Llys-y-Fran Mountain Bike Trails

Llys-y-Fran Mountain Bike Trails are 12 signposted, colour-coded singletrack trails (2 greens, 3 blues, 5 reds and 2 blacks) beside a Welsh Water reservoir in the foothills of the Preseli Mountains in Pembrokeshire, Wales. They branch off and rejoin the gravelled Reservoir Route around the lake, and there is also a free skills area and pump track, three gravel cycle routes of 5 to 11km on the reservoir tracks, and bike hire on site. Riding is free to enter, with pay and display parking, and the wider park has a cafe, visitor centre, campsite, fishing, an adventure playground and a range of land and water activities.

The Trails

The mountain bike trails are well signposted and colour coded, and all of them are ridden anticlockwise. Distances below are the operator's stated route lengths. Walkers share the trails and have priority, so keep left, pass right, and slow down near blind spots.

• Grebe Glen (green, 300m): rolling ups and downs of sinewy singletrack beside the water, with an optional blue-grade rock section.
• Duck, Duck, Goose (green, 300m): a mini flow trail of berms and rollers, similar in feel to the skills area.
• Woodstock Weave (blue, 750m): a slow, gentle climb through dense old woodland, then a long rolling descent in and out of the trees.
• Dam Good View (blue, 750m): cut into an old hedgerow track, dropping over a bridge and stream inlet before climbing across a north shore bridge to the highest point on the site, with views of the dam and the Syfynwy Valley. It links straight into The Dam Buster.
• Bluebell Woods (blue, 550m): a flow trail with rollable jumps that weaves through open bracken and some of the biggest trees on the site, with a carpet of bluebells in spring.
• Badger's Bank (red, 1,000m): a meandering climb to the top of the quarry wall with an optional red-grade boulder feature, then a fun descent in and out of the trees.
• Fern Gulley (red, 225m): a climb through dappled light in fern-rich woodland that opens out and rolls through deep bracken, with fantastic views of the lake.
• The Otter Spotter (red, 750m): flowy lakeside singletrack weaving through woodland in a conservation area, flattening out before a final descent to the reservoir.
• Kingfisher Canyon (red, 1,000m): a technical descent of steep, dropping turns and berms into the valley, a north shore bridge over two streams, a deceptive climb up the far side and a fast descent past rocky outcrops.
• Peregrine Pass (red, 400m): a twisting ribbon of dirt across a field through rollers, jumps and berms into fast, twisty woodland singletrack, with a north shore bridge over a ravine and a small drop into the final descent.
• The Dam Buster (black, 1,000m): a fast, flowy descent with rollers, jumps and big berms, then tight woodland turns, exposed rock, roots and drops, finishing near the dam wall. You will want a quality bike and some expert skills.
• Rocky Road (black, 900m): a technical rocky climb to the top of the cliff line with views over the reservoir, a traverse past rocky outcrops and a descent through natural rock chutes and drops, with optional black features.
• Skills Area and Pump Track: a free skills area and pump track for riders of all levels, open all year round. It is ridden anticlockwise, helmets are compulsory, arms and legs should be covered as a minimum, and it is for non-motorised riders only.

Trails at Llys-y-Fran are subject to periodic closures and diversions for maintenance and site works. Always check the Llys-y-Fran mountain bike trails page for current notices before travelling.

Gravel Riding

The mountain bike trails sit alongside three waymarked cycle routes on the reservoir's gravelled tracks. Two start from the visitor centre and one from the far side car park.

• Family Route (easy, 5.13km): along the near side of the reservoir on a gravelled track and back again, gently undulating past picnic areas, a bird hide and grassy meadows to the bridge over the Afon Syfni.
• Reservoir Route (difficult, 10.1km): the complete circuit of the reservoir, ridden anticlockwise on a gravelled track through woodland. Take care on the steep sections and hairpin bends on the far western side. The operator gives about 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Woodstock Route (difficult, 11.05km): starting from the far side car park, this route tackles the roughest gravel sections in the woodland on the far side of the lake, and returns the same way. The operator gives about 1 hour 25 minutes.

The operator describes the reservoir loop surfaces as uneven gravel, so wider tyres are a sensible choice. The e-bikes for hire are aimed at riding round the lake rather than on the singletrack.

Bike Hire and Facilities

• Bike hire: the Bike Hub at the activity centre hires balance bikes, first pedal bikes, Frog youth mountain bikes, Trek hardtail mountain bikes for adults and teens, and e-bikes. Booking online in advance is recommended, especially for groups, and photo ID such as a passport, driving licence or bank card is needed at the time of hire. Activities at the park are seasonal and do not run every day, so check the operator's opening times page before you travel.
• Bike Hub: qualified mechanics, an in-house repair workshop, a tool station and a bike wash station if you bring your own bike. Bicycle parking is available.
• On site: a visitor centre with the Lakeview Cafe and gift shop, toilets by the car park and inside the visitor centre, and an activity centre with changing rooms and showers.

Admission and Parking

The park is free to enter and open all year, and the trails and the skills area and pump track are free to ride. Parking is pay and display: in the peak season (April to October) it is £1.50 for 1 hour, £4 for 4 hours and £6 for all day, and in the off-peak season (November to March) it is £1.50 for the whole day. An annual parking pass is £40, and Blue Badge holders park free in the disabled bays. Prices are correct as of September 2026 but subject to change, so check current rates on the Llys-y-Fran directions and facilities page before you go.

The site gate opens at 6am with last entry at 7pm. Published opening hours are 9am to 5pm in summer and 10am to 4pm in winter, and the site is closed on 24, 25 and 26 December.

Getting Here

• By car: follow the brown Llys-y-Fran signs from the A40. It is about a 20 minute drive north east of Haverfordwest. The address is Llys-y-Fran Lake, Clarbeston Road, Pembrokeshire, SA63 4RR, and the what3words location is shared.adventure.country.
• Parking: the main car park is close to the visitor centre, with disabled bays and bicycle parking. The car park surface is gravel and loose stones in places. The Woodstock Route starts from a separate car park on the far side of the dam.
• By train: the nearest station is Clarbeston Road, about three miles away, where trains stop by request. Allow around 1 hour 15 minutes to walk to the visitor centre.

Beyond the Trails

Llys-y-Fran is a 350 acre park of woodland, grassland and lake owned and managed by Welsh Water, and it works well as a full day out for mixed groups and families. The Llys-y-Fran website covers the whole offering.

• Eat and drink: the Lakeview Cafe at the visitor centre serves breakfast, lunch and cake from a seasonal menu built around local Welsh produce, with vegetarian and gluten free options and a terrace over the lake. The gift shop stocks local produce and crafts.
• Stay: the Lakeview Campsite overlooks the lake, with grass and hardstanding pitches, many with electric hook-up, and toilets and heated showers. Pitches are booked through Pitchup.com.
• On the water and the land: paddleboard, kayak and canoe hire, self-launch for your own paddle craft, fishing for stocked rainbow trout, archery, axe throwing and electric Crazi-Bugz buggies for younger riders. Sessions are seasonal and are best pre-booked.
• Families and dogs: an adventure playground with a mini zip wire, a dog agility area where dogs can run off the lead, and a network of waymarked walking trails around the reservoir, with otters, kingfishers and other wildlife to spot.
• Wilder riding nearby: for unwaymarked bridleway riding over the hills, see Preseli Hills Mountain Biking, about 6km to the north.

Share

• If you have visited Llys-y-Fran Mountain Bike Trails, please share your reviews, photos, and videos to this listing.