(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 a lot) 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 without missing any singletrack (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 (The Hermon: 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) This is the top of one of the most awesome descents at Coed-y Brenin. Called the Hermon it is 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 is often treacherous with steep stone steps 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 (it used to dump you head first but was considered too dangerous so they re-routed it, DOH!)

(14.6 miles) Laugh heartily at your slow and multiply bruised mates as they straggle down this last pitch then 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.