Marin Trail.

[Guest]

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
May 23, 2012, 04:38:16 PM

1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever

Login with username, password and session length

[What is the main type of machine you use to surf the site?]

What is the main type of machine you use to surf the site?
Desktop
	112 (28%)
Laptop
	158 (40%)
iPhone
	51 (13%)
Android phone
	29 (7%)
Tablet
	24 (6%)
Other
	14 (3%)
Total Voters: 287

[damo]

Or8 chaps.

Going to the Marin Trail in the morning. I am going from the north, so will be going the A55 route and dropping down the A470. What I was wondering is whether or not it is signposted from there on.

cheers in advance.

Damo

[Vic-Tim.com]

It's easy peasy...

You will go through Llanwrst ( lots of tight turns through the village ). Then as you start leaving the South of the village you will see a Stone bridge over the river ( on the right ). It is a single carriageway bridge so use your horn or leave plenty of space to stop.

Gwydyr Forest is the other side of the bridge, follow the sign posts up the hill for the car park.

If in doubt, ask anyone in the village, they will know where it is.

Hope that helps, have a good ride out and enjoy the downhill at the end......

Tim S

[damo]

Ah right, nice one.

Cheers.

Damo

[fly6154]

Hope you enjoy the Marin,been there a few times I don't mind riding up even enjoy it some days.But the Marin ups are not rewarded very well with similar downs.As a pure fitness exercise its real good.

[Steve P]

I was there last sunday - really enjoyed it & thrashed the meta on it.  There is lots of climbing but in general the downs are excellent, specially the last one, and you can start up the opening climb again to where the trail crosses itself and do the last down over and over again... 

Pinch flatted at the bottom of the first descent - took the tyre off, found the hole, patched it & refitted.  Hsssssssss.  Took it off again and patched the other three holes !  Got back to the car park to discover that my platypuss had also developed a small leak. Blackcurrant & Apple stickyness.  Lovely.

[damo]

Well guys. The only thing I can say now is "I'm shagged".

Very hard work for me. Need to get fitter.

Damo

[Steve P]

Well guys. The only thing I can say now is "I'm shagged".
Very hard work for me. Need to get fitter.
Damo

Really?  I usually do three laps. 
Honest guv...

It does have a lot of climbing, but what about those downs eh? 

[dgould]

If you're in that neck of the woods you might aswel do Penmachno....I have insider knowledge there's work afoot to bid for an uplift at Llechwed (Sp) quarrys.

[Steve P]

Ooo.  Insider knowledge, always good. 
Where are those quarries?

[markb923]

went up north last year and did all three in that area (llandegla, marin and pen). reallly good trails imo. did the marin on the sunday still have cut so it had to be quite good 

[damo]

The downhill bits were really good.  The uphills are hard work, not so bad at the start with fresh legs but there is one near the end that was soul destroying for me. Soon forgotten about when you hit those last 3 descents.

We are hoping to do quite a few trails this year, an uplift in north wales is definately welcome in my books.

@ Mark. Out of the 3 you did which one do you prefer?
@Steve, I knew there would be trouble as on the car park it was spot the full susser!
@dgould, need more info!!

[damo]

Llechwed quarries is in Blaneau Ffestiniog south of Betws y coed. I didn't realise they were so big.

http://www.llechwedd-slate-caverns.co.uk/

I wonder whether this is following on from the quarry that has just been converted near me, Lee Quarry. They said they were planning some more.

may be totally wrong mind.

damo

[Steve P]

Done the Marin loads of times - before I had a fully I did it on my old GT Tequesta with an elastomer fork offering about 40mm of travel.  Enjoyed it then and still do though you can definitely go faster on a fully.  It does help when you know what to expect.

[dgould]

I know there's some funding being sought for an uplift around the quarry. The firm I work for (Magnox North) run the nearby Trawsfyndd power station and have been asked to help with feasibility studies and submissions of bids for socio-economic funding. Looks like the Blaenau Festiniog communities are big into developing biking tourism as an industry to replace the employers once the site is decommissioned. I've offered to help with the bids .... more as it comes.

Went to Lee quarry today....quality! Black run look s sketchy tho.

[common charlie]

Damo,

I love the Marin but I know exactly what you mean about that last climb. It's not the steapest but it seems to go on forever!!!!  Great area to ride what with Penmachno, LLandegla and Coed Y Brenin nearby. The chippy in Llanwrst is the best chippy in the northern hemisphere and well worth a visit after a long day in the saddle. The chippy at Betws Y Coed is in a lovely location but run by some resally miserable people who can't fry fish! Love the rest of the town though. Could quite happily live there.

Dgould,
An uplift sounds great for FFestiniog. If the locals want to encourage mountain bikers to use the town then they might want to start with sorting out that little petrol station in the village by the roundabout. it only has one pump and I was going to use it the last time when I was there. I'd rather spend my money at a small busniness like that rather than give to a massive oil company..I noted the price when I pulled up and noticed that by the time I had got out of the van, after sitting there for about 30 seconds with the window down talking to my mate in the passenger seat, (they must have heard our accents) and then noticed that they had put the price up by 8 pence a litre whilst we were waiting. The look on their faces said it all -  YOU ARE NOT WELCOME!!! Needless to say I went and spent my money somewhere else...... A one off that won't put me off staying in the area again. Just very sad to know there are people like that still around.