Top mountain biking trails in Wales for intermediate riders

To help you assess difficulty and choose the right trails for your ability and the riding conditions, mountain bike trails are graded. You can find information for each trail at the trailhead, on maps or online.

All of the mountain bike trails below have been graded according to the Standard Definition of UK MTB trail grades, available on the NRW website. Author Katherine Moore has selected blue and red-graded trails, suitable for intermediate-level riders with previous mountain biking experience. 

With trail ratings ranging from green (beginner) to black, Antur Stiniog is an uplift-only bike park in the former slate mining heartland of Blaenau Ffestiniog with exceptional views of Eryri. If you prefer a little less pedalling and more lapping the adrenaline-inducing downhill trails, you’ll love Antur Stiniog.

For fun flow, tabletop jumps and berms galore, my favourite trail here is the red-rated Scrubadub, which leads into the rockier Wildcart trail.

Besides the 14 trails, there’s also a pump track to warm up on, plus a visitor hub complete with everything you might need; toilets and showers, a bike wash, cafe, bike shop and hire centre.

The first purpose-built mountain biking trail centre in the UK, Coed y Brenin boasts a wide range of cycling routes for all abilities in the woodland of Southern Eryri. It’s a hub for other adventure sports and outdoor activities too, with way-marked running and gravel riding trails.

The blue-rated 12 km MinorTaur trail is a great warm up for all abilities, flowing alongside the Afon Mawddach with a few gentle climbs and descents. For a greater leg burn and technical challenge, there's the red-rated trails; Temtiwr (8.5 km), Cyflym Coch (13km) or the huge 30 km Dragon's Back trail.

In my opinion, the very best trail at Coed y Brenin is Tarw Du, which makes use of the huge natural rock slabs on the opposite side of the A470, though is best suited to more experienced riders.

The visitor centre shop and cafe at Coed y Brenin is set to close from 31st March 2025, though the bike shop and hire centre, Beics Brenin, will remain open, alongside the trails, toilets and car park.

Just a stone’s throw from the West Wales coast, Nant yr Arian is a fantastic free-to-ride trail centre as well as a red kite feeding location. 

There are four all weather trails to choose from; the flowy blue-rated Melindwr Trail (5 km), the compact red Pendam Trail (10 km), the longer 18.5 km Summit Trail red and the huge 36 km black-rated Syfydrin Trail. In terms of bang for your buck, it’s hard to beat the adrenaline in just an hour’s loop from the car park on the Pendam Trail.

All of the trails share a similar finishing descent back towards the visitor centre, either on the switchback singletrack of Barcud Bach (blue trail) or the High As A Kite trail sections.

While the visitor centre is due to close in March 2025, the trails, car park and toilet facilities will remain open.

This pay-to-ride bike park on the edge of Merthyr Tydfil boasts the most impressive selection of trails in Wales – if not the UK. Choose between an uplift pass (ideal for getting the most bang for your buck in terms of runs) or a pedal pass (a great choice for e-bikers).

As well as following the standard trail grading, the BikePark Wales trails are also split into ‘flow’, ‘tech’ or ‘blend’. If, like me, you relish a technical challenge rather than all-out speed, then give the red-rated 2.5km Root Manoeuvres a try - it’s a corker for more experienced riders! 

As well as the range of over 40 all weather trails, there’s also a fantastic café, bike hire, a well-stocked bike shop and workshop on site, plus other handy things like showers, toilets, a bike wash and plenty of free parking.

There are two red-rated loops at CwmCarn Forest, Cafall and Twrch, are among the best XC-style trails in Wales. They’ll test your fitness just as much as your technical ability, with relentless ups and downs as you climb up out of the valley and across the clearfell on purpose-built single track trails that run well all year round.

There’s also the easier blue-rated Pwca trail to warm up on, and a couple of more downhill-oriented black trails for riders looking to progress onto more advanced challenges. 

Next to the car park you’ll find the CwmCarn Forest visitor centre, which hosts a good café and toilet facilities.

One of South Wales’ most well-known MTB sites, Afan (pronounced Ah-van) boasts four trails from its Afan Forest Park base. The 7.1 km Blue Scar trail is one of the few trails in the UK that’s designed with adaptive cycles in mind, while the longer 14.4 km red-rated Penhydd Trail packs in more technical challenges and narrower single track trails.

There are even more trails on the opposite side of the valley, easily accessed via the Glyncorrwg Ponds and MTB Centre. Both sites host a bike shop, bike wash, cafe and toilets. 

Formerly known as the Black Mountains Cycle Centre, Dirt Farm is a downhill-focussed bike park with no less than five blue-rated MTB trails and seven red trails, plus another six more advanced trails and a pro line.

If, like me, you love practising your jumping technique, this is an excellent choice, with plenty of progression options on offer.

Catch the uplift tractor to lap the downhill tracks, or opt for a push-up pass to get back up the hill under your own steam. Back at the car park, you’ll find toilets, a bike wash and shop.

Exploring the outdoors is fantastic fun and provides great opportunities for adventurous activities, but please read up on the risks and follow the advice from AdventureSmart UK to make sure you are prepared.