This mountain bike route of
21miles travels through the rolling
hills on the south side of the
Ceiriog Valley in North Wales.
Stunning scenery and great
riding make this loop well worth a
go. The ride starts in Glyn
Ceiriog, a good place to start as
near the roundabout in the centre
of the village are public toilets, a
Spar and a post ride pint option
in the Glyn Valley Hotel.
1. Start from the car park by the
community centre (GR204379).
Turn right out of the car park to
the roundabout in the centre of
the village. Take the second exit
ahead and slightly left to go past
the front of the Glyn Valley Hotel
21miles travels through the rolling
hills on the south side of the
Ceiriog Valley in North Wales.
Stunning scenery and great
riding make this loop well worth a
go. The ride starts in Glyn
Ceiriog, a good place to start as
near the roundabout in the centre
of the village are public toilets, a
Spar and a post ride pint option
in the Glyn Valley Hotel.
1. Start from the car park by the
community centre (GR204379).
Turn right out of the car park to
the roundabout in the centre of
the village. Take the second exit
ahead and slightly left to go past
the front of the Glyn Valley Hotel
on the right then the public toilets on the left to follow the B4500 towards Pandy.
2. Take the second lane on the right, on the outskirts of Glyn Ceiriog, sign posted 'Nantyr 3' and start climbing
(GR201374). A short distance later follow the road up through a right hand hairpin and continue climbing the road ahead
for about 2miles. At the top of the hill turn left along the signposted Ceiriog Trail BW. The BW is on the left of a T-junction
with a road on the right. A house is also on the junction on the right (GR184371)
3. Follow this muddy track through a couple of bends before dropping down a steep rocky section and coming out onto
some tarmac. Continue down hill for 20m to the next junction. Take the track on the left to continue following the BW. This
section can be a bit muddy but thankfully steepens and becomes twisty and rocky later. Halfway down the descent go
through a gate, then left through the stream. After the stream turn right and follow the track as it descends bearing left.
This is a fast section that gets loose and rocky lower down. At the junction at the bottom (GR191362) turn left on the road
and follow it into Pandy.
2. Take the second lane on the right, on the outskirts of Glyn Ceiriog, sign posted 'Nantyr 3' and start climbing
(GR201374). A short distance later follow the road up through a right hand hairpin and continue climbing the road ahead
for about 2miles. At the top of the hill turn left along the signposted Ceiriog Trail BW. The BW is on the left of a T-junction
with a road on the right. A house is also on the junction on the right (GR184371)
3. Follow this muddy track through a couple of bends before dropping down a steep rocky section and coming out onto
some tarmac. Continue down hill for 20m to the next junction. Take the track on the left to continue following the BW. This
section can be a bit muddy but thankfully steepens and becomes twisty and rocky later. Halfway down the descent go
through a gate, then left through the stream. After the stream turn right and follow the track as it descends bearing left.
This is a fast section that gets loose and rocky lower down. At the junction at the bottom (GR191362) turn left on the road
and follow it into Pandy.
4. At the junction with the main road in Pandy turn right. About 1/3mile after
Pandy, at Erw Gerrig cottages and the bus stop, take the lane on the left
(GR195354). Drop down this lane and cross the bridge at the houses then
follow the left hand tarmac lane uphill. After the gate on the right hand bend the
track slowly gets better, evolving from firetrack into a loose tricky climb. After
crossing the cattle grid and entering the trees follow the main trail as it continues
climbing bearing to the left, ignoring the tracks that drop away on the right. The
track emerges from the trees, still following the trees on the left, before coming to
the final steep section where it becomes increasingly rocky and loose.
5. At the junction near the top, with a lane through the gate on the left, turn right and follow the track a short way to the
top of the climb (GR211344). The next section is rutted and can be very muddy, but thankfully it’s short. Go through the
gate, into the next field, and follow the ruts to the next gate in the corner of the field. Go through the gate and ride on
the double track along a left hand bend to the next gate. After the gate descend along the wide, rocky track. Go
straight on at a junction with a trail on the left then directly after follow the track 90deg right to descend to a gate at a
farm.
