Pont Scethin, north Wales

Distance 20.4km (12.7 miles) Climbing 830m (2,723ft) Time 3hrs to 5hrs

Route summary A mix of wild, remote riding with big views, coastal air, huge hills and technical, rocky singletrack galore Start/ inish Tal-y-bont car park (grid ref SH 590/218, postcode LL43 2AN)

1

Turn right on the A496, proceed for 250m then turn right at the 40mph signs on a bridleway/private road signed ‘Bellaport’. Climb steadily past a caravan park. Bear left and then right at the forks, to come to a T-junction with Ffordd Gors Lane. Turn right on this, following it right around Cors y Gedol Hall.

2

Bear right at the back of the buildings, to two gates just past a small parking area. Turn right and follow the tarmac track, across a bridge. Continue uphill and, as the road bears left and ends at a gate, follow the track for 50m onto a grassy track straight ahead, alongside a wall. The gradient eases here, but it’s a long, grassy climb with some hike-a-bike to the top.

3

Descend on the singletrack. Keep ahead to join a track alongside some woodland (on your right). The trail becomes singletrack for one mile, then turns sharply left and continues uphill. Follow alongside the wall (on your left), then pass through a gap in the wall near a dilapidated building on the right. 4

Pass through the wall (now on your right) and continue to climb for another two miles. Next comes a great descent down to Pont Scethin. Cross the bridge on singletrack and proceed until you join a good trail, which you keep ahead/left on, back down to the tarmac just before Cors y Gedol Hall. Go through a gate and turn left, back through the gate, on the tarmac you rode along earlier.

5

Before the bridge, turn right this time to join a bridleway, which descends beside the river (on your left). Keep right at a fork, then shortly after make a left at the next one, back into Tal-y-bont to finish.