This mountain bike route of 20.5 miles starts in Glyn Ceiriog in North Wales. It uses trails in the Ceiriog Valley to the south and west of Glyn Ceiriog, which includes the Pheasant Track across Bryn Du. The route is about 40% tarmac but this generally on the flat and the climbs, which helps reserve your energy for the fantastic off-road sections, especially the last two descents.
1. Start from the car park by the community centre (GR204379). Turn left out of the car park and head along the main road towards Dolywern. Take the third lane on the left, on the edge of Glyn Ceiriog, just before the main road crosses a stream (GR207379). Ride through a couple of bends to the next junction then turn right. Follow the lane along the valley and go past a couple of junctions on the left, then past a few houses on the left, to a forked junction where the left hand lane climbs and the right hand lane descends (GR220373).
2. Take the left hand lane and traverse the side of the valley. Keep going straight on at the next junction then at the following junction bear right and descend to a junction with the main road (GR228376). Turn left on the main road and head towards Pontfadog and the church. Just before the village turn right at a crossroad junction (GR231377).
3. Ride a short way and go over the river to the next junction, by a house, and turn steeply to the left for the start of the first long climb. Climb into the trees then at the crossroad junction a short distance later turn right to climb the broken tarmac lane (GR233377). Continue up the lane until it reaches a forked junction where the tarmac gives way to dirt tracks. Take the left hand track and continue climbing. Go straight on at the next junction and follow the track to the top of the climb. When the track turns back into a tarmac lane, go straight across the crossroad and on to the next junction (GR244357). Turn right and descend along the lane to a bridleway signed off to the right, heading downhill between a line of trees and bushes. If you come to a T-junction at the end of the lane you have just missed it (GR244355).
4. Descend the track, which at first is fast double track but take care as lower down steepens and becomes quite technical, with big, loose rocks. At the junction at the bottom turn left descend the lane through a right hand bend, then go straight on to a junction with a lane on the left by a couple of stone buildings (GR232363). Turn left and climb the lane. At the next junction turn left and continue climbing on tarmac. Follow the lane right then left around a house for the steepest part of the climb that ends at a junction (GR227359).
5. Turn left and follow the lane for about 1mile then go straight on at the junction with a lane on the left. A little further on turn sharp right at the next junction to climb parallel with the just ridden lane (GR246353). Follow the lane past the next junction to the following forked junction. Bear left and follow the lane that after a short while descends to a junction (GR226340).
6. Turn right and go through the farm, then at the far side turn left through a gate onto a wide dirt track marked as a bridleway. Descend through a dip to the next junction (GR223339). Turn right and climb the double track towards the trees on the ridge. Bear right on the track and go past the old hanger, then follow the grassy double track parallel to the line of trees on the left. At the end of the trees, go through the gate in the left hand corner of the field. Go straight on and follow the grassy track in the direction the fence on the left. After the crest descend to the gate in the left hand corner of the next field (GR204338).
7. Go through the gate and follow the double track through a left hand bend to the next gate. After the gate descend through a couple more gates on the wide, rocky track. Go straight on at a junction with a track on the left, then directly after follow the track 90deg right and descend to a gate at a farm. Go through this gate and the next and descend to a 3-way junction at the lanes. Go straight on to a gated junction a short distance later (GR189335).
8. Turn left and follow the double track to descend through a long right hander to a farm. Go through the farm, where the track turns into a tarmac lane, and descend to a crossroad at the bottom (GR177335). Turn right and cross the stone bridge then climb to the junction in Tregeiriog. Turn left and follow the lane along the bottom of the valley to the next junction, with a lane on the right, directly after crossing a stream (GR168334).
9. Turn right up the lane by the stream, then a short distance later take the lane on the left and climb steeply between the hedges. Go past a farm and through a number of gates and climb straight ahead all the way up to a T-junction at the top of the lane, by a house on the left (GR157335). Turn right and continue climbing a much gentler gradient along a wide rocky track. Stay on the main track and ignore any trails off to either side. Continue straight on where the main trail kicks up and becomes more broken, to follow a line of trees on the right. Go through a couple of gates to the top of the climb (GR156350).
10. After the gate ride across flanks of Bryn Du on the muddy, rocky and rutted double track. This descends to a ford on a right hand bend before it climbs, bearing left, to a gate near the crest of the next hill (GR162375). Go through the gate and over the top of the hill, then descend the fast, rocky track on the other side. There are a couple of gates on this descent, but only the middle one is usually closed. The start of the descent is very rocky double track then near the bottom, after a few bends, it crosses some off camber slate bedrock, sketchy but great fun. After the gate in Tyn-y-celyn, at the bottom of the descent, go straight on then bear right and climb the lane to a junction (GR171371).
11. Turn right and climb the steep tarmac, past a farm on the left, to the next junction. Take the first track on the left, signed to Glyndwfrdwy, through the gate in front of the house. Follow this track for a gentle climb all the way to a junction at the Ceiriog Forest (GR168380). Turn right and follow the lane along the line of trees on the left. Continue along this lane and go through a tight left then right set of bends. After a short straight take the grassy track on the right where the lane starts bearing left. This track is rutted and can be quite muddy in the wet but it’s not long. At the following junction go straight on along the wide dirt track to a crossroad junction with a lane (GR189382). (If it has been wet for some time it is better to go past the grassy track and continue along the lane to the next junction then turn right on the wide dirt track to descend through a left hand bend to the crossroad junction with the lane).
12. Go straight over the crossroad and ride past a farm on the left. Stay on the main trail, ignoring both the gated tacks on the right for a descent that starts with wide double track then, at the second gated track on the right, drops left over a step down into a rocky eroded gully. The descent then goes through a number of naturally bermed corners. Stay on the main track until it eventually finishes at a lane. Go straight on for a short distance down the tarmac to a junction, where the lane turns left, and head down the dirt track on the right (GR203381). At the end of the track continue straight on to a junction at the bottom, in Glyn Ceiriog. Go straight on then at the next junction turn right. At the main road to right again and return to the car park to complete the ride.
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