Parking
Start at the Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre car park at Dolgefeiliau, Ganllwyd, Dolgellau LL40 2HZ, reached from the A470. Overnight parking is not allowed.
Overview
About Pont Penmaen Trail
Why go
- Waymarked forest-road loop with frequent benches
- Afon Gain bridge and Rhinogydd views
Heads up
- Steep gradients and rougher track sections
- No toilets beyond the visitor centre
The turning point is the footbridge across the Afon Gain, with the river tumbling below and a picnic table by the water. The leaflet also flags the views of the surrounding forest and across to the Rhinogydd, which is the reason to take on the full loop rather than the short version.
Parkwolf’s verdictThe payoffMap & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Eryri Tour Guide
Your drive to Pont Penmaen Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Eryri National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this area
Coed y Brenin Forest Trails0:00 / 0:34
“You're coming up on Coed y Brenin, Britain's first purpose-built mountain biking centre, with forest trails for riders and walkers alike.”
Plays on the road 0.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Eryri Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Rhaeadr Ddu at Ganllwyd
- The Walls Made to Give Way
- The Forest That Fueled Iron
- The King's Guards at Pont Ty'n-y-groes
- 298 audio storiesacross Eryri’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grey Heron, Tawny Owl, Common Raven, and 9 more
- Works offlinemaps, 120 trails, 82 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Pont Penmaen Trail
The basicsA circular loop on forest roads, starting and finishing at the Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre car…
A circular loop on forest roads, starting and finishing at the Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre car park. Distances quoted here are for the complete loop.
- Distance: 5.3 miles / 8.5 km
- Climb: 875 feet / 267 m
- Typical time: 3 to 3.5 hours
- Graded strenuous, and waymarked as an off-road mobility-scooter trail
How the route runsYou head out from the visitor centre and follow the forest-road circuit past Tyddyn Gwladys, on…
You head out from the visitor centre and follow the forest-road circuit past Tyddyn Gwladys, on through Pont Penmaen, and up to the footbridge over the Afon Gain at Pont Gwyn-fynydd, then return along the other side of the loop rather than retracing your wheels.
Just beyond the Tyddyn Gwladys viewpoint, a sign offers a shorter 3.7-mile / 5.9-km option (2 to 2.5 hours) if you would rather not commit to the far end.
Surface and gradientsMost of it is solid forest road, but it is not smooth all the way.
Most of it is solid forest road, but it is not smooth all the way. Expect rougher track sections with mud, loose material or potholes in places.
- There are steep descents and climbs where mobility-scooter users must engage tortoise mode
- Take the downhills slowly and keep your speed under control on loose surfaces
- Factor the full 267 m of climbing into your timings and your battery range, since this is a strenuous 8.5 km
Facilities on route9 benches along the trail for rest stops
- 9 benches along the trail for rest stops
- Picnic table by the river
- No toilets once you leave the visitor centre, so sort that before you set off
Parking and accessStart from the Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre car park at Dolgefeiliau, Ganllwyd, Dolgellau LL40…
Start from the Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre car park at Dolgefeiliau, Ganllwyd, Dolgellau LL40 2HZ, reached from the A470. Overnight parking is not allowed.
DogsDogs are welcome under effective control.
Dogs are welcome under effective control. Use a short lead where signs ask for it, around livestock and near edges. On open access land, dogs must be on a lead from 1 March to 31 July.
Come preparedWaterproofs, warm clothing and gloves, as recommended for this trail
- Waterproofs, warm clothing and gloves, as recommended for this trail
- Food and drink, plus enough charge for the full 8.5 km with sustained climbing
- If the weather turns or you are running behind, take the shorter 3.7-mile option instead
Wildlife
Wildlife in Eryri
77 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
17 sightingsTawny OwlMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
32 sightingsCommon RavenMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
21 sightingsGreat Spotted WoodpeckerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
18 sightingsEuropean RabbitMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
161 sightingsViviparous LizardMost seen around 10 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Eryri. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
