Gwydir Mawr (Marin) Trail - A Trail Centre that I actually like

Earlier in the year, I visited Coed-Y-Brenin and was totally underwhelmed by the Tarw Du trail. In the video, I made a sweeping statement that I would not be going to another trail centre for a long time.
However, the thing is that there is one trail centre that I quite like, the Gwydir Mawr trail (previously called the Marin Trail) at Llanwrst, near Betws-Y-Coed.
So, with a day off and school runs to work around, I drove the hour down the A55 to get a loop in.

[@thetubbybiker]

Love it. You say what is in my head all the way round haha. Quite like the Marin bit more natural that the flow/bmx shit at degla. Like the rocky bits

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Thanks mate. I don’t get the negativity against the Marin. I’m really not a fan of trail centres but this one, probably because it’s a bit rougher in places, I do like. Climbs may be mainly on fireroads but they are steady away; at least there’s no fireroad descents like at Coed; they make me angry 😂 I’ll never understand why Degshit is so popular, especially when there’s far better riding just down the road (even keeping it legal, there’s One Giant Leap - love that place). On the very few occasions I’ve been to Degshit, I have seen people on DH bikes 😂 If you only have a DH bike, surely you would go to One Giant Leap or Foel Gasnach rather than lug it up the three mile climb to ride dross 😃 Watch me now lose a load of Degla loving subscribers 😂😂😂

[@jimjohnson8998]

As trail centres go it's got a single track feel, try the penmachno trail always wet but worth a visit 👍🏻🍻

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Very much so mate, singletrack and natural feeling trails too. I do intend to go to Penmachno as I've heard great things about it; the trails being wet doesn't really bother me as being Cumbrian, I'm used to being soaked whilst riding bikes 😃👍

[@ckMTB]

A cool video and nice trails buddy. It looks a bit wet but it looks like you had fun and that's the main thing. Thanks for sharing and the great content. I wish you and your family a merry Christmas. Take care and ride on

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Thanks as always mate, I did have fun on this one; wouldn't want to ride it all the time but every now and again is cool. Merry Christmas to you and your family too 😃👍

[@ckMTB]

@@Stopadoodledoo 🙏

[@quarantinemtb8781]

nice thing about trail centres is you dont get a bunch of dog walkers in the way so you can just full power it without the worry of sending Benda's shih tzu flying

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Very true but to be honest, you don't get many dog walkers where I usually ride (up in the fells in the Lakes) as it's too far from 'civilisation'. Seems that a lot of people with dogs walk them just far enough for them to pop out a toffee, before picking it up in a bag and tying it to a tree for some reason, then heading home 😂

[@quarantinemtb8781]

@@Stopadoodledoo just like carving a love heart into a tree 😂

[@5492sparky]

Funny as always Jase. Have only been here once about three years ago and it's made me want to go back. 👍

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Thanks mate. Definitely worth a trip back to ride it again, I'd say 👍

[@garymartin557]

trail centers. a mixed blessing. that one is one i would happily ride, as it's more like an xc loop rather than some all singing all dancing we graded it black. i have been to c/brenin a long time ago, twice in fact and did enjoy it,but for the company rather than the route. rule: if it's got a cafe or an uplift leave it alone. great video as always. happy christmas.

[@Stopadoodledoo]

I'm really not a fan of them but there's something about this one that I quite like, probably because it feels quite natural and is unloved. As for a cafe/visitors centre, it's very rare that I would go in one anyway as they are invariably selling over-priced stuff that you can get in the Spar down the road for a lot less, or punting out milkshakes in bloody jam jars for some reason. Wouldn't surprise me if they tried to punt out burger and chips in a teapot, and charged you £15 for the pleasure. Merry Christmas to you too mate 😃👍

[@philarnold1967]

A trip to the Marin always good fun and get what you mean about the tiring nature of the ups and downs as always seems a different workout to the big climbs and descents of natural trails, great video as always

[@Stopadoodledoo]

It is always good fun, if tiring. I guess one of the things with trail centres is that they cram in as much as they can into the area they have, meaning that it's necessary to climb and descend a lot whereas often, when you ride natural trails, you will plan them around longer climbs and descents. When I lived down South and rode the Surrey Hills a lot, we did a lot of short climbs and descents (due to the nature of the hills). Cracking fun but again, you'd be shattered at the end of the day. Always quite surprising at the end to find out just how much you'd climbed over the course of the ride!

