Mid (ish) Wales riding locations

For trail centre day you can easily combine the Climachx trail with a decent dose of enduro trails throughout the woods. Just look on Heatmaps to work out where. Then do Cader Idris on the other day if you've not done it before

EDIT: Just checked heatmaps and there doesn't appear to have been much activity on the Dyfi enduro trails lately so no many showing up 🙁

If you want to head into Shropshire then Hopton has some great trails, including decent downhill stuff that you can session, although it takes a while to go from the very bottom to the top. 🙂 Bucknell, close to Hopton, is also great fun. If you have the legs, we’ve ridden from Hopton, through Mynd Scrubs to Bucknell. That’s a lot of climbing and fun descending…

Nant y Arian is a good day out. The trails have seen a lot of work over the last couple of years so even if your mate has been before there might be some new stuff. The sigletrack around the centre is great and the longer, admittedly mostly fireroad route, has some nice bits on it and its pretty rocky. Not massively technical but good fun. There have been some significant trail closures but I think that is coming to end.

If you go to NyA make sure you do the reaper descent. It's pretty easy to find and really good fun.

Thanks all - Hopton is something I’ve heard mentioned - I’ll do a bit of Googling and see what sort of route I could plan round there.

NyA I’ll have a look at plans for that and see what’s what there.

Actually the climahx/ enduro trails idea sounds interesting too - more so than NyA.

https://www.bikecorris.co.uk/
https://www.rikkibarrattmtb.co.uk/

Dave or Rikki can show you the best bits around Dyfi.

Similar thread from a year ago:

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/machynlleth-and-dyfi-riding/

Dyfi Valley has amazing trails
It could easily rival Tweed Valley with some proper investment

Have a look at the Cadair Idris thread on here today, it has some other ideas in that area too.

For trail centre day you can easily combine the Climachx trail with a decent dose of enduro trails throughout the woods. Just look on Heatmaps to work out where

I'd just sack off most of the Climachx and seek out the various other trails, of which there are not a shortage.

Thanks all – Hopton is something I’ve heard mentioned – I’ll do a bit of Googling and see what sort of route I could plan round there.

If you're choosing between Hopton or Bucknell I'd go Bucknell. Quite a few other similar options in that area too.

Going to drop that guide above an email today and get some costs / ideas for a day guiding round Dyfi. If that works out not too expensive that’ll save endless looking at maps / garmin to try and workout where my navigation has gone wrong.

Will investigate Buckner and see what that is…my mate has ridden bits of Shropshire before but apparently always Long Mynd. I have no idea about Shropshire riding at this moment in time!

There is a huge amount of off piste at Dyfi, but finding it can be an issue if you have no previous knowledge. Varies in difficulty of relatively tame, to some dirty steep fall line trails.

If you want to go up to Betwys, there is some savage stuff hidden away there, on a par with the stuff peppered around Llangollen (near the DH venue).

Further south, I would probably go to the The Wrekin, which I rode recently for the first time in a long time & it was great - a decent amount of tough stuff there 🙂

Thanks @Hob-Knob

I think if we go natural around Dyfi a guide is in order.

Maybe leave Bristol crack of dawn Friday and get up to Dyfi and guide around the area all day. Dyfi bike park sat. Something Shropshire way Sunday as it’s kind of on the way back down (ish)

I think Betws is further north than I’m after in terms of driving time.

In terms of difficulty / ability I reckon I’m probably middling. I can do the main off piste stuff at Risca but not had a go at Network R there yet - it’s on the list to try this summer. At FOD I’ve had a go at various bits but there are still some features I haven’t had the bottle to have a go at yet. Also on the agenda to up my level this summer.

Eastridge, Bury Ditches and Clunton are all much more betterer than Hopton.

I'd go to Eastridge over Hopton or Bucknell, you can either do a winch and plummet day or wrap it into a bigger rode onto Stiperstones and even onto the Mynd.

For maximum value I would say thats a good idea (assume they can show you off piste stuff?). It’s pretty hidden away & you could spend a lot of time looking for trails, rather than riding them.

I’m sure they will tailor a ride to your skill level - there is definitely some stuff thats on a par with the steeper trails on the Abercarn side of the valley at Risca, not dissimilar to DJ/Garbanzo on the same bit of hill Network rail is on, just about 4 times longer!

There is still plenty of tough features to get stuck into, as always, it’s finding them. The Wrekin is not the most forgiving place & probably should mention the climb up is brutal (unless someone can tell me an easier way up from the car parks!)

I think steep off piste in Wales always comes with a brutal climb!

Before Dyfi I’ll need to pickup a stronger back tyre - I mostly run exo or exo plus but I think I’ll probably pick up a wtb tough casing trailboss or something as they are quite cheap and strong. Already got rimpacts in all my back tyres so will continue with that.

I think steep off piste in Wales always comes with a brutal climb!

The Wrekin isn't in Wales.😉

Brilliant trails though.

Nearly in Wales?

Not really no.
Closer to Wolverhampton than Wales.

😂