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(0 miles) Begin as red bull up switchbacks from visitor centre. Cross the small tarmac road on to a rock forest road (straight ahead) follow up a series of  short rocky climbs till it narrows to single track leading up to a junction with the corner of a forest road. Turn right on here for a moderately steep climb.'This road is currently being improved  Ignore the first left turning, take the second left which is just after the first slight dip then short climb. This final doubletrack stage of the climb is about 500 yards to the corner of a small section of forest with a post pointing you left in to the singletrack. This relatively new section has a couple of short climbs and some of Daffyd's trade mark tight turns as well as embedded rocks (there to help water run off the trail). The singletrack exits on to the same forest road further down so turn left and large it down the bumpy turns, then after a short rise turn left at T junction for a fast run of 100 yards.'
(3 miles) Bear left and be prepared to jump as you enter this narrower section, stay to the right of the trail then brake after 50 yards for the 90 degree left on to Snap Crackle and Pop. Snap begins with a 10 foot climb which is difficult to carry your momentum on to (due to the sharp turn and pot hole) then hike your front wheel over the water dip and bounce down this first boulder trail. A good enough excuse on their own for a full sus. bike, Daffyd is in the process of smoothing over some of the worst of it. Broken in to 3 sections by forest roads, Crackle is the shortest ending with a steep drop on to the road. Pop is a lot smoother than it was, but still watch out for a deceptive tree in the middle of your line! Pop drop's you on to a shale forest road. Turn left down this and after a short climb and descent on a swoopy forest road section hang a right at the T junction. An earth surfaced road leads down over rain bars and a cattle grid before turning to tarmac and dropping steeply to a death defying hairpin left bend. I overshoot this everytime and end up in the wood. The tarmac s-bends down the hill tempting more over-shoots then ends abruptly at a gate leading on to the main road.
(4.4 miles) Turn right on to the road and go to a tarmac left turn at
(4.9 miles) go over the cattle grid leading in to Ty'n-y-groes picnic area (don't ask me how to say that). Turn immediately right, up the steep tarmac road and follow the road for 0.25 miles to a singletrack climb on the left. This is a classic piece of trail which proves that singletrack can impress even when there's a lot of climbing. Carry as much speed as you can from the road on to the first pitch, fly up the routes and wheelie over the smooth rock step. A short, wet bumpy section follows with a 'not as slippery as it looks' solid rock hairpin. We've never seen anyone fall off this and have no desire to. Granny up the next 20 metre climb then directly right round the tree for a short drop on narrow trail. several short climb's and drops, with more roots and rocks than some would like, are followed by a nasty short pitch with rock and root which is the main technical challenge. It ends in a burst of speed with a small stream to jump.
Left on the tarmac for a gentle climb of about a third of a mile then left on to a wide forest road. Turn right 200 yards later up another wide forest road for a climb of around 2 thirds of a mile (ouch). Finally the road bends left and:'
(7.1 miles) Turn right on the narrow singletrack for a zip across open country. Be ready with a low gear at the bottom of here as the first pitch on the way up is pretty steep. The singletrack follows the line of trees before exiting back on forest road. Turn right along here and follow the road.
(8.4 miles) Go straight across the cross roads and on to the doubletrack (great scenery on here, whadda ya mean so what?!) which bends left and eventually brings you to the next singletrack descent.
(9.0 miles)'A karrimor post points you of the forest road to the right down a singletrack which bears left and runs along the bank. Narrow and rutted at time of writing there is a very difficult short climb on here over some big tree routes. I didn't make it, see if you can! (a lower gear would have helped) The singletrack finally converges with a tarmac road. Follow up here bearing right to go up a really steep tarmac climb. 200 yards up here is a right turn on to fire road.
Note: If you want to shorten the Karrimor by 4 miles (I recommend this, then you will still have time to ride the Red Bull) Carry on up the steep tarmac road. This is the tarmac road from hell and seems to get steeper as each yard thrashes your calves. Eventually it flattens out. Ignore the crossroads here, go 150 yards further on tarmac. Take forest trail fork on right this climbs about 400 yards to a Karrimor post on the left which points down the 1700 foot singletrack see 13.6 miles.
(9.7 miles) The trail leads to a tarmac road at
(11.2 miles) this has excellent views to the right.
(11.6 miles) Turn left on to rocky fire road, partially blocked by a boulder. A couple of hundred yards up here turn left and climb up to a sweeping high fire road descent at high speed. Get the racing line to cut those corners but just don't go over the edge!'The fire road drops to a T junction where you will see a gap in the bushes straight ahead, this is the top of the Hermon descent.
(13.6 miles) One of the most awesome descents at Coed-y Brenin, it's broken in to 4 sections by fire roads. It loses 1700 feet of altitude. Depending on the recent weather (which accelerates trail erosion alarmingly) it's often treacherous with steep stone drop offs part way down already steep pitches. Weight back, relax and go easy on the front brake takes you straight down to a spring loaded gate. (if you hit this with your front wheel then left shoulder it is possible to ride the three steps and thereby avoid any dabs on the whole descent, well that's how I do it!) Cross the tarmac road to section two which crosses a forest road to section three. This ends with a short steep drop on to an earth double track. Turn left and go round first bend, look out for a Karrimor sign pointing off to right. Follow this section four down and back on to double track. Go downhill to major junction 100 yards later, final section is straight ahead in to trees. This last section drops you gently on to the main river forest road again.
(14.6 miles) Turn left on this large forest road. Follow this down to a footbridge across the river, cross here then turn immediately right.
(17.4 miles) Turn left on to forest road which leads to the final sections of singletrack. Bear left at first junction then right before a Karrimor post points you left down a wooded single track. This begins on earth then diverts to the right around a fallen tree (fell about 6 months ago) It gets a lot rockier then with a rocky stream crossing and a final left bend and steeper pitch to cross a fire road. Straight on to the second section which bumps you down on to another fire road. Turn right then left on to the main road. 200 yards down here is the right turn up the road to the visitor centre.