's tiny but the foods lovely. We Went last week, did cyb and into Snowdonia for walks.