PONT SCETHIN, NORTH WALES
DISTANCE 18.9KM (11.8 MILES) CLIMBING 790M TIME 2HRS TO 3HRS 1
The route: While short, this ride takes in some tough climbs through remote terrain and along rocky tracks, and offers superb sea views Start: Car park behind the bus stop on the A496 in Tal-y-bont (postcode LL43 2AN, grid ref SH 590/218) 1
Turn right (north) on the A496, past the shop, and right again on a private road/bridleway signed Bellaport, by the 40mph sign painted on the road. Climb steadily, past a caravan park, following the track to a T-junction with a lane. Go right on this. Follow the track up the hill, beside a wall, and bear right with it, avoiding the hill ahead.
2
After crossing a bridge, fork right, uphill, on a grassy, rutted track, following the wall on the right. Drop to a gate and go into the bottom corner of the field. Climb the steep, grassy trail bearing left, away from the stone wall on the left. Go through the gate in the wall at the top of the field, then climb the steep, loose and rocky track and hike-a-bike to a gate at the top.
3
Follow the rocky trail heading left, passing through a gate, to a junction with a wide grassy track and stone wall straight ahead. Turn left here. Cross a stream, climb to a gate, then descend again, through a gate. Follow the trail right, with a drystone wall on your right. Climb to the left, to a gate. Continue to the top and through the left-hand gate in the wall on the right. 4
Drop to a junction by a drystone wall. Turn sharp left and climb, through a gate, between the walls, to another gate. Bear right to follow the wall on the right. Continue climbing until it levels off, to a grassy junction at the bottom of a steep climb. Take the grassy track left and climb to a gate in the stone wall.
5
Go through the gate and head right, up a steep, grassy climb, following the stone wall on your right. Turn left to a wall on the left at the top. Follow the trail by the wall to a gate, past a cairn on the right, and descend, over what becomes loose rocks, to Pont Scethin (bridge) at the bottom. Climb and join a track left. Keep left on this, through a gate, and descend the hillside.
6
Pass through some gates, back to where you were earlier. Turn left through the gate, along the tarmac, but just before crossing the bridge this time, turn right on a bridleway. Follow this track beside the river, down the valley, keeping right at a fork, then shortly left at the next. Emerge by some houses and keep left on the road, back to the car park.
THE LOCATION
This may not be a ride right along the coastline, but it’s got a great coastal view. It used to be best ridden clockwise, but due to erosion it’s now better anticlockwise. The trails are generally OK in the wet, but it’s exposed and is usually boggy at Pont Scethin.
GETTING THERE
Tal-y-bont is on the A496, where the A470, A494 and A487 meet. Use the car park behind the bus stop, or roadside parking. There’s a railway station.
USEFUL INFO:
Ordnance Survey Landranger 124: Porthmadog & Dolgellau. Wales Mountain Biking: Beicio Mynydd Cymru by Tom Hutton (Vertebrate Publishing). www. dolgellau-snowdonia.co.uk
FACILITIES:
Barmouth and Dolgellau have places to stay. There are no refreshments on the route, but there’s a shop, toilets and a pub in Tal-y-bont. Head to Dolgellau Cycles (01341 423332) for spares/repairs.