[@davidtanycoed]

love your commentaries - so funny. You are so right - What is it with Milkshakes and coffee these days. It's the same trying to get onto any forecourt to buy petrol as there is always a bunch of blokes wearing shorts and flipflops making coffee in the shop. It's time they banned cupholders in cars to end this trend - but I'm guessing it will go the other way and people will have cupholders on their handle bars next. Just milk a cow if you are that desperate lots of them around wales. Keep up the good work mate😃👍

[@Stopadoodledoo]

It’s the same throughout life nowadays mate. Can’t get a simple meal in a pub now without it having a ridiculous description on the menu. You want cod, chips and peas, you get it but it’s described as ‘free range sea salt infused cod dripped in lightly beaten rustic batter, accompanied by pod-reared cottage garden peas.

[@Ry_Rides]

The trail centre is okay but the off piste is even better!

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Yeah, I believe so. I kind of know where it is (well, I DO know) but not ventured over to it yet 👍

[@jankowa1]

Some unreal off piste near where u were at 15.52. And there's loads more nr car park and Betws side.

[@Stopadoodledoo]

If I'd had more time, I was going to see if there was any off piste around (which there isn't, of course 😂)

[@jankowa1]

@@Stopadoodledoo 🤣

[@MTB_Derbyshire]

Yeah it's pretty good. Ignoring the dull start. It, generally speaking, gets better as you go. Quite rewarding, fun and beautiful I thought.

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Exactly mate, it's pretty good. Not brilliant, not even a memorable ride but pretty good. The beautiful part is definitely when you get to the west of the forest and get the views over towards Snowdon; it being snow capped on this day made it particularly stunning. Not Lakes stunning of course... 😂

[@BURTGUZZLERSMTB]

Nice 'trail centre' review mate 🤣 good thing with MTB is there is enough trails around to suit everyone. You always get the most fun of it ,well unless it's stunt ramps!! Great vid again mate.

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Cheers mate and yeah, I guess that despite what I said, it is kind of a trail centre review but not in the normal way for sure (and probably upsetting for people who like milkshakes in jam jars 😂). I think one of the things that makes mountain biking so interesting is that we all love different elements of it. I honestly don't understand how anyone could love Degla but they do and conversely, there's tons of people out there for who the idea of carrying a bike up a mountain to ride down the other side is abhorrent. They are wrong on that one of course 😂

[@ElectricMountainBiker]

Yep, after Tarw Du this place really shone tbh. Great fun for a trail centre for sure, still for the same length of drive I can also get to One Giant Leap, we both know which one wins 🤣 Great video mate, did it justice in your style 👍🏼

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Mate, it's a breath of fresh air after Tarw Du, leagues ahead of it (and Degla). You know where I would rather be than at Gwydir Mawr (Lakes, Worlds End, Shropshire, OGL, etc., etc) but I wasn't disappointed with my day here, which when you take my hatred of trail centres into account, is praise indeed 😂

[@ElectricMountainBiker]

@@Stopadoodledoo massive praise from you 🤣🤣

[@Stopadoodledoo]

@@ElectricMountainBiker Credit where credit's due. It's not totally shit 😂

[@rachelbrodie7932]

Am not a trail centre fan, but we went to whinlatter the other day and it was actually quite fun, been riding years but never gone a switch back before 😱 normally just ride the bridleways of the lakes

[@Stopadoodledoo]

I've only been to Whinlatter once and wasn't a fan although on the previous two days, I'd ridden Ullock Pike and then Whiteless Pike and Rigg Beck, so it was up against some stiff competition. Lakes bridleways (and footpaths) all the way for me 😃👍

[@HallMarc_Trails]

I always enjoy the Marin, the full loop is a tiring one but the descents are quite nice even if a bit pedally at times, great vid mate, you summed it up perfectly, only thing missing is milkshakes in jam jars 🤣👍

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Thanks mate. At one point, I was worried that I was being a bit negative about the place but honestly, I did enjoy it (although really do so less each time, marginally). I think what I like about it is that it doesn't feel commercial, which the ones with the visitors centres do. This one (as you know) is just a bunch of trails in the woods, with a car park 👍

[@BURTGUZZLERSMTB]

Marc, what's the probability of getting jase to FOD trail centre ??👀 need to arrange a group ride next year 👍

[@HallMarc_Trails]

@@BURTGUZZLERSMTB I think there’s every chance as long as there’s off piste involved 😂, definitely need to arrange something next year 👍🏻

[@Stopadoodledoo]

@@BURTGUZZLERSMTB Very probable mate, especially if we explore the magical secret trails. Used to go to the FOD a fair bit when I lived in London and then Oxford 👍

[@Stopadoodledoo]

@@BURTGUZZLERSMTB and yes, we definitely have to meet up in 2022. Would be both ridiculous and hilarious in equal measures 😂

[@TrailFinder]

7:13 😂 love it. Been there once and enjoyed it. If I was passing id prob call in again. but id rather just go to the lakes!

[@Stopadoodledoo]

I had to keep that bit in 😂 I'd always prefer to be in the Lakes too mate, but I was short for time on this day (school runs) and the other local places I would usually go to were unknowns because of storm damage. Was still a decent ride though, although obviously there was no way I was going to pedal flat out around the whole thing 😂

[@MrJlloyd1993]

Milkshake in jam jars got me. Ahaha

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Milkshake... kid's drink. Jam Jar... for storing jam. That is all. 😂

[@HUSHHUSH-]

One of my favourite places mate . Give me a shout when you are coming again buddy . Its like 20 min away from me and there is a lot of off piste I would like to show you there . Great video

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Yeah, it's great there. Will definitely give you a shout mate 👍

[@dexterfletcher2481]

Haha….at first I did wonder if this was a piss take vid….knowing your humor lol . …..I mean , J T and FLOWY trails ?? ….. Great vid mate….Nowt wrong in those places for a below average rider like myself. Good to see you out….and loving that FLOW …..see you next year 👍

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Cheers Paul. Thing with Gwydir Mawr is that it's not all flowy trails, which is probably one of the reasons I like it. It's never technical but it really isn't a groomed ribbon of singletrack by any means. See you in the New Year mate 👍

[@SingletrackScene]

'Don't mind it here, but it doesnt blow me away'.... is pretty much how i'd describe most of the UKs trail centers. -They serve purpose for some, but when you've got the option to not ride them and ride some natural instead.. it's a no brainer for me.

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Absolutely mate, I would much rather be riding natural trails but as trail centres go, this one has a natural feel to it 👍

[@chesterdad764]

The milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard…. The Marin Trail is Alright!

[@Stopadoodledoo]

It really is alright. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of places I would rather ride but whenever I do go there, I enjoy it. As for milkshake, I may be biased as I can't stand the stuff 😂

[@Ruffest]

Been once. To be honest I'd go back. Needs more stunt ramps though 😂

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Yeah, but you would build stunt ramps on the pavements in the city centre if you could 😂

[@Ruffest]

@@Stopadoodledoo there's an idea 💡 😂 I keep thinking about sneaking my bike into work now that would make a right stunt ramp video 😂

[@Stopadoodledoo]

@@Ruffest Do it 😂

[@Ruffest]

@@Stopadoodledoo I'd get shot 😂🙈

[@JoeJoe-C137]

Haha **** you to and a merry New year, Degla still shits on the marin trail, for me personally it needs a volunteer force and better budget it's a bit peppered to be fair, last run things get interesting then you back at car park 😕

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Nah, Marin's way better mate, it not being looked after makes it all the better I reckon. Saying that, on the day I was there, there was a lad with a handsaw surrounded by trees blown down by Storm Arwen. Christ knows what he hoped to achieve 😂

[@JoeJoe-C137]

Nah 😂 not big enough to compete with degla, I get what your saying Jason am not trail centre person take them or leave them myself... anyway, have good holidays hope you get ride in 👊

[@davemtbpowell3965]

Is it just me or are you going a bit mad? 🤣🤣

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Going? 😂 I have noticed that on the videos of rides where I am on my own, the level of oddness increases substantially 😂

[@davemtbpowell3965]

@@Stopadoodledoo nothing wrong with that 🤣

[@slapacat98]

absolutely hate it here, an hour of climbing for 5 minutes going average downhill. each to their own though. and good vid.

[@Stopadoodledoo]

Thanks mate. I'll agree that the descents aren't amazing and in contrast to most people, I prefer the shorter one in the open (about 3/4 way round) to the final one but it's a decent place for a couple of hours blast. Most of the climbs are a drag but not that harsh. Totally get that some may like it and others not so. To be honest, I would much rather have been up in the Lakes doing something hike-a-bike but it wasn't possible on this day.

[@darrenjones433]

Your opinion on welsh and Scottish place names is typical of an English kind of attitude that gives the English a bad name. “Dropped his scrabble set” No need pal

[@Stopadoodledoo]

It was a joke, sorry if it offended (it wasn't meant to)

[@darrenjones433]

Yeah I know, sorry for moaning too. We have a lot of pride in our heritage, get a bit defensive sometimes 😜

[@Stopadoodledoo]

@@darrenjones433 And rightly so mate, much to be proud of 👍