[Closed] First visit to Coed y Brenin

Dragons back is all I’ve done, it’s a fun day out. There is a massive climb after the cafe, much of which can be avoided by taking the signposted ‘short cut’.
Nothing too difficult but some sections are quite techy.

MBR is a decent loop. Avoid hitting the bit on false teeth where theres a bomb hole type bit at full speed or you may require false teeth.

MBR & Tarw are probably your best bet.

Don't rule out a warm up lap down the Minotaur trail to start - it's good fun.

They put in a 'slab' section on one of the trails which seems completely out of keeping with the rest of the trails, but it's pretty easy to go around.

I'm a fan of Tarw Du. It's the old one on the other side of the road. I remember riding it when it was the old Red Bull trail and it was great then. Went back last year with my wife for her pre-wembo warm-up and we rode everything, but it's the Tarw Du that stood out for me. Lovely rocky hit of old-school fun + the odd new bit too.

The various names and maps at CYB can be a bit confusing at first, as loads of bits of trail have multiple names. I don't have figures to hand but there is about 80 km of trail there, but if you add up the lengths of the named trails then it's probably close to twice that.

Red Bull (renamed tawr ) is the one across the road. Very rocky. Old school. Has recently had some nice slabby sections added. In keeping with the cyb ethos there is a pointless fireroad of pointlessness (PFROP) on this route, but it's easy to avoid and not as heinous as the dragons back one.

The main route on the east side is the Beast, which is sub divided into MBR and Dragon's Back. IMHO the MBR is the better of the two, it has harder bits, a jumpy section (rare at CYB) and it has no PFROP. The PFROP on the Beast/DB is easy to spot on the map and is just after the cafe as mentioned above.

You can do the red bull and beast in a day if you're moderately fit and that essentially would have ticked the whole place until recently....

But they have added the Minortaur, which is an excellent kids route, and also popular with jumpers.

There's also the cwywylym coach, which is a great semi beginners route with some side single track.

I think there is another one tentwir (apple) which I don't think adds any actual trail but is a good option if you want a short ride.

I really like CYB and the kids do as well. There's very little jumps, but loads of great single track

cwywylym

That's not even a real word !

Oh, and there's also the afon trail if you have a trailer and want to get a bit of exercise with the kids on board whilst your partner races round another trail. There's no single track on this.

One if the most important bits of CYB are the swimming spots. There's a mediocre one by the old bridge just below the centre, but an excellent one on the Mawdach under the bridge where most of the trails return just before the heinous uphill. Ideal for cooling off

there is a good swimming spot on teh blue next to the knackered building just down stream from the rocks. i was in it last week! brrr

the blue is not 'jumpy'. there are a few little rollers to jump/double if you fancy. its more pump track style though. the kids absolutely love it and the new climb at the end its very welcome as the old fire road climb was horrid for the kids. i do love the roller pump ladder on teh second bit though. such a cool little addition.

most of coedy reds are rocky so be prepared. nothign too gnar though - its a proper nice xc venue really

It's a good day out. The Minotaur is great fun for a warm up and as a last quick blast at the end of the day.

Rode MBR at the weekend, I'm not a fan of the first few sections. It's a nightmarish endless rock garden which isn't really my thing.

The best bits of it were covered by the Red Fox trail, I forget the Welsh spelling. It's faster and more open.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm staying near Rhyl with my family and have a day free for bikes. Also noticed llandegla is closer?

Llandegla is my local now. I'd chose CYB everytime but then I've always loved it there.

Also noticed llandegla is closer?

Aah....
If you read the following post and think "WTF, that's the whole bloody point" then go to CYB. If you agree with it then go to Llandegla. Simples.

Rode MBR at the weekend, I’m not a fan of the first few sections. It’s a nightmarish endless rock garden which isn’t really my thing.

cwywylym

That’s not even a real word !

the Red Fox trail, I forget the Welsh spelling.

You and me both!

I did dragons back in New Year's Day on my rigid Solaris. The only thing I regretted was doing the pointless fire road climb. It's a nice exposed area though with good views, just a shame about the fireroad descent

I’ve done most of the reds at Bpw as a comparison

I think you may be disappointed by Llandegla.

C-Y-B may look further away, but is only another 30 mins driving max (depending on which side of Rhyl you are) and the scenery on the way there is stunning. You could easily spend a day at C-Y-B, but you'd probably be done in a couple of hours at Llandegla (IMHO). If you could only do one, I'd definitely suggest C-Y-B.

MBR would get my vote, also the fox one (it's Cyflym Coch, btw maybe best translated as "Quick Red" - which it is.) and one or more blasts around the Minataur if it's free from kiddies.

Pennmachno in morning and Marin in the afternoon ? 2 for the price of 1

i'd echo the above, if coming from Rhyl, i would ride the Marin (now the 'Gwydir') and Penmachno with lunch in Betws Y Coed

with lunch in Betws Y Coed

Conwy Falls cafe.

I've done the old marin trail and Penmachno back in 2012, not sure if it's changed much? Cyb I've never done

Marin (Gwydir) has some (a) new sections after the halfway mark which is decent. You still have to carry your bike up some steps though.

I'd go to CyB if you fancy it. Not much longer from Rhyl. Do Beast minus both of the PFROP, then Tarw Du after lunch if you've got the legs.

If you go to coedy, do make the time for their skills area, it's ace.

I love the Beast, even though it's a lot of pedalling for what you get it has character and that's not so easy to find. Tarw is great too. They both keep drawing me back. Nothing wrong with MBR, it's just got less of whatever it is that the other ones do have which makes me like them even though on paper I probably shouldn't.

Minotaur... I liked the first loop, the rest just didn't seem to do anything much. I'd rather do laps of the first than than whole thing.

Love C-y-brenin, as said above, the skills area is really good, and even the blue is a ton of fun to get the legs going before the other trails 🙂