Traws Eryri
A 200km off-road adventure across the stunning landscapes of North Wales
Guy Kesteven
Route overview
Trawsfynydd
Machynlleth
Penmaenpool
Conwy
Betws-y-Coed
Machynlleth to Penmaenpool
PART ONE
FINISH
Part 1
Machynlleth to Penmaenpool
Distance: 52km (33 miles)
Ascent: 966m
Navigation
The route starts on a cycle path out of Machynlleth and then a quiet road up to Corris, where it follows a short section of the A487 before heading onto an old lane behind Talyllyn lake. After Abergynolwn navigation is relatively easy all the way to the Mawddach estuary.
Highlights
• Mountain forests and forgotten valleys
• Deep landscape history
• Cadair Idris and Cregennen Lakes
• Panoramic coastal and estuary views
• Deserted back roads and remote trails
• Tiny villages and huge views
• Rare wildlife
• Bird Rock, Craig Yr Aderyn, an impressive geological feature where seabirds nest inland
Be aware
• Be careful on the very short section of the A487 main road up from Corris before you turn off the road
• The lower parts of the descent to Cregennan Lakes also have some chunky rock and rut sections from water erosion
• The road descent from Cregennen Lakes is very steep and twisty at the start and can be slippery when wet
Near Cadair Idris
Modern Machynlleth is a busy local centre and tourist town with a focus on alternative and craft produce, potteries and book shops.
Machynlleth to Abergynolwyn
Your journey towards the far side of Eryri starts at the iconic clock tower of Machynlleth, heading north out of town past the new bridge construction and up the cycle path alongside the Dyfi River, crossing over the sculptural Millennium suspension bridge. A singletrack road takes you on a scenic rollercoaster ride north up the valley, with the steep slopes of Dyfi Forest to the right and the fast-flowing Dulas River to the left.
Climbing across the river to Corris gives you your first chance of a café and cake stop before you briefly join the A487 and then loop around the far side of Talyllyn lake and along to Abergynolwyn village. A local shop, café and toilets as well as the Wheelism bike repair and guiding company make it a very useful stop-off point.
Dyfi Bike Park
Dyfi Bike Park is run by Dan, Rachel and Gee Atherton – the most successful family ever in downhill and MTB slalom racing with multiple World Championships and World Cup race wins to their name. They also host the infamous, invitation-only Red Bull Hardline race on a hillside east of Mach and they recently opened their own state-of- -the-art mountain bike factory in the town.
