Mountain Biking in Wales
Search our essential mountain biking travel guides to some of the best trails around.
Where do you want to go?
Wales is one of the most popular mountain bike regions in the UK and one visit to any of the country's riding destinations will quickly make you understand why. There is a huge variety of riding on offer and more bike parks than you’ll know what to do with. From the exposed rugged trails of Antur Stiniog, a converted mine in the North, to the sheltered woodlands of Cwmcarn trials centre in the South, Wales is sure to provide all you need for an excellent riding trip.
What YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Wales has lots of great riding options for beginner riders looking to improve or just have fun on something familiar. With most of the best mountain bike parks in the UK, many Welsh riding spots are unique in their genuine claim to cater to all abilities - from complete beginner to top level rider. There are mountain bike parks all over Wales with trails marked in order of difficulty. This makes it easy for beginner riders to ensure they are riding something just right for their ability.
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Wales is a fantastic country for those seeking a mountain bike break. With many of the best official riding locations in the UK, it’s easy to plan an action packed trip in this small country dense with excellent mountain bike locations. In the North, there are mountain ranges and wide open moores connected with trails that lend themselves well to bike packing trips or big days out in the saddle. If you just want to enjoy some descents, a trip to any of the Welsh bike parks will be ample for an excellent mountain bike break away from home.
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There are many places where you can hire mountain bikes in Wales. Mountain bike hire is available at all of the Welsh bike parks as well in many Welsh towns with riding nearby. If you don’t have a specific destination in mind for your mountain bike break in Wales and are looking for somewhere with good mountain bike hire, the larger and more popular bike parks are well worth considering. Bike Park Wales has an extensive fleet of mountain bikes available for hire, as does Revolution Bike Park to the North and Antur Stiniog in the North East.
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With many of the best riders in the UK living in or very near Wales, there is a lot of great coaching available in the country for those looking to improve and hone their skills. Again, larger bike parks like Bike Park Wales are a good one stop shop if you're looking for hire, coaching and a wide variety of trails to suit your needs. Other great mountain bike coaching options in Wales are Pro Line MTB coaching run by former World Cup podium rider, Matt Simmonds and Pedals MTB coaching in North Wales. Pro Line would be an especially good option for more advanced riders looking for tips and tricks from one of the best in the business.
Here's an overview of the South Wales
South Wales is one of two or three standout regions in the UK that are densely packed with world class riding.
Bike Park Wales is one location we would certainly recommend in this region. It’s a park that really caters to all abilities - from beginner to professional, there is not just one but many trails here that will suit your ability perfectly. With bike hire, cafe, shop and uplift service, Bike Park Wales has everything anyone needs for a brilliant day out mountain biking.
Cwmcarn is another destination well worth checking out in South Wales. Just a half hour drive from both Newport and Cardiff, this accessible riding location has a great variety of trails for riders of all abilities. If you don’t fancy peddling, book yourself on the Cwmdown Uplift and enjoy more time descending!
There’s a load more and we’re slowly working through the Valleys. This area could be one of the best in the UK.
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Here's an overview of the Mid Wales
Just like the other regions in Wales, there is some exceptional riding on offer in the middle. For more experienced riders, there are a couple of standout locations well worth making a trip too in this area. DYFI bike park has been built by professional rider and well known trail builder, Dan Atherton, and is fast becoming many peoples favourite UK bike park. There are a couple of red trail options but most of the riding is for very experienced riders comfortable on jumps and technical trails.
For beginner riders, it might be worth checking out Nantgwyllt Mountain Bike Trails in the Elan Valley. There are a number of different mountain bike routes available here for riders of all abilities and some lovely scenery. With hire available from the visitor centre, this is a great place to start if you’re looking to give mountain biking a go.
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Here's an overview of the North Wales
North Wales has some truly unique and exceptional riding on offer. This beautiful, varied and densely hilly countryside is home to some of the very best riding in the UK. For beginner riders, we would recommend the ‘Antur Stiniog’ Bike Park near the small town of Ffestiniog. There are a variety of graded trails available there along with a shop and uplift service - a great place to hone your skills and safely progress through the grading system.
Coed y Brenin is also a great option for beginner riders. With a variety of graded trails circling around this beautiful forest, Coed y Brenin makes for a relaxing day out with family or friends. After your ride, you can enjoy some well deserved tea and cake from the cafe!
Revolution bike park is another great destination in the North Wales region. More suitable for advanced riders, this bike park has a range of great trails on offer along with an uplift service and bike hire. Set amongst some stunning scenery, Revolution bike park is a great place to spend the day.
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