Hit the Hills in North Wales
Thursday 7 June
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With an abundance of man-made trail centres and phenomenal natural trails, North Wales has to be one of the most exciting destinations for mountain biking anywhere in Europe. Christian from Hit the Hills gives us his highlights.
Every year thousands of tourists flock to North Wales; they come for the beaches, to climb Snowdon or to ride wonderfully sculpted trails at some of the best trail centres in the UK. There are a few though, who come to escape the crowds and take on the challenge of exploring the back country of North Wales. Armed with a map and a rucksack full of essentials, they are ready to take on whatever the mountains can offer.
It has been this way ever since mountain biking took off. In the beginning they rode fully rigid mountain bikes with cantilever brakes and toe straps, now they ride 140mm plus trail bikes with phenomenally powerful disc brakes and clipless pedals.
The riding has evolved as trail centres attract a whole new crowd of people to the sport. They have flourished where both a bit of vision and some great natural trails have come together. They have proved highly successful attracting thousands of riders each year, millions of pounds of investment and improving the local economy too.
However, what lies beyond the trail centre is real adventure. With modern mountain bikes capable of climbing huge hills with ease and descending them flat out; the potential for adventure is just limited to where you dare to go.
Three distinct areas stand out in this diverse region that encapsulate what it’s all about:
North East
The Clwydian Range: an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty dominates the riding here. This spine of hills stretches from the north coast all the way down the eastern side of the Vale of Clwyd. The trails traverse, climb and descent the whole range so it’s possible to put together a route of any size with trails that are rocky, rooty, steep, challenging, technical, fast and swooping. Try our medium sized day out for a sample of what’s on offer.
West
Otherwise known as Snowdonia! The ultimate challenge is of course Snowdon but there are some other classic trails that really take you into the wilds of Snowdonia and away from the crowds. The days out here tend to be tough; big climbs and unforgiving descents reward fit and able riders who are prepared for all eventualities. The classic Llyn Cowlyd Route is a great day out with brutal climbs and amazing technical descents or for those short of time, the Sarn Helen & Dolwyddelan route packs a lot over a short distance.
South East
The quietest part of North Wales holds a secret. It must be a secret because the Berwyn Mountains are a fantastic place to ride, yet completely empty! The mountains rise to over 800m, there is a waterfall which is the highest in Wales and the glaciated valley are spectacular so it’s no surprise this place is crammed with awesome trails. Check out our Big Day Out on the Berwyns for a taste of what to expect.
This is just a sample of what can be done when curiousness pushes you to look at a map and you join up some dashed lines all in the name of adventure.
If you want to delve into the North Wales backcountry to discover some of these unforgettable routes, check out Hit the Hills fully catered mountain bike weekends for some of the best trails in North Wales.
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