Easiest bits of the Marin Trail?

[thesquaredog]

I'm hoping to take the missus for a gentle ride around Gwydyr Forest on Saturday. We're planning to do the 'Two Lakes' ride off Bikefax that we have done a few times before.

I was thinking of throwing a few bits of Marin singletrack into the ride which she will hopefully enjoy. I've only done the Marin trail a few times but I know that some bits will be too intimidating for her due to steepness and rocks. Unfortunately I can't remember where all the fun but easy bits are
I think 'Blue' was an easy section, am I right?

Anything either side of a big climb is out of the question too unless you want me to get severe earache!

The trail map can be found here.....

www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6yeemv

Direct link to file

www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/GwydyrMTBKleafletinsidelowres.pdf/$FILE/GwydyrMTBKleafletinsidelowres.pdf

Can any of you regular Marin riders help me out?

Many thanks

[ady]

If you do the first climb then the section at the top of the climb she should be fine with the next section is steep at the end but recent work has smoothed it down, so as long as she gets her arse over the the back wheel and lays off the front brake she will be ok, otherwise take a left before the start of the section and it brings you down to the smalll section before the next climb on fire road up to the mine. After that the only bit she may find intimidating is the dragons back. Otherwise its all do-able. There is no shame if she walks the bits she find tricky. Have a good day!

[thistle]

I think the bit between the car sign and "Pont Banog" is a long smooth and fast fire road descent with a bit of a hill at the end.
It's right at the far side of the Marin though so probably out of your way, and to carry on you have a bastard of a hill to go up on the road!

[thesquaredog]

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it.

I can tell you that the first climb is out of the question ;D

Yes I remember the fireroad section before Pont Banog and she would like this. Will have to weigh up the milage involved though.

So the Dragons Tail is the rocky section then?

What are Pandora's Rocks and Cyffty Tube like? Perhaps we could do a mini loop with those two and Blue.

Thanks

[rob]

To get to the start at blue, you can either park at hafna mines and ride up the steep ish hill.
To avoid the climb, you could park by Llyn Sarnau and and ride through the forest to the start of blue. You should be okay on all three sections, just a bit of a steep ending to pandora's rocks. At the end of Cyffty's Tupe, just turn left and ride along the road back to the car park.

[tomlaws]

Dragon's Tail is rocky but not steep. Also, if she doesn't like the first 25m or so she won't like any of it, and it's dead easy to miss it out by taking the fire road that runs parallel to the rider's left of the tail.

[thesquaredog]

Well gave it a go on Saturday. Parked at Llyn Sarnau and then rode up to Blue. She enjoyed Blue!

She did not enjoy Pandora's rocks though and I got earache. To be fair it is a bit rocky and a bit of a step up from riding fire roads and the Blue route at Llandegla.

She gave Cyffty tube a go and only got off to walk for one section.

To be honest, although she won't admit it I think she enjoyed it on the whole She is a natural on the bike but just lacks a bit of confidence.

CYB MBR next ;D


Stu