Mountain Biking
Llanberis is an ideal location for exploring mountain biking in Snowdonia with several routes being accessible from our door and rideable all year round!
Here is an outline of routes nearby as described by Si Wilson, proprietor and qualified mountain bike instructor.
Si Wilson on the lower section of Llanberis Path, Snowdon (Early December).
Snowdon - The Big One !
For a truly epic big mountain ride, take on Snowdon which you can ride from our guest house. Takes about 2.5 - 3 hours to ascend and between 10-45mins to descend. approx 1000mtrs descent over 5 miles !
You can ride this mountain virtually all year round (weather and snow permitting) but don't forget the voluntary ban between 10.00am to 5.00pm from 1st May to 30th September. During the summer, the mountain is busy with walkers but an evening ascent is very possible. There is still plenty of daylight left on a summers evening and the bonus is there are much less walkers on the mountain late on.
Spring and Autumn are ideal times to ride Snowdon so long as you wrap up warm with the right clothing and get it right with the weather. The mountain is quieter and the views can be stunning.
Winter riding on Snowdon is possible but watch out for Ice on the paths as this will bring you down hard in milliseconds with serious consequences. Snow also brings its own problems for riding from being good fun to downright impossible. Temperatures can also be extremely low, even in good weather and in not so good weather, windchill and poor visibility can add a whole new serious dimension to the ride. So if you are thinking of tackling Snowdon in Winter, make sure you are well equipped and experienced to be on a high mountain in winter conditions, your bike is in good running order and you have been watching the forecast for days prior to get an understanding of conditions on the mountain. BE WARNED - A ride on Snowdon in winter is not to be underestimated! If in doubt, wait until conditions are better and you are totally confident in your ability.
Options for descents of Snowdon:
Llanberis Descent
Up Llanberis Path (2.5-3hrs) - Down Llanberis path (10-45mins)
Start from our guest house and ride to the start of the Llanberis path. The tarmac section to the start of the track proper is steep and will have you puffing so be warned. the track to the summit is rideable in parts, but after the halfway house is less so until you reach the final last 2k to the summit where the angle gradually eases and you can ride a fair amount to the summit except for the last section unless you have trials skills!
For the descent, the first few hundred metres from the summit cairn are technical with tricky rock sections and drop offs to test your skill, the track then eases to almost flat for a few hundred metres then gradually steepens again onto the scree section at Allt Moses. Survive this then pass under the first rail bridge and into the 'paved' section with the bone shaking descent down the steps laid down to alleviate erosion. After this, the angle eases into a really enjoyable but still technical blast to the halfway house. Continue from the halfway house on yet more technical terrain, picking your line carefully. the interest is maintained all the way to the final gate and back onto the tarmac. descend the road back into the village and don't forget to wear your biggest grin as you pull up in the Heights car park, park your bike and order a well earned pint!
(N.B. Some locals have recorded times under 10 minutes for this descent!)
Snowdon Ranger Descent
Up Llanberis Path (2.5-3hrs) - Down Rangers and Telegraph trail (30-50 mins)
Technically harder than the llanberis path and longer with the telegraph trail finish.
start from our guest house and ascend the same way to the summit. On the final approach to the summit where the angle virtually flattens off, look out across to the rail line on your right for the standing stone which marks the start of the Ranger path. You will need to turn off here on the descent from the summit or you will continue down the Llanberis path so make a mental note of this.
For the descent, the few hundred metres are technical with tricky rock sections and drop offs to test your skill. The track then eases to almost flat and this is the point to bear off left over the rail line past the standing stone you spotted on the way up. The track then gradually steepens and goes into the zig zag section with increasingly tight switchbacks and technical rocky sections. The track eventually bears rightwards and into a really tight rock section with a high level of skill needed to get through (consider dismounting and inspecting first). once through this, the technicalities ease and you enter an undulating section which is fairly flat and pedally (often slightly boggy) through some gates. after this section, the track angle steepens again and at this point you will break off right, (look out for the signpost pointing right into Bwlch Maesgwm/telegraph valley) miss this and you will have to push back up to the post.
go up the steep grassy hill (usually pushing the bike) for a few hundred metres with the angle easing all the time until you reach the final stile and gate marking the top of the telegraph trail. now its time for the final blast back into llanberis. Watch out for the culverts with their square edged slate faces (high snake bite potential) so either bunny hop or gently cruise over them. Eventually you arrive on wide track which contours the hillside past the water tower on your left. Further on, a final straight and slightly uphill section of wide track brings you to a gate on your right (if you reach the stile and gate just ahead of this, you have gone too far) which you go through onto twisting tarmac road which snakes down and back into Llanberis. Head to the Heights for your well earned pint!
Other routes close by
Slate Quarries
A unique ride through some unique Welsh Heritage.
Start from the guest house and warm up along the lakeside on the cycle path to the end of llyn Padarn. then a tortuous ascent up a minor tarmac road up towards the Quarries on the other side of the valley. There are several options to enter the quarry at different altitudes so do some prior planning. The finale on the descent is the slate switchbacks bringing you rapidly back to the bottom of the valley close to Nant Peris. turn right on the main road and head back to Llanberis or drop into the Vaynol Arms in nant Peris then wobble back to Llanberis afterwards.
Telegraph Trail
Start from the guest house and climb up and over behind the village into the next valley behind Snowdon towards Waunfawr. cruise along the valley bottom to the Snowdon Ranger path which you follow part way up Snowdon summit but break off a third of the way up to take the infamous Telegraph Trail all the way back to Llanberis.
A quick alternative is a straighforward ascent and descent of the telegraph trail from llanberis, taking around 90 mins maximum.
Other routes
Marin Trail - 25 mins drive away
Penmachno - 35 mins drive away
Coed y brenin - 60 mins away
Llandegla - 80 mins away (good option on the way home on your last day)
Don't Forget...
We are bike friendly and have bike storage facilities, bike washing facilities and some basic tools to lend out for simple repairs/adjustments. if you plan to bring your bikes, please tell us so we can arrange storage for you. Nearest bike shop is in Bangor which is well stocked with a massive range of parts for any mechanicals you may experience.
