The Foto team for all
categories of riders

featured event

British Downhill Series 2011, Round 1 Nant Gwrtheyrn.

  • Nant Gwrtheyrn
  • Llithfaen
  • Pwllheli
  • Gwynedd
  • LL53 6NL

Directions from the North

Head Towards Caemarfon on the A487 untill Llanwnda turn right onto A499 follow the road to Llanaelhaearn. Then turn right onto the B4417 after 2.5 miles turn right towards Nant Gwrtheyrn (follow the brown tourists signs for Nant Gwrtheyrn) then follow the road until you reach Nant Gwrtheyrn Welsh heritage centre.

Directions from the south & Midlands

Using the motorway head to Shrewsbury M54 then on the A5 as far as Nescliffe. Take the B4393 towards Knockin Heath follow signs to Bala in Bala follow signs for porthmadog, criccieth stay on this road until Y Ffor turn right onto the A499 heading towards Llanaelhaearn. Then turn left onto the B4417 after 2.5 miles turn right towards Nant Gwrtheyrn (follow the brown tourists signs for Nant Gwrtheyrn) then follow the road until you reach Nant Gwrtheyrn Welsh heritage centre.

The track

Nant Gwrtheyrn is a natural steep technical race course that was discovered by simply Downhill in 2009, after some negotiations with the owners of the land the track was developed and extended. This resulted in the 1st race on this track in August 2010.

The top of the course starts in the woods and makes its way down the hill with turns, drops and switchbacks; it also has a lot of natural rock sections including a 25 foot rock garden. The middle section of the course brings you onto the wides part of the track, with a selection of jumps and drops and fast turns. The course then comes out of the woods and into the car park and goes under a stone archway and down the steps across an open section before a drop into the gardens of the center and the finish area.

  • The fastest time is estimated to be around 2.15 (set by Josh Brycland)
  • The start is 321meters above sea level
  • The finish is 54meters above sea level
  • 267 meters is the total vertical drop and the track is 1.4kms long.

Riders to watch

Emry Davies A welsh wizard on the Downhill circuit.

Emry took part in the first organized race at Nant Gwrtheyrn in August 2010 coming 2nd in the "Expert" catorgory, loosing out on first by 2 tenths of a second. Having moved into "Elite" for 2011 season, will be a boost to his confidence and definatly one to look out for in the first round of this years BDS.

Manon Carpenter

Manon Carpenter was another rider with first hand experience of riding the Nant Gwrtheyrn Track, having competed in the Simply Downhill Race in August 2010. Manon won the Female elite race with a time of 2min.55sec.4. Really looking forward to Manon taking on the best of the Elite woman this year, definatly one for the future.