The Triban Trail is a 110 mile (178 km) mountain biking loop from Ruthin in Denbighshire, North-East Wales, linking the Clwydian Range, the trail centre of Llandegla, and the beautiful Llyn Brenig reservoir. A network of moorland trails, field tracks, trail centre singletrack, fire road climbs and quiet back lanes await on this three-stage adventure through some of the lesser explored rural landscapes of North Wales.

I’d definitely recommend a mountain bike for this challenge. A hardtail would probably be the perfect compromise between some suspension for the more technical parts of the route, including the red-rated trails in Llandegla trail centre, and more pedalling-friendly for the linking lanes and bridleways. If you’re happier on a rigid or full suspension mountain bike these will also be okay, but more compromised on some sections than others.

If you’re tackling the Triban Trail as a three-day adventure, you’ll need to think about where you’ll overnight between stages. There are a number of campsites and some guest houses in the area, as well as much more selection in Ruthin. It’s well worth booking in advance, especially during the busier summer months.

The best time of year to ride the Triban Trail is springtime and autumn, when you’ll be more likely to experience good weather while avoiding the busier summer holiday months. In the winter you’ll probably find that some of the linking bridleways and field trails can be pretty boggy, even though a lot of the trail is on well-draining hardpack.

There are no train links to Ruthin at the start and finish, so if you’re travelling by train the closest station is at Penyffordd, a 13.2 mile (21.2 km) road ride away. It may be more convenient to travel by car, where you can leave your vehicle in Ruthin town for a few days and return to it at the end. There are plenty of free on-street parking options out of the town centre.