Top Rides At Moel Famau Nr Mold North Wales

One of the favourite afternoon haunts of the Active Brits possie is head to Moel Famau (554m) near Mold/ Ruthin for some quality riding with transitions from forest trails, to gnarly climbs, high speed grass decents to technical singletrack.

Pic 1) Summit of Moel Famau

The area around Moel Famau is stunning. Its the kind of place where you can do some top riding, let ya hair down, have some quality fun, see some top Welsh scenery and be well away from the crowds. The place has got everything for either the full day rider or for those undertaking an afternoon training route. It is definately not a beginners destination and the kind of place where you can take a family biking. Ok, so its got a few low level forest areas that might keep the beginners amused for a couple of hours, but for learning skills a day would be better spent in Llandegla Forest located about 12 miles away en-route to Wrexham with its facilities, tea room, bike cleaning area (what next!) and specially designed trails. I'm not just saying that to put people off so my friends and i can do high speed decents without the fear of trashing loads a kids and parents (ok there may be an element of that ;o) but once out of the forest, the routes are extremely exposed and can cover some serious elevations and distances from facilities and mobile phone reception is poor. Tracks often take you over open moorland where temptations exist to let the bike rip for a while on speedy mixed terrain decents where good technical skills are required. In late autumn and winter the routes are really only suitable for the hardened riders and out of the forests bear brunt to the full force of the elements.

More recently the area has adopted several bike focussed routes following 'legal paths' which form the basis of most of the routes in the area (note: routes are also accessible to the devils children with their thermos flasks so caution is advised). Im not going to get involved in describing the beginners routes but here are a several selected links from Ride The Clywds Website which will take you direct to maps/ printable route guides for some good intermediate and advanced biking.

Intermediate Routes

1) Over The Top Distance:34km.. Climb: 545m
2) Arthur 2 Times Distance:31km.. Climb:660m
3) MBR Killer Loop Distance:37km.. Climb: 990m

Advanced Routes

1) Almost The Delyn Distance: 78.8km.. Climb: 1605m
2) Going Backwards Distance: 37km.. Climb: 730m
3) Loop Da Loop Distance: 53.5km.. Climb: 1570m

The place is definately worth a visit if you are coming to North Wales or en route to Snowdonia. After the ride its worth checking out the pub at Loggerheads called the 'We Three Loggerheads' for plates filled with top tucker and a good beer loaded with carbs (ok fat as well but after an intermediate or advanced route who cares eh :o).. Directions to pub.. Its on the Mold to Ruthin Road 3 miles from Mold adjacent to Loggerheads Country Park..

Pic 2) Unknown Rider Taking Time Out..

Pic 3) Stunning Views across the range - You can see Snowdonia on a clear day