A Family Day Out at Coed Y Brenin

Coed y Brenin was the first forestry to be developed into a mountain biking premier location and we had heard great things about it. With plenty of walking paths and beautiful scenery the family and I thought it would be a great day out for us.

When we arrived at the park, we thought it was great to see so many facilities, especially with two children. There was a visitor centre shop and cafe, trail maps and even a bike wash there. If you didn’t bring your bike with you on holiday you can just rent one here at Beics Brenin. You can rent specialist mountain bikes from just £25 for the full day. Considering the fun you can have in this forest I’d say that it’s well worth the money. Don’t forget to book in advance though, because bikes cannot be guaranteed during busy periods of the year.

The routes available are so diverse, we could see that there was a range of routes suitable for beginners to expert mountain bikers. The tracks are also colour coded on maps and signposts so they’re really clear and easy to follow. Families with younger children were mainly opting for ‘Yr Afon’ route which is the green (easier) trail grade. This was a wider and flatter forest path route which passes the goldmines of Gwynfynedd taking in parts of the river Mawddach. Although there are some slightly steep parts on the track, it’s really not that challenging but still offers so much in the way of scenery and fun.

Experienced cyclists will find plenty of choice of more difficult (red) and severe (black) routes, which is why the location is so widely recognised in the mountain bike industry. But we opted for the blue Minor Taur track which is somewhere in the middle (our girls are 8 and 10 years old.). This route is great for mountain bike beginners. You can test your skills at a single track, off road cycling. It’s not too difficult but not boring either. Some nice humps and jumps and long sweeping switchbacks.

It was a nice change for the children to be amongst such natural scenery. We were able to have quality time together, away from our normal routine which made it a little special for us. Afterwards, we were able to have a sit down, have a quenching drink before having a bite to eat. There was also a children’s play area outside, should your kids have any energy left over.

We were surprised to learn that Go Ape was located in the very same forest. Open weekends and bank holidays, this is a centre that offers all the fun of a tree top adventure. The experience will give you all the fun of flying down zip wires, tackling obstacles and award winning crossings while also letting you leap off swings in mid-air. What more exciting way could there be to enjoy some of the best scenery around but from such a height? This is an activity for both adults (18+) and children aged 10+ so the whole family can enjoy the fun together. It’s definitely for the thrill seeking family, who enjoy the outdoors and days out of the ordinary.

You wouldn’t expect to see so much excitement in one forest. Coed y Brenin is definitely a park that brings the fun back into the outdoors and what’s best is that there’s something for everyone. It’s definitely a whole day of fun and a great way to get in some of that exercise without even realising it. With facilities, shops and bike rentals on site all you need is your family and friends to have fun in Coed y Brenin.

http://www.mbwales.com/
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/
http://www.beicsbrenin.co.uk/