Coed-y-Brenin facts for kids
Coed y Brenin is a special forest in North Wales. Its name means King's Forest in Welsh. You can find it near a town called Dolgellau, inside the Snowdonia National Park. This forest is super popular for people who love to ride mountain bikes or go hiking. It has many cool trails built just for mountain biking, and lots of paths for walking.
The forest is looked after by Natural Resources Wales. It's a huge area, about 9,000 acres (36 square kilometers)! That's like 9,000 football fields! It covers the valleys of several rivers, including the Mawddach, Eden, Gain, and Wen. You don't have to pay to use the trails, which is great. But there is a small charge for parking your car at the Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre. This money helps keep the trails in good shape.
Coed y Brenin became a mountain biking hotspot in the 1990s. The very first races happened here in 1991. Back then, the trails had to be carved out of rough, rocky land. Soon after, a bike hire shop, a visitor centre, and a cafe opened up. A person named Dafydd Davis helped make Coed y Brenin a major place for mountain biking in the UK. He even received an award from the Queen for his work!
In 2006, a brand new visitor centre opened. It cost £1.6 million to build! Since then, even more trails have been added. Now, there are eight mountain biking trails, eight walking trails, and five running trails. They are all clearly marked so you won't get lost.
The visitor centre is open almost every day of the year. You can get information, buy gifts, and find picnic tables. Some picnic spots even have special metal frames for disposable barbecues, and there are stone barbecue areas too.
Awesome Mountain Bike Trails
Coed y Brenin is famous for its mountain bike trails. They are designed for different skill levels, from beginners to expert riders. You can't use electric bikes (e-bikes) on these trails because they can cause more wear and tear.
Here are some of the exciting mountain bike trails you can explore:
| Trail Name | Skill Level | Waymarking | Length | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afon | Beginner (green) | River symbol | 13 km (8 mi) | About 1.3 hours |
| Minotaur (Loop 1) | Intermediate (blue) | Minotaur symbol | 3 km (1.9 mi) | 20 - 40 minutes |
| Minotaur (Loop 2) | Intermediate (blue) | Minotaur symbol | 5 km (3.1 mi) | 0.5 - 1 hour |
| Minotaur (Loop 3) | Intermediate (blue) | Minotaur symbol | 9 km (5.6 mi) | 1 - 2 hours |
| Temtiwr | Difficult (red) | Apple symbol | 9 km (5 mi) | About 1 hour |
| Cyflym Coch | Difficult (red) | Red fox symbol | 11 km (6.8 mi) | 1.5 – 3 hours |
| Dragon's Back | Difficult (red) | Dragon's back symbol | 31 km (19 mi) | About 4 hours |
| Tarw | Expert (black) | Bull symbol | 20 km (12 mi) | About 2 hours |
| MBR | Expert (black) | MBR logo | 18 km (11 mi) | About 2 hours |
| The Beast | Expert (black) | Beast symbol | 38 km (24 mi) | About 4.5 hours |
