Gwydir Forest Mountain Bike Trails

Gwydir Mawr, previously known as the Marin, together with its smaller counterpart Gwydir Bach (now incorporated within it), comprises the two trails in Gwydir Forest located in Snowdonia National Park, North Wales. "Mawr" translates to "big" or "large" in Welsh, while "bach" means "small." Gwydir identifies the forest name. This red-graded mountain biking trail is designed for intermediate riders and is situated near the town of Betws y Coed.

The trail is located in proximity to its sister trail, the Penmachno, another red-graded trail worth experiencing. A recently added car park section connects the final singletrack segments. Multiple line options are available, with an adjacent road providing convenient access for repeated runs.

Gwydir Mawr (Red 25km)

The Gwydir Mawr Trail is one of the original MTB trails. A true classic! Big climbs, big descents, brilliant singletrack and truly awesome scenery make this a trail to remember. Now including a brand new 2km section with a mix of traditional hand dug trail and modern flow trail features.

Gwydir Bach (Red 8.7km)

Short on time? After a quick evening session? Then Gwydir Bach will be right up your street. Gwydir Bach is the little sister to its bigger brother, Gwydir Mawr. But don’t underestimate it’s punch! Two big climbs earn you, arguably the best descents of the whole trail, all wrapped up in one easy to digest, bitesize chunk.

How to find Gwydyr Forest

Gwydyr Forest is just north of Betws-y-Coed. From the north take the A55 west from Chester to Llandudno then go south on the A57 towards Betws. About four miles before Betws turn left on the B5106 and Gwydyr Forest Centre is on the right after about 500m. From the South head to Shrewsbury then take the A5 through Llangollen to Betws-y-Coed. Just after Betws turn right on the B5106 and the forest centre is on the right after 2.5 miles.