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Booked a few days away over half term staying in Bethesda. Will take the bikes and head out with Jnr a couple of times. Any recommendations for some gentle/less gnarly routes or trails that we could ride? He's 10, ambitious but aware of his limitations and rides a pretty basic entry level Giant MTB.
I've ridden the Marin trail before I was fit and think that this may be a tad too tough for him (we're from Bedfordshire after all! He's used to riding Chicksands and Woburn).
Also anything close to where we're staying in Bethesda that I could do by myself in the evening before it gets dark? Not scared of climbing.
Get up Snowdon in the evening! You can ride from 5pm so you'lll have plenty of time before dark.
The VG guidebook for Wales has a promising looking route near you that takes in Capel Curig and Lyn Colwyd too.
We rode the new blue trail at Coed y Brenin and it would be great for a 10-year-old IMO. It's not long (a few km only) but has very easy "features" to introduce people to MTBing.
Thanks. If that route is the minotaur, it looks fine. The OH might even come along too.
Newborough forest on anglesey is great for the family, ride through the woods, lock bike to tree at the beech then return via loop of the forest. Would be good if it's sunny.
Suppose I should also say relatively easy to navigate routes (although I do have an OS map, compass and GPS I wouldn't want to rely on my navigation skills).
There's a fair bit. With the young-un you might both enjoy a ride through the Ogwen Valley up to the cafe. There's nothing technical at all but it's about 8 or 9 mile there and back depending whereabouts in Bethesda you are based. While nothing challenging, the views are gorgeous. You might also want to go for a ride up to Parc-y-bulch and Moel-y-Ci. There are downhill trails in the forest itself where locals have done an ace job in [legit] trail building. Moel-y-Ci has quite a tasty descent which begins rocky and then smooths out to fast single track descent. This would be fine for a ten year old, but do take it easy.
As for yourself, go and have a look at the downhill trails if you only have an hour or so. There's also the Lake Colywd/Crafnant/Capel Curig ride that can be done from Bethesda (via the Ogwen Valley ride) although this begins to turn it into a long ride. It sounds complicated but it really isn't and there are maps published online.
You could also head over to Llanberis via the slate mines. There are a few ways of doing this but the most straightforward is all the way up via the gated road and down again after the barrier (if you have time buy the Bikefax book on North Wales before coming). This can also be made into a larger loop with the Moel-y-Ci route. Of course while in Llanberis you might have a look at the lower parts of Snowdon and Telegraph Valley.
This is the easiest to find stuff, but do some searching on Google Earth, consider a very early morning start, and you'll find Alpine-level riding albeit with some horrific initial push-ups and hike-a-bike! If you fancy this a map, snacks, phone and some forward planning are a must.
Thanks saxabar, that's excellent. We're staying right next to the Ogwen Valley path so was planning to do that.
I've been looking for the Bike Fax book, but it seems really difficult to get hold of for some reason.
Joe Brown's climbing shop in Llanberis had the Bikefax guidebook in - there's a branch in Capel Curig as well, might be worth giving them a call and seeing if you can pick it up on the way through.
Saxabar has mentioned some of my favourite trails anywhere - Moel Y Ci and the Llanberis Slate Quarries are both excellent and can be combined into a really good ride.
The Lake Colywd/Crafnant/Capel Curig ride is excellent, but is pretty technical. I've heard it described as the toughest route in Wales before now, so take care!
If you're near the coast, there's some great riding from Abergwyngregyn:
The climb up to Drum and the descent back to Llanfairfechan is a really great route, lovely views over the sea from Conwy Mountain.
Hammerite - well, as you're going to be staying across the road from me(!) it would be a bit rude of me not to offer to show you around. I'm in and out of the area over the next few weeks but drop me a line (email in profile) if you'd like to hook up.
Colywd as the toughest? Nah!!! There a few bits which you'll dab for sure, but there's definitely more stomach lurching stuff around. (note - I am no riding God and dab [i]a lot[/i] of Colywd)
Colywd as the toughest? Nah!!! There a few bits which you'll dab for sure, but there's definitely more stomach lurching stuff around. (note - I am no riding God and dab a lot of Colywd)
Saxabar, I read that on here!
I like it, but Ms S threatened to shove my bike right up the Devil's Kitchen if took her on a ride like that again 😀
Wow thanks for the offer saxabar. I'll hopefully be able to take you up on that offer. I say "hopefully" as I'm just hopeful of getting the pass stamped to be allowed out on the bike by myself as it is! Maybe I'll have enough brownie points through not insisting that I have to take both the MTB and my road bike.
I will warn you now, I'm a roadie who pretends to mountain bike over the winter usually so don't necessarily have the skills required for anything too gnarly.
No worries - if you fancy it we'll cobble something together. The ride over to Llanberis and around Moel-y-ci is probably the best option then that has nice fast descents but nothing technical.