Yep, it’s started, we’ve begun work on the long awaited Ty Beic bike track. Take your mind off politics for a few moments and have a look what we’ve been doing in our field (the very steep one).
As most things do, it’s starts at the top and then goes quickly downhill. Before you know it you’re at the bottom of the field and hitting a berm which in theory should propel you towards the top. Hmmm. And then the fun really starts with a tight and twisty climb. The test pilot did discover that maybe some of the turns are a bit too steep and a bit too tight or maybe a 35mm stem really is just too short. There’s work to be done here.
We are full in June but we still have gaps in July and August if you fancy giving it a test ride or even lending a hand. Prices per cottage are £80 a night or £475 a week and there are discounts if you are a Singletrack Subscriber. We don’t charge for digging.
Begin with four bikes and three dogs. Add dry dusty trails and sneaky singletrack. Throw in some big views and empty landscapes. Add lashings of sunshine and a dash of Welsh beer and cider, combine with lots of enthusiasm. The result is two satisfied customers, three tired dogs and two very happy hosts.
It’s been a very wet winter here. I’m not complaining – we haven’t been flooded out of our home unlike a lot of people, but it has meant that the natural riding has been pretty much out of bounds. But every now and again the sun shines brightly and the landscape is transformed. And I’m reminded that summer is not that far away.
Walking the dog the other day, the sun came out and the shadow suddenly revealed all the sheep trails criss-crossing the hill. I’ve suddenly discovered a new series of trails for when things are a bit drier. This stuff is so narrow it’s not even singletrack – more semitrack, giving just enough to ride across the steep hillside.
Ever fancied conquering the highest peak in England and Wales, by bike?
STOP PRESS Only two places left
Snowdon, as everyone knows, is our highest mountain and a magnet for hill walkers, climbers and mountain bikers. Sometimes it is smothered in dense cloud or a blanket of deep snow. At other times it is bathed in glorious sunshine revealing staggering, awe inspiring views across the National Park and North Wales. A journey to it’s peak is a true adventure unlike anything other and one that a mountain biker will remember for a very long time. But it is a proper mountain with terrain and weather to match and needs to be treated with respect.
We have teamed up with our friends at Carbon Monkey* to offer a guided ride to the summit and back. Enjoy an epic adventure in the knowledge that you’ve got the backup and support of a local professional MTB guide to take you down the best lines, help out with any mechanicals, get the best photos and make sure you get to the top and back in one piece.
Here’s a rough edit from Carbon Monkey’s trip last October to give you a taster…
At the end of an epic day return to Ty Beic for a hot shower, enjoy a beer or two on your terrace (while gazing at the Berwyns, good riding there too) and then collapse into “a very large, very comfortable bed” (not our words). We are giving you a late check out on Sunday – 12noon rather than 10am. Spend the morning relaxing or squeeze in a cheeky ride, if you’ve still got the energy, before heading home to plan your next adventure.
The Snowdon Adventure takes place on Saturday 23 April. Two nights accommodation for two at Ty Beic (22 and 23 April) and two places on Carbon Monkey’s ‘the Welsh Classic’ costs £250**. There are only four places available so get in touch quickly to secure your place by completing the form below.
man, dog and Berwyns
enjoy a beer or two on your private terrace
or from inside your cottage
what about that for a view?
superking, super comfy bed
single or super kingsize beds, your choice
*Carbon-Monkey is a specialist MTB skills course provider running mountain bike courses in North Wales, the Lake District, Peak District, Scotland and on Cannock Chase.
** Please get in contact for longer stays and prices excluding the Snowdon trip for non cycling partners.
Three inches of snow on top of a foot of mature welsh bog – think I have found the limits of the Geax Saguaro.
Up on the tops the wind is whipping the snow off the ridge against a bright blue sky. A frighteningly sketchy descent (the brakes work but nothing’s gripping anything) and ten minutes later it’s like a summer’s day in the valley.
Apart from the half mile stretch of black ice on the road, which I can’t even walk on.
Jenny, Richard and Oscar the dog stayed with us in December 2015 after winning a weekend’s stay through the very nice people at Singletrack. Jenny wrote a few words about her stay….
“The last time I won a competition was in 1989 when I won a pair of curtains for my composition entitled “Penguin with a hat on because he is cold” in the medium of Crayola. I was rather more impressed when my husband told me he had won a weekend break at Ty Beic just by virtue of being a Singletrack subscriber. The owners of the converted barns at Ty Beic are riders themselves and have designed the accommodation with riders in mind. There’s a secure bike store, bike wash, drying cupboard, laundry, a great shower, and cosy underfloor heating. Indeed, I had to prise the dog off the floor in the morning and practically drag him outside for his morning constitutional.
We started the weekend at Penmachno having read some great reviews about the trails. We hadn’t factored in Storm Desmond making an appearance which lead to some “challenging” conditions. The water was so deep on the trail that it was hard to tell what was a drop-off and what was just a small puddle until you piled into it (piled in being a common theme of the day). I’m lead to believe the final descent is a really fast, whoopy, chute; however Desmond was blowing a 67mph head wind at us which meant pedalling flat out downhill just to prevent being blown back up the hill. The two 30ft trees that had been blown down on to the track should have been a warning to us but we carried on regardless. Back at the accommodation we settled down with a locally brewed beer from the craft beer shop in Bala, and an enormous steak cooked in the well equipped kitchen in the barn. After dinner (and with another one of those craft beers) we used the handy guide the owners have made to plan our ride for the next day.
Ty Beic is situated in the singletrack epicentre: less than 45mins from Coed Llandegla, Penmachno, Coed y Brenin, The Marin Trail and Antur Stiniog. I am strongly motivated by cake and so Llandegla is one of my favourite trail centres on account of the superior quality – and portion size – of the cake. Luckily my husband knows what’s good for him and agreed to go there (happy wife, happy life). Desmond had moved on to ravage the Highlands of Scotland by this point so we were left with distinctly better conditions. Llandegla never fails to disappoint [sic] and we had an enjoyable blast around the trail before I got to tuck into a large slice of the good stuff.
We will definitely be back, and with friends next time – both converted barns can be rented together for a discount. I’m going to admit defeat and pack away the Crayola and leave my husband to the competition entries from now on.”
shorts were a bad idea
This article originally appeared on singletrackworld. Words and pics courtesy of Jenny. Craft beers courtesy of Stori. Mud and gales courtesy of Desmond.
We’re not very good at blowing our own trumpet but it’s lovely when a guest does it for you and does it so well….
“My Wife and I stayed at Ty Beic for a last minute weekend away. Even with the very short notice we gave Karen, only a matter of hours, the apartment was gleaming for our arrival and Karen couldn’t have been more welcoming. The apartment was furnished to a standard you’d expect of somewhere much more expensive, and the location is beautiful, perched above the Welsh countryside.
I’d highly recommend Ty Beic for anyone looking for a lovely trip away; however if you’re a cyclist then Ty Beic is truly unbeatable. The location is perfect for accessing some of the best road and mountain biking that the UK has to offer and in addition Ty Beic offers complimentary bike storage, a bicycle jet washer, laundry facilities and more cycling reading material in the apartment than you could get through in a whole Summer’s holiday. This all came as a nice surprise during our trip as our itinerary consisted of a weekend’s mountain biking at the local Marin Trail and Coed y Brenin.
Ty Beic easily scores 5 out of 5, I’d score it higher if I could and will most definitely be returning to explore even more of what the area has to offer.”
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