Mountain Biking North Wales North Wales boasts courses which rank amongst the top in the world. With an ideal combination of terrains taking in mountains, forest, water and all with fabulaous sea views, this area really does afford the MTB enthusiast something special.
The Pink Heifer, it’s the stuff of legends. Developed from an original route of Dafydd Davies’ the Heifer route is on the far side of the main road from the visitor centre in the Coed y Brenin Forest. It shares some trails with the MBR and Karrimor, but is much more than either of these. A large figure of eight with the second loop the longest, this longer loop can easily be ridden twice, forming the incomparable Pink Heifer X2. In the Summer the MTB Britain crew have been known to do the X2 followed immediately by the Red Bull. Ouch. See the Karrimor description below for more about Coed y Brenin.
Sponsored by the caffeine loaded drink of the same name, this is a 6 mile (sign posted) loop which can be done in under an hour. It's best treated as a quick race against your mates and done in addition to one of the big routes like the Pink Heifer. See the Karrimor description below for more about Coed y Brenin.
A long ride of just over 20 miles this is one for the scenery lovers.
About Coed-y-Brenin: The mountain bike Mecca of Coed-y-Brenin forest is home to an ever increasing network of fantastic handbuilt all weather single-tracks and even a dual slalom course. The technical roller coaster riding will have you grinning like a fool, with stunning mountain views of surrounding Snowdonia and the coast that'll take your breath away.
Gwydyr Forest is right on the doorstep of Betws-Y- Coed, the undisputed outdoor capital of North Wales. Situated in the heart of the breathtaking scenery of the Snowdonia national park yet less than an hour from English motorways. The Gwydyr trail, built in association with Marin bikes leaves from Gwydyr Forest centre, a couple of miles north of town. Long challenging climbs lead to miles of brand new technical singletrack weaving through trees and boulders, across streams and down snaking ridge lines to get your heart and brakes pumping. Alternatively you can explore the hundreds of km of fire road trails yourself. Whichever you choose, cascading waterfalls, crystal clear lakes, awe inspiring mountain vistas and forgotten river valleys deep in the Gwydyr forest provide a stunning scenic backdrop. Meanwhile Betws-y-Coed itself is packed with cafes, restaurants, pubs and outdoor shops as well as an excellent bike shop. If you want to stretch your legs and lungs in serious scenery this is the place to come.
If you’re an experienced mountain biker you must try this fantastic route. Technical singletrack is the name of the game, with great flowing sections of trail cutting through the more remote areas of the forest. This track utilises huge bermed switchbacks, whoops, tabletops and more, to test a rider’s ability and nerve. This is truly a route to bring a smile to any mountain biker’s face. But don’t be fooled into thinking it’s downhill all the way - there is a payment to be made in the form of steep climbs, giving you time to reflect upon that last descent, and what comes next! Note - this is one of a number of trails. There are a number of additional routes suitable for differing levels of ability, from beginners/families to advanced.
