Llys-y-Frân Reservoir Cycle Trail

The Llys-y-frân trails use a color-coded grading system:

• Green Trails (Easy): Beginner-friendly, with rollable features and flowing singletrack. The main reservoir route includes gentle sections suitable for families.
• Blue Trails (Moderate): More physically demanding with short, strenuous climbs, requiring good fitness.
• Red Trails (Difficult): Physically demanding with long climbs, steep descents, rock gardens, and challenging features.
• Black Trails (Severe): For expert riders with advanced skills, featuring extremely demanding sections, steep downhills, and unavoidable drops.

The main reservoir loop is generally considered easy to moderate, with more challenging sections branching off.

Yes, the Llys-y-frân dam loop is very suitable for beginners. The main reservoir route, approximately 10.5 km (7 miles) long, features gentle, surfaced singletrack that is beginner-friendly. There are also specific 'Green Trails' designed for those new to mountain biking, with features that are generally rollable.

The main Llys-y-frân dam loop, which is about 10.2 km (6.3 miles) long, typically takes around 50-60 minutes to complete on a mountain bike. This duration can vary depending on your pace and whether you explore any of the additional technical singletrack sections that branch off the main route.

Parking is available at the Llys-y-frân Country Park visitor center. The park is well-equipped with facilities, and the trails are easily accessible from this central point.

While there isn't a specific permit required for mountain biking the trails, Llys-y-frân is a country park and may have parking fees or general entrance fees for vehicle access. It's advisable to check the official Llys-y-frân website for the most current information on any charges before your visit.

Yes, the Llys-y-frân dam loop and the wider country park are generally dog-friendly. However, dogs must be kept on a lead at all times, especially around livestock, wildlife, and other visitors. Always remember to clean up after your dog.

The route offers breathtaking scenery, winding through woodlands, alongside the reservoir, and providing spectacular views of the water. You'll experience the tranquil environment of the 350-acre country park, centered around the reservoir and its impressive 100-foot-high dam. Expect a mix of forest and open bracken areas.

Llys-y-frân can be enjoyed year-round, but spring and autumn often offer the most pleasant conditions with milder temperatures and beautiful foliage. Summer is also popular, though it can be busier. Winter riding is possible, but be prepared for potentially wet and muddy conditions, especially on unpaved sections.

Yes, Llys-y-frân Country Park is well-equipped. You can find bike hire, including e-bikes, at the visitor center. There is also the Llys y Frân Café, perfect for refreshments before or after your ride, and an adventure playground for families.

Beyond the main reservoir loop, look for 12 sections of purpose-built singletrack that branch off, offering more technical challenges. Specific notable sections include "Dam Good View," which cuts into an old hedgerow track, and "Dam Buster," featuring tabletop jumps and fast switchbacks down to the base of the Llys y Fran Dam and Reservoir. These allow riders to progressively develop skills.

Yes, the route also passes through sections of the Church Path.