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About
Coed y Brenin visitor centre is managed by Natural Resources Wales and it is the gateway to Coed y Brenin Forest Park in the heart of southern Snowdonia. This site was Britain's first purpose-built mountain biking centre and it is still one of the sport’s top destinations featuring world-class mountain bike trails, family walks, a café, cycle shop, all-ability play area and an easy access trail.
The Visitor Centre Cafe, Shop & Visitor Information Desk has both toilets (including accessible toilets) and showers (in male, female and accessible rooms). Picnic sites and BBQ - There are a number of picnic tables around the main car parks within Coed y Brenin Forest Park plus many more on the waymarked walking trails.
WALKING TRAILS
Three waymarked walking trails start from Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre car park. The Afon Eden Trail is an accessible trial which leads you through woodlands down to the Afon Eden. Cefndeuddwr Trail is an easy short trial which guides you gently up a hillside to the Cefndeuddwr viewpoint and picnic area. The Gain Waterfall Trail is a strenuous trail which climbs over the Cefndeuddwr ridge, before descending to the confluence of the Afon Gain and Afon Mawddach rivers with their twin waterfalls.
More walking trails start from other car parks within Coed y Brenin Forest Park.
MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS
Coed y Brenin offers some of the most exciting, Mountain Biking routes in Wales. From the novice to the expert, there are miles of challenging trails to test your skills, what ever your level.
The Visitor Centre is the starting point for 8 mountain bike trails ranging from a relatively easy low level route of Yr Afon, through to a moderate route of MinorTaur with a choice of 4 loops ranging from 3 to 12 kilometres. You can then progress to the more difficult trails of Temtiwr (9km) and Cyflym Coch (12.6 km) and finally onto the severe MBR (17.7km), Tarw Du (20.1km) and the Beast (35km) trails.
Y Ffowndri is our skills area which is also present on site, with four zones of different abilities for you to test your own level and improve skills. It can also be used a zone to either warm up or wind down, before or after a ride on one of the trails.
All trails are waymarked and have information panels at the start of the trail. Please read this carefully before setting off.
RUNNING TRAILS
Five waymarked running trails leave from the visitor centre and go through some of the best scenery in Coed y Brenin Forest Park. The trails vary in length and have been designed for novice to more experienced runners. They include a mixture of singletrack, forest roads, rough unmade public rights of way and occasional sections of tarmac road.
Be prepared for roots, mud and rocks with steep ascents and descents.
GEOCACHING
Hunt for the geocaches hidden in the forest on one of the two geocaching trails from the visitor centre. Each geocache is a small container with an information sheet about the history of the location and a log book to record your visit. The geocache may also contain small items left by other visitors that you can swap for something you have brought with you.
The geocaching trails are designed for walkers and there is no access for vehicles or bikes to the geocache sites.
ORIENTEERING
The four permanent orienteering courses start and finish at the visitor centre. They were designed by the Mid-Wales Orienteers and are all graded to British Orienteering Federation standards.
CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES
Play areas are next to the visitors centre and are split into 3 areas suitable for different ages and abilities. Pick up an animal puzzle trail leaflet from the visitor centre and head for the Afon Eden walking trail. You can borrow a free discovery backpack from the visitor centre. Each backpack contains useful goodies like binoculars, a magnifying glass, a bug pot and nature identification cards along with a guide explaining how to use them.
CAFE & SHOP
The Cafe uses the best locally produced and healthy food with bread and cakes from local bakers or from the cafe's own kitchen. Meat is supplied using local suppliers and venison burgers come from within Coed y Brenin Forest itself.
There is a shop and visitor information point at the entrance to the visitor's centre.
MEETING & CONFERENCE FACILITIES
Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre's conference facilities are suitable for a variety of business meetings, events and activities.
BIKE SHOP
Beics Brenin bike shop is situated in the lower level of Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre. There is bike hire, e-bike charging points, bike wash and showers (cash only) on site. Beics Brenin offers: a wide range of bikes for hire to match the trails, a bike repair shop, sales of bikes, clothing and accessories, courses in mountain biking skills and a series of cycling events
OTHER LOCATIONS WITHIN THE FOREST PARK
There are stone BBQ plinths in Glasdir and Ty'n y Groes picnic sites and please ensure all fires are extinguished and tidied up after use.Explore Coed y Brenin Forest Park on a waymarked walking trail from one of our other car parks in the forest park:
Tyddyn Gwladys (a walking trail past two waterfalls)
Pont Cae’n y Coed (our longest waymarked walk in the forest park)
Ty'n y Groes (an accessible riverside trail and a walk up Penrhos mountain)
Glasdir (a trail through a ruined copper mine ruins with accessible section to a viewpoint over the ruins)
Forest Garden (a short walk in the forest garden with an accessible section to a viewpoint overlooking a waterfall)
Audio trails are available so download onto your mobile phone and take with you when you walk around this beautiful forest area.
Book Tickets
Guide Prices
Parking charges:
Free for the first 20 minutes, £2 for 2 hours, 40p for every additional 20 minutes. Maximum charge is £7 per day; overnight parking is not permitted.
Car parking is free for Blue Badge holders. Please note: you need to register for free parking by presenting your vehicle log book (V5 document) or Blue Badge at the visitor centre welcome desk,
You can buy a season ticket for £40 to cover car parking charges for 12 months from the visitor centre reception.
Facilities
Accessibility
- Disabled access
- Disabled toilets
- Facilities for hearing impaired
- Facilities for visually impaired
Catering
- On-site catering
- On-site light refreshments
- Picnic site
Children
- Baby changing facilities
- Children welcome
Groups
- Facilities for groups
Meeting, Conference & Wedding Facilities
- Facilities for conferencing
Parking
- EV Charging
- Parking with charge - £2 for 2 hours and 40p for every additional 20 minutes (maximum £7 per day)
Property Facilities
- Dogs Accepted
- Gift shop
- Public toilets
Target Markets
- Accepts groups
- Coach parties accepted
- Dark Skies / Stargazing
Map & Directions
Road Directions
Coed y Brenin Forest Park is located east off the A470, 8 miles north of Dolgellau near Trawsfynydd. Follow the brown tourist signs.NCN Cycle Network: NCN route 82, Lon Las (North) and Lon Las Cymru all pass through the centre - NCN Information on www.sustrans.org.uk Overnight parking is not permitted.
FREE PARKING (local residents and blue badge holders): Car parking is free if you live within the LL40 or LL41 postcode or the neighbouring villages of Arthog, Cutiau, Cardeon, Corris and Tal-y-Llyn or if you are a blue badge holder. Take your vehicle log book (V5 document) or blue badge to the visitor centre welcome desk to register for free parking.
Public Transport Directions
Nearest train station is Barmouth which is 15 miles. Public transport Information - www.travelinecymru.wales