6. After the gate descend to a junction and go straight on. A few 10’s of meters later turn left on the double track before
the next gate (GR189336) Follow the double track down through a long right hander to a farm. Go through the farm
where the track turns into a tarmac lane and descends to a crossroad at the bottom (GR177335). Go straight across the
crossroad and take the track, uphill, past the right hand side of The Mill. After the gate climb up the double track to the
next junction and go right to climb the rutted track between the hedges. At the top of this section continue along the
main trail as it bears left and comes to a gate at a lane halfway up.
top of the climb (GR211344). The next section is rutted and can be very muddy, but thankfully it’s short. Go through the
gate, into the next field, and follow the ruts to the next gate in the corner of the field. Go through the gate and ride on
the double track along a left hand bend to the next gate. After the gate descend along the wide, rocky track. Go
straight on at a junction with a trail on the left then directly after follow the track 90deg right to descend to a gate at a
farm.
6. After the gate descend to a junction and go straight on. A few 10’s of meters later turn left on the double track before
the next gate (GR189336) Follow the double track down through a long right hander to a farm. Go through the farm
where the track turns into a tarmac lane and descends to a crossroad at the bottom (GR177335). Go straight across the
crossroad and take the track, uphill, past the right hand side of The Mill. After the gate climb up the double track to the
next junction and go right to climb the rutted track between the hedges. At the top of this section continue along the
main trail as it bears left and comes to a gate at a lane halfway up.
7. Go straight across the road and through the gate on the other side to continue
climbing. Go up the rutted trail straight on over the crest of the hill. The track then starts
descending some big ruts that can be quite muddy, although it’s usually still rideable even
in the worst conditions. Follow the track 90deg right (GR174314) and drop into the deep
ruts. Soon after the track bears left and becomes a lot more fun as it descends on the off
camber slate bedrock with ruts, drops and loose rocks. Go through the gate at the bottom
and bear right through a stream crossing, if it’s been wet the whole area can look like a
stream, and follow the track around the right hand side of the sheep pens. The track then
straightens out for a flat section of double track. Go past the farms on the left and up a
short climb to a junction. Go straight on through the (bodged together) gate and descend
a short way to a road junction (GR178299).
8. Turn left on the road and descend for approx. 80m then take the marked BW through
the gate above on the right (GR178300). It is then a push up through two fields, keeping
9. The grassy trail then flattens and comes to a fork (GR193297). Take the left
hand track to go down hill. The track bears left then, after the gates at a
sheepfold, bears right and comes to a farm. Go straight on past the farm and
descend to the junction with the road (GR209302) Turn left, descend to the
crossroads and go straight across. Climb a short way to the next junction and
turn right. At the far end of this lane turn right again and climb the lane up the
left side of the valley. Bear left to the top of the climb, go past a track on the
left, then descend a short way to the next track on the left (GR225317).
10. Turn down the sharp left and descend through the farm. Go through the
gate to the water splash at the bottom then follow the trail uphill bearing right,
hand track to go down hill. The track bears left then, after the gates at a
sheepfold, bears right and comes to a farm. Go straight on past the farm and
descend to the junction with the road (GR209302) Turn left, descend to the
crossroads and go straight across. Climb a short way to the next junction and
turn right. At the far end of this lane turn right again and climb the lane up the
left side of the valley. Bear left to the top of the climb, go past a track on the
left, then descend a short way to the next track on the left (GR225317).
10. Turn down the sharp left and descend through the farm. Go through the
gate to the water splash at the bottom then follow the trail uphill bearing right,
with trees on the right. Continue along this trail to a gate at a crossroad (GR225326). Go straight on along the rutted,
grassy double track as it climbs though the line of trees. After the next gate keep to this trail as it descends, eventually
bearing left to the gate at Llechrydau Farm. After the gate bear right through the dip and climb to the gate at the road
(GR223340).
11. Turn left then take the trail 20m down the road on the right. Follow this trail, which bears left uphill, to the gate at the
top where the trail turns right, flattens, and continues to a junction with a road at Caemor Wood (GR219352). Turn left
onto the road and after just under 1mile take a right at the junction. After passing the track on the left leading to the
grassy double track as it climbs though the line of trees. After the next gate keep to this trail as it descends, eventually
bearing left to the gate at Llechrydau Farm. After the gate bear right through the dip and climb to the gate at the road
(GR223340).
11. Turn left then take the trail 20m down the road on the right. Follow this trail, which bears left uphill, to the gate at the
top where the trail turns right, flattens, and continues to a junction with a road at Caemor Wood (GR219352). Turn left
onto the road and after just under 1mile take a right at the junction. After passing the track on the left leading to the
farm, turn right down the marked BW on the right a short distance later
(GR204359).
12. This double track leads through a few gates to a farm. At the entrance of
the farm there is a 10mph sign on the right. Just after this, also on the right, is
some fencing which contains some gates. The BW goes through these gates,
not along the farmhouse driveway. The BW should then follow a gully between
some trees but it can be very overgrown. It is possible to ride parallel to the trail
in the field, on the right hand side of the gully. This leads down the left hand
side of the field to a gate. Go through the gate for a tight rocky section of track.
On the road at the bottom turn left. Turn immediately right through the first part
(GR204359).
12. This double track leads through a few gates to a farm. At the entrance of
the farm there is a 10mph sign on the right. Just after this, also on the right, is
some fencing which contains some gates. The BW goes through these gates,
not along the farmhouse driveway. The BW should then follow a gully between
some trees but it can be very overgrown. It is possible to ride parallel to the trail
in the field, on the right hand side of the gully. This leads down the left hand
side of the field to a gate. Go through the gate for a tight rocky section of track.
On the road at the bottom turn left. Turn immediately right through the first part
of the farm, through a little section that looks like a dead end at a rickety shed. I had to
have it pointed out but there is a BW sign at the bottom on the left. Take the track on
the left and continue down hill on another tight rocky track. At the road go straight
across for the final, sweet bit of singletrack.
13. At the junction with the road at the end of the singletrack turn left (GR220367).
Follow the lane up a short sharp climb to the junction with the B4579. Turn right and
follow this road back into Glyn Ceiriog. Follow the road right over the bridge to the
roundabout in the centre of the village. Take the last exit on the right to return to the
car park and the end of the ride.
The best map to plot this route on is OS Explorer 255.
have it pointed out but there is a BW sign at the bottom on the left. Take the track on
the left and continue down hill on another tight rocky track. At the road go straight
across for the final, sweet bit of singletrack.
13. At the junction with the road at the end of the singletrack turn left (GR220367).
Follow the lane up a short sharp climb to the junction with the B4579. Turn right and
follow this road back into Glyn Ceiriog. Follow the road right over the bridge to the
roundabout in the centre of the village. Take the last exit on the right to return to the
car park and the end of the ride.
The best map to plot this route on is OS Explorer 255.
This route crosses and can be combined with other routes from my site :
Ceiriog Valley and the Vale of Llangollen
Ceiriog Valley Gryn Meolfre Medium
Ceiriog Valley The Pheasant Track
Cadair Berwyn Loop
tight to the fence on the right. At the top of the second field go through the gate and turn left. Follow the double track
as it climbs along the side of the hill. About halfway up the ascent there is a gate with a small stand of trees just after.
Go high of the trees, following the fence on the left, to ride through the bottom of the field to a gate. Go through this
gate and the one shortly after.
as it climbs along the side of the hill. About halfway up the ascent there is a gate with a small stand of trees just after.
Go high of the trees, following the fence on the left, to ride through the bottom of the field to a gate. Go through this
gate and the one shortly after.
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