Well, I wouldnt really consider myself a “tourist” but I will be traveling to Scotland from the USA for a little over a week and would like to do the 7stanes Challenge, all 7 ride centers in 7 days. I am shooting for the 2nd week of June for this trip.

I am a fairly experienced mountain biker so the details around riding the trails, etc. are not what I am really concerned about, its more of the logistics of how to get to each location and where to stay each night in between each location. How easy is it to use public transportation to get between each location or is it simply better to rent a car for the driving? On lodging, I am pretty accustomed to camping wherever I go mountain biking but I will have limited gear as I will be flying in, is there reasonable lodging near each main trail center. I am not on an extremely tight budget but I would like to keep the total cost fairly low.

Really just looking for any information that people are willing to provide on setting up a trip like. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Pretty sure someone will be along soon with more detailed info, but http://www.visitscotland.com works for accomodation and I think if you have a car you can box off more than one a day.

Public transport (especially when needing to carry a bike) I would say is a bit of a no go if I’m honest! You’d be better of hiring a car if you can, will save you a lot of time and give you a lot more flexibility. Also, bear in mind that Glentress/Innerleithen are classed as the same ‘stane’ but I’d say you’re better spending a day at each as there’s plenty to do. To counter this I’d skip out Glentrool, I guess it just depends how keen you are on the ‘tick.’

Regarding accomodation, lots of places have camping pods which might be a good alternative to camping as you’ll need less kit, but if you’re on your own it might not be very cheap. Might be worth looking at the Scottish Youth Hostel Association though I’ve not stayed in any around here so can;t massively comment.

I’m far from an expert but we did Mabie and Dalbeattie in a day, then Kirroughtree the next day. Drove over to glentress that afternoon then a day around Glentress and Innerleithen

we didn’t cover it all but in a week you’ll have plenty of time and it would be enough time to take in some natural stuff as well

we stayed here at Glentress which I remember being pretty good

http://www.glentresspeelcafe.co.uk/about-us.html

oh yes – pretty sure you’ll need a car!

As you’re in the area, do Drumlanrig too. Not one of the Stanes, but the trails are great. Could easily do Ae in the morning, Drumlanrig in the afternoon.

You can easily spend an entire day at GT and another day an Inners doing the XC loop as well as the Enduro/DH stuff. Dalbeattie and Mabie would make a good morning/afternoon combo too.

Kirroughtree is a bit further away than the others but don’t be tempted to miss it out. It’s very pedal-y put if you attack the trail its one of the best trail centres in the UK imo.

Definitely hire a car. Bikes on public transport wouldn’t be great fun and I’m not all the sure how close you’d get to some of the Stanes on a bus either.

Throw a sleeping bag in the suitcase and hire an estate car then you can kip in the car some nights and stay in pubs B&B’s as you find them if you want. Total flexability.

Are you looking at hiring bikes too?

And travel-wise, we are very rural (I’m 20 mins from Glentress/Innerleithen) so while there is public transport (but not for bikes) on the main routes, not a lot in-between,

Plenty of places to stay though – maybe look at B&B.

Someone’s got to say it…. You are visiting from the US and you want to ride at some anonymous/generic trail centres?

We’ve done this a few times, you will need a car… bag all the western Stanes (and Drumlanrig) then drive across to the eastern ones, Glentress Inners and Newcastleton or vise versa

We used the Galloway Activity Centre as a base for the western side as its pretty central and Kalzie Bunkhouse near Glentress or the ‘wigwams’ at Glentress itself, Newcastleton is a bit further out so you probably want to do that first/last

Wow! Great advice from everyone, thanks so much.

I will be flying in with my bike so no need to hire one.

Sounds like the best option is defiantly to hire a car and drive to the different location. If possible car camping but otherwise it sounds like getting a decent hostel in the area is pretty easy.

Ill take a stab at putting together an plan on riding and lodging and maybe post it back here for critique.

Any additional suggestions are always welcomed. If anyone is in the area that 2nd week of June and would like to ride let me know.

@scotroutes Im not sure I understand your remark. If it is a jab at American tourists, I dont get it. If it was a word of caution or a suggestion to try different riding the in area I would love to hear more. Thanks

Sorry if I wasn’t clear. I was just trying to get across that there is a lot better riding in Scotland than you will find through a mass of cultivated fir trees. Scotland is blessed by having some of the most liberal land access laws on the planet. Basically, you can ride anywhere you want as long as you are being responsible with it. Couple that to a wide network of tracks and paths and you have thousands of miles of potential riding. A couple of hours north of the central belt (Edinburgh/Glasgow) will get you into the Cairngorms or over to Fort William. Even around the Dumfries/Borders area (where the 7Stanes are) there are other options.

I’m not completely dissing trail centres. I ride at some myself occasionally and I can appreciate that they are useful if you don’t /can’t find your way around a map.

Have often wondered about doing this, but having ridden there, in my opinion Newcastleton isn’t worth the trip*.

*YMMV etc. Love the other Stanes I have ridden.

I agree with scotroutes. My advice would be this –

2 days riding around torridon/applecross.

2 days riding around aviemore/Cairngorms

2 days riding Glentress/Innerliethen and the natural trails around there.

A night on the piss/food in Edinburgh.

Happy days.

Car or motor home definitely.

http://www.mtb-borders.com

scotroutes like many others on here are a wee bit anti trail centre and would advise you ride routes such as ; http://www.mtb-borders.com/3_brethren_minch_moor.html Which is fine so long as you can read an OS map.

http://eat-sleep-ride.com

http://www.drumlanrigcastle.co.uk/outdoor-activities/mountain-biking/

http://www.laggan.com/wolftrax.htm

https://www.facebook.com/GlenlivetMountainBikeTrailCentre

Whinlatter instead of Newcastleton? http://www.cyclewise.co.uk/index.php/whinlatter-trails-altura-trail-and-bike-hire

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/campervans.shtml

I resemble that remark!

scotroutes – Member
Trekster » scotroutes like many others on here are a wee bit anti trail centre
I resemble that remark!

Resent even 😉

I think “resemble” was deliberate…..

See the malapropism thread….

Let’s face it. You want trail centres because they’re easy to find and only a numpty could get lost on a way marked trail. Although I agree with scotroutes, 2 days getting pish wet through in the Cairngorms in zero visibility is not fun. Torridon is amazing, but can bite you in your ass if you get it wrong miles from anywhere. In other words if you’re looking to switch off for the week go to trail centres, if you want to navigate your way away the highland wilderness get yourself up north.
Btw, can’t see it mentioned but glentrool is done more for the scenery than technical riding, it’s not a fun ride by any means and is completely rideable on a cross bike.

A few people have mentioned Drumlanrig but that might be off the agenda this season. The estate has been hit by an aggressive tree (Larch) disease and the trails have been shut all winter while they deal with this. Only 6Km of the 30km (red/black) are running again currently.

I live not far from Glentree/Innerleithen – happy to show you around (both the trail centres and off-piste) and make sure you get the most from your day(s).

email in profile

Sorry if I wasn’t clear. I was just trying to get across that there is a lot better riding in Scotland than you will find through a mass of cultivated fir trees. Scotland is blessed by having some of the most liberal land access laws on the planet. Basically, you can ride anywhere you want as long as you are being responsible with it.

This makes it a lot harder to find good routes if you don’t know the area as there’s not really much info on the OS maps compared to south of the border without defined rights of way.

As for a weeks riding I’d visit Glentress/Innerleithen over 2 days. Come down to Dumfries and ride Mabie and Dalbeattie in a day. Then head to Kirroughtree before finally spending a couple of days near Ambleside in the Lakes for some easily navigated natural riding. Newcastleton is nice enough if you’re passing but it’s only short and a long way from anywhere else. I just don’t like Ae.

I have done what you propose. Its pretty much essential to hire a car , far to complicated to screw around with public transport.

Advantages are cafes and bike shops at each location . Lots of people around to ride with or help you out if it goes abit wrong . Different levels of waymarked trails that are weather proof.

Disaadvantages . Weather , Midges , groundhog day , people , missing out on natural riding,

I would do a mix and match if at all possible , some trail center riding and