Coed y Brenin Forest Park - Pont Ty'n-y-groes, near Dolgellau

Welcome

Pont Ty'n-y-groes is in Coed y Brenin Forest Park.

The car park is the starting point for two forest walks.

The King’s Guards Trail is an accessible trail along the river and past the tallest trees in Coed y Brenin Forest Park.

The Penrhos Mountain Trail is a rugged mountain route with some great views over Eryri.

There is a riverside picnic area and a level grassy area next to the car park where children can play. 

The toilets are in the car park.

Walking trails

The walking trails are waymarked from start to finish.

Look out for the information panel at the start of the trail.

Find out about walking trail grades.

The King’s Guards Trail

• Grade: Accessible 
• Distance: 0.5 miles/0.8 kilometres
• Time: 15 minutes
• Highlights: See the magnificent Douglas firs, the biggest trees in Coed y Brenin, on this walk accessible to all.
• Trail description: The waymarked accessible trail is a short loop path which leads to the ‘King’ and then returns to the car park.

It is a well surfaced 2m wide route and is suitable for wheelchairs. There are resting points at least every 100m.

There are no steps or stiles.

You can download an audio trail and listen to the history of Coed y Brenin and an interview with a forester about how the forest was created.

The King’s Champion Trail

• Grade: Easy
• Distance: 0.6 miles/0.9 kilometres
• Time: 30 minutes
• Highlights: Enjoy this flat family riverside walk to the biggest trees in the forest. You walk to the 'King', the tree with the widest trunk, and the 'King's Champion', the tallest tree, and visit the commemorative stone. 
• Trail description: The route follows the accessible trail to the ‘King’ on a well surfaced 2m wide route, suitable for wheelchairs.

It then goes on to the ‘Champion’ on a slightly steeper gradient and descends back to the car park on a tarmac road with a slope of 20%/1 in 5. This section is suitable for pushchairs.

There are no steps or stiles along the whole trail.

You can download an audio trail and listen to the history of Coed y Brenin and an interview with a forester about how the forest was created.

Penrhos Mountain Trail

• Grade: Strenuous
• Distance: 3.2 miles/5.2 kilometres
• Time: 2 hours
• Highlights: Like the name suggests, the Penrhos Mountain Trail gives you a real feel of mountain walking and you will be rewarded at the top with outstanding views of Y Garn, Cader Idris and Rhobell Fawr.
• Trail description: The trail has steep and narrow paths, often less than 50cm wide in places, on an unmade, uneven surface, where you can expect mud, rocks and tree roots.

The trail also has several flights of steps. Once you reach the summit viewpoint there is a bench where you can rest and take in the magnificent views.

Audio trail

Find out about the history of Coed y Brenin and listen to an interview with a forester about how the forest was created.

Our mp3 audio trail has been designed for use on the King’s Guards Trail or the King’s Champion Trail from the Pont Ty'n-y-Groes car park.

There are numbered posts on the walking trail which tell you when to play each section.

As mobile phone network coverage can be limited in rural areas, we recommend that you download the audio trail before your visit.

You can also download a PDF file of the script.

To download the audio trail go to Audio trails and folk tales.

Coed y Brenin Forest Park

The main car parks with facilities for visitors within Coed y Brenin Forest Park are:

• Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre - famous mountain biking centre with walking and running trails
• Forest Garden – accessible trail through trees from all over the world
• Glasdir - walking trail through an old copper mine
• Pandy - forest garden with trees from all over the world
• Pont Cae’n-y-coed - challenging walk to highest point of the forest park
• Pont Llam yr Ewig - accessible trail to viewpoint over old copper mine
• Pont Ty'n-y-groes - riverside picnic area with accessible walk and mountain trail
• Tyddyn Gwladys – riverside picnic site and gateway to the Waterfalls and Goldmines Trail

Eryri National Park

Coed y Brenin Forest Park is set in Eryri National Park.

Eryri is the largest National Park in Wales and is home to picturesque towns and villages and the highest mountain in Wales.

It is looked after by the Eryri National Park Authority.

For more information about visiting Eryri go to the Eryri National Park Authority website.

Visiting safely

We want you to return home safely after your visit here.

You are responsible for your own safety as well as the safety of any children and animals with you during your visit.

For advice and tips to help you plan your visit here go to Visiting our places safely.

Accessibility information

The first part of the King’s Guards Trail is on almost flat ground and is suitable for wheelchairs.

Facilities in Pont Ty'n-y-groes car park include:

• parking for Blue Badge holders 
• accessible toilets

Please note there is no emergency pull cord fitted in the toilets here. The nearest toilet with this feature is at Coed y Brenin visitor centre.

Opening times 

Please check the top of this webpage for any changes to these opening times.

The toilets are open 9am to 5pm, and are locked overnight.

Changes to visitor facilities

See the top of this webpage for details of any planned closures or other changes to visitor facilities here.

For your safety, always follow instructions from staff and signs including those for trail diversions or closures.

We may divert or close trails whilst we undertake maintenance work or other operations and we may need to close other visitor facilities temporarily.

In extreme weather, we may close facilities at short notice due to the risk of injury to visitors and staff.

Organising an event on our land

You may need permission from us to organise an event or to carry out some activities on our land.

Check if you are allowed to use our land.

How to get here

We recommend you follow these directions or use the Google map below which has a pin on this place’s location.

Pont Ty'n-y-groes car park is 5 miles north of Dolgellau.

Take the A470 north from Dolgellau towards Porthmadog.

About 200 metres after passing the Tyn y Groes Hotel, turn right following the brown tourist signs to Ty'n y Groes.

The car park is 300 metres down the hill by the side of the river Mawddach.

The Ordnance Survey (OS) grid reference for the car park is SH 730 233 (Explorer Map OL 18).

The postcode is LL40 2NW. Please note that this postcode covers a wide area and will not take you directly to the entrance.

View this place on the What3Words website.

Public transport

The nearest mainline railway stations are Barmouth (Cambrian Coast line) and Blaenau Ffestiniog (Blaenau Ffestiniog-Llandudno line).

For details of public transport go to the Traveline Cymru website.

Parking

Parking is free of charge.

Overnight parking is not permitted.

Contact details

There are no staff at this location.

Contact our customer team for general enquiries during office hours, Monday to Friday.