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We're off to Wales tomorrow, and the plan for Saturday (if the weather isn't *too* horrific) is the Pont Scethin loop. We're staying at Bunkorama, just out of Barmouth, so looking at the FlatTyres route (link below) - we can do the Scethin half, then if we can be bothered do the Barmouth bit.
Which way round is best? The guide suggests anticlockwise.
Ta.
Also, our wet option (probably more for Sunday, when we had pencilled in Cadair Idris) is Code y Brenin. Best trails for either a quick blast before going home on Sunday, or more of a day out on Saturday?
Ta again!
I recently did it and did it anti clockwise and had a great time-really enjoyed it.I can't imagine the big descent down to the bridge in the anti clock direction would be much fun/doable for most as a climb in the other direction.
We did it a few years back from a campsite on the estuary. Climbed up from Barmouth.
The climb out of the town is a right knobber. Very steep initially.
I hate to say it, but I cannot recall any redeeming features from that ride. All I remember is slog and nothing interesting(except the views obvs)
Few years back mind.
Ha, STW - nothing if not divisive 😉
Yeah I've heard mixed things about the route, but I've not done it before so fancy giving it a go.
We'll probably stick to anticlockwise then.
We rode this route anticlockwise last September. I enjoyed it, but it was an 'experience' as much as a ride.
I'm more a fan of 'natural' rides than trail centres - we'd been a Coed Y Brenin on the Saturday - and whilst riding the 'Beast' was excellent, I looked forward to Pont Scethin on the Sunday.
The weather was pretty dreadful - that sort of drizzle that doesn't seem much, but you are soaked after a couple of minutes, combined with low cloud and 'inside of ping pong ball views'.
One short descending section was so deep in water that I was forced to look for eddys in the water to indicate submerged rocks!
I imagine the views are stupendous, but we didn't see any until we were almost back at sea level.
For me it was a great laugh and an experience that none of the people who rode it will forget. The initial climb is a right slog and ends with the only bit of the trail that would be best ridden the other way around. If you're feeling needy by that point, you could ride that steep rocky bit quickly as a descent and re-climb it.....
Well I did it cw from tal-y-bont and thought it was good! Think it would be good either way excepting the land rover track descent from pont scethin bridge if doing acw.
In answer to your other question, I would say it would be more fun/Better to spend the Saturday at cyb. Quality of riding would be generally better imo. The minimal pont scethin route only took me a few hours, moving alone/quickly so would be possibly good for the Sunday.
We did it clockwise from Bunkorama and visibility was zero on the top. I don't think we had that 'This is garbage we should have done it the other way round' conversation, so clockwise also works.
How was it op?
Sick or slog?
We ended up riding CYB, it pissed it down on the Saturday morning and there was something of a fitness disparity (I haven't ridden much in the last year due to a wee baby) and we figured it wouldn't be much fun for Joe sitting around in a gale piss wet through waiting for me to drag my battered carcass up the hill behind him.
Next time though...