The Dyfi Valley and surroundings is a fabulous place to walk and bike, and there's plenty to do straight from Isfryn's front door.
Local Walking
Isfryn is
supplied with several books of walks, many of which we've done ourselves. We're always happy to suggest options.
Our favourite short local walk is a loop around the old farmhouse of Cefnbyriaeth. It starts from the front door and takes no more than 45
minutes unless you sit around taking in the views.
For a much bigger day out, the two most iconic local mountains both offer great day-walks. Cader Idris is the most well known of the two, and the car park for the Minffordd path (the prettiest and most popular route up it) is about 30 minutes drive from Isfryn. Less well known is the Aran ridge and it's biggest peak Aran Fawddwy, which is actually higher than Cader Idris. The parking for the Arans is about 20 minutes drive away in Cwm Cywarch close to Dinas Mawddwy. You should budget about 5-7 hours for both of these mountains. Another big day out is the little-walked Waun-Oer ridge, which is an extension of the Aran ridge behind our village; you can start/finish from Isfryn or Dinas Mawddwy at one end and Cwm Ratgoed or Talyllyn pass car park at the other.
In between these two extremes is a wealth of other walking. There are laminated copies of directions of some of our local recommendations kept in a folder in Isfryn lounge along with a local map and a compass, all of which you are welcome to borrow when you visit. Here are just a few ideas.
Some walks direct from Isfryn:
Walks within 30 minutes drive:
9 newly-waymarked routes have recently been opened in the area, most around Dinas Mawddwy, but one here at Aberangell. Route Maps and descriptions are available here.
Cycling
The area is popular for both road and mountain biking. For roadies Bwlch y Groes, the 2nd highest mountain pass in Wales, is a regular draw, as is the local part of National Cycle Route 8, which passes through Aberllefenni, only a few miles from us. If you are after more relaxed cycling, the local lanes are usually very quiet and are a lovely way to explore the area. Another very pleasant easy route is the Mawddach Trail which follows the line of the old railway from Dolgellau to Barmouth.
The region is a real hot spot for mountain biking with the Dyfi Bike Park offering a range of super-impressive trails with an uplift service . The well-known Coed y Brenin trail centre is only 30 minutes away by car. The ClimachX trail is around 20 minutes drive (or the fit can cycle from Isfryn). Info on all the local centres can be found here.