Biking in Beddgelert


Some of the best off road Trails start right from our door!

You can hire Mountain Bikes & E Bikes from 1085 Adventures in Beddgelert.

Trails through forests and woodlands, rural lanes, dedicated cycleways and coastal paths make this area a bikers dream. Numerous Cycle Hubs and trails have been developed over recent years to suit all kinds of cyclists - from long distance routes to seriously steep downhill challenges and gentle family cruises.

Probably some of the best off road moutain biking is to be found in Beddgelert Forest and the route starts directly from the end of our garden!  There are a number of routes to match all abilities (including a lovely run to the secret lake) and the newly completed Lon Gwyrfai offers a wonderfully scenic 7km off road track to the village of Rhyd Ddu.  This is not too challenging, although if you do prefer an easier ride you can make it a circular route by catching a Snowdon Sherpa bus or the steam train to Rhyd Ddu and cycle back to Beddgelert on the mostly downhill section.  Most trains haul cycle carriages and there are lots of itineries from various stations on the Welsh Highland and Ffestiniog line.

If you want to extend the ride, follow the path from the forest by crossing the road to the Snowdon South Ridge path - we call it the 'Mach Loop' and it is an absolutely stunning ride!  You can cut off where the path meets the Rhyd Ddu track and return back to the forest along the lake.  

Welsh Highland Railway: 01766 516000 or www.festrail.co.uk

Another favourite route is the 10 mile circular run from Beddgelert through the quite remote Nantmor valley.  This takes you via the Aberglasyn Pass on a little used B road towards to tiny hamlet of Nantgwynant.  It is fairly steep in sections but a delightful run with lots of beautiful picnic spots next to the river and stunning scenery.

Right now, it’s in pole position thanks to the golden success of our Olympics cycling team and Bradley  Wiggins’s victory in the Tour de France. Everyone seems to have caught the cycling bug, from families to Wiggins-wannabes. And they’re all getting on their bikes and heading our way, along with fans of serious cycling endurance events and triathlons.

It’s not just our hills and mountains that appeal. We have all kinds of cycle routes for all kinds of cyclists – seriously steep challenges and gentle off-road recreational cruises, long-distance trails and wheely short trips along the coast. Then there’s our show-stopping scenery, traffic-light (sometimes completely traffic-free) highways, byways and cyclepaths, and cyclist-friendly hotels and guest houses where you can park your bike for the night.

And for those who prefer knobbly tyres and muddy mayhem to Tarmac there’s worldclass mountain biking in our forests and big, bad rocky mountains.

Cycle Breaks Centres

Dolgellau and the Llŷn Peninsula are two of Wales’s dedicated locations. Take your pick from over 10 signposted low-traffic routes specially chosen for their access to some of the very best cycling challenges in our rural landscapes.

Family-friendly off-road routes

For six tailor-made familyfriendly cycling experiences download Gwynedd Recreational Routes from the Cycling section of our website. You’ll find descriptions of over 30 miles of scenic and traffic-free (or traffic-light) routes along old railway lines and beside the Menai Strait and the lake of Llyn Padarn, Llanberis.

Lôn Las Ogwen will give you a taste of our Recreational Routes. It’s a wonderful 10-mile cycle ride from Bangor up to the mountain lake of Llyn Ogwen, following the valley of Afon Cegin (for a gentle option go for just the first four miles to Tregarth). For much of the way it runs along a disused railway track that carried slate down to Porth Penrhyn. There’s much historic interest en route, from Penrhyn Castle – constructed from the wealth of the slate industry – to Penrhyn Quarry itself, the world’s largest. You can also walk this route, and sections are suitable for wheelchairs. Mountain biking bulletin.

700 237 (610x233) Coed Y Brenin Dolgellau

Coed y Brenin near Dolgellau is the largest dedicated trail centre in the UK, with around 90 miles of routes, some epic, others easy. Macho bikers will go for the 24-mile Beast of Brenin (graded ‘black’ in skiing terms), though casual riders will prefer the mellow, five-mile Yr Afon ‘green’ trail. The new MinoTaur Trail for young children and riders with disabilities is now open, with more trails to come. This new development comes within the Centres of Excellence project funded by the Welsh Government, designed to create more world-class facilities for outdoor and adventure activities. Prysor Angling (at Llyn Trawsfynydd) and Gwersyll yr Urdd Glan-llyn (near Bala) are also part of the project along with new biking trails in Llechwedd, Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Big trails in Blaenau Ffestiniog

They’ve certainly been busy in the former ‘slate capital’ of Blaenau Ffestiniog, where off-road cycling enthusiasts are already raving about the brand-new Antur Stiniog mountain biking centre in an old slate quarry. The super-fast flowing trails have rollers, jumps, drops and rock features as well as some of the best berms around.

More off-road Cycling

Most of our other forests have also caught the mountain-biking bug. For more sensational singletracks go to Beddgelert, Dyfi, Gwydyr and Penmachno. And for purists who prefer natural terrain there’s off-road gold on the grassy tracks, rocky trails and ancient paths that lattice our hills and mountains, like the ‘Lake and a Bit’ rolling cross-country trails across Mynydd Hiraethog from Llyn Brenig.

- See more at: http://www.visitsnowdonia.info/cycling-86.aspx#sthash.oGAPKZVb.dpuf
former ‘slate capital’ of Blaenau Ffestiniog, where off-road cycling enthusiasts are already raving about the brand-new Antur Stiniog mountain biking centre in an old slate quarry. The super-fast flowing trails have rollers, jumps, drops and rock features as well as some of the best berms around - See more at: http://www.visitsnowdonia.info/cycling-86.aspx#sthash.oGAPKZVb.dpuf

For lovers of downhill, Gwydir Forest (Marin Trail), Penmancho trail and newly opened Antur Stiniog mountain biking center (with an uplift facility) are all within 20 mins of Beddgelert House.  These offer some super fast flowing trails with jumps, drops and rock features.  Antur Stiniog is based at a former slate quarry and currrently has 2 black runs, a red and a blue and further trails are planned, including a cross country section around the lake. www.anturstiniog.com

raving about the brand-new Antur Stiniog mountain biking centre in an old slate quarry. The super-fast flowing trails have rollers, jumps, drops and rock features as well as some of the best berms around. - See more at: http://www.visitsnowdonia.info/cycling-86.aspx#sthash.oGAPKZVb.dpuf
raving about the brand-new Antur Stiniog mountain biking centre in an old slate quarry. The super-fast flowing trails have rollers, jumps, drops and rock features as well as some of the best berms around. - See more at: http://www.visitsnowdonia.info/cycling-86.aspx#sthash.oGAPKZVb.dpuf

Although it is possible to ride Snowdon, the all paths are difficult and there is a voluntary ban on bikes between 10am and 5pm from 1st June to 30th September on the most popular routes.   A nice ride from the village is up to the Waterfalls at the bottom section of the Watkin Path - not too challenging and delicious refreshments await you at Cafe Gwynant on the way down!

Secure storage for bikes is available in our garage and we provide lots of information, guide books and suggestions in our Guest Information book.

Mountain bikes, E Bikes, tandems and trailers are available for rental from 1085 Adventures https://1085adventures.co.uk

We offer guests secure dry storage, charging for E Bikes and wash down facilities at Beddgelert House Holiday Rental - check our latest offers and book your stay www.beddgelerthouse.com/rates