With all the bad weather that we have been having lately we were prepairing for the worst on our annual visit to the North Wales trails. It didn't get off to the best of starts either as Mark and Duncan got stranded on the M40 after Marks car broke down. They did eventually join us but not until a stressful day sorting out a replacement car etc.

Still, the remaining 6 of us all got to our planned meeting point at The Eagle Pub in Penmachno on time only to find it was shut at lunchtimes. This was perhaps a bonus as we headed straightout onto the trails. There are 2 loops their now which we planned on doing totaling about 30k, we were lucky in that it wasn't raining but the ground was very wet and the wind cold.

 Despite the weather we had a good workout completeing the 2 loops. It was only the 2nd time we'd been there and the 1st that we'd done the 2nd loop. All in all we thought it was a good trail with plenty of flowing singletrack and after the initial big climb wasn't overly hard but undulated nicely.

With the trail finished it was time to re pack the cars and head off to Coed y Brenin and our Ferndale accommodation. As per usual a boozey evening followed and at about 8 Mark and Duncan finally turned up meaning it had take them over 12 hours to make the journey from Surrey.

Saturday morning arrived and although cold it was still dry. Antony sorted us all out with a big English Breakfast so we were all ready to hit the trials. As per usual we were going to do a mix and match of the various trails available starting from the front door.

As we were to find out there were plenty of trail sections closed so we did all the bits we could, some of them 2 or even 3 times, had lunch at the new (but souless) cafe oh how the old one was so much better and generally had a good time.

That evening we made the decision to pack up the following morning and head down to the Cli mach trail as there was just to many diversions at Coed y Brenin.

So Sunday morning arrived and we packed up and headed off to the Cli mach trail. The forcast before we left for Wales on Friday morning head Snowdonia down for heavy snow, however in reality we were experiancing what can best be described as the very early signs of spring with even the sun making an apperance by the end of the ride.

I found the trail very hard work and althought the final decent is very good I really felt like the climbing to get to that point could be mmade far more interesting and enjoyable. Still it was still a good trail and the right decision to head down to do it rather than stay at Coed y Brenin. 

Well, with the trail finished it was tme to head home. We were so lucky to have had yet again, a dry February weekend in Wales made all the sweeter by hearing tales of woe form the grim weather back home in Surrey.