Coed y Brenin Snowdonia
Coed y Brenin, meaning the Forest of the King in Welsh, is a large forest park in the Mawddach Valley near Dolgellau in southern Snowdonia that has developed over the past two decades into one of the most important mountain biking centres in Britain, a network of purpose-built trails through the forest and the surrounding upland terrain that provides an exceptional range of cycling experiences from gentle family routes to some of the most technically challenging trails available in Wales. The visitor centre at the heart of the forest provides the facilities hub for the mountain biking community.
The forest covers approximately 9,000 acres of the Mawddach and Eden valleys and the trail network extends through a landscape of considerable variety, the forest tracks providing sheltered riding through mature conifer and mixed woodland while the higher trails above the tree line provide mountain scenery of the southern Snowdonia uplands. The Gold Trail, the most celebrated and most challenging trail in the network, was the first purpose-built mountain bike trail in Wales and established Coed y Brenin as a pioneer of the trail centre model that has since been developed across the country.
The river gorges and waterfalls of the Mawddach tributaries provide additional scenic interest within the forest, and the walking trails that complement the cycling network provide access to the same landscape for those on foot. The Mawddach Estuary below the forest, one of the most beautiful estuaries in Wales, provides an excellent complementary destination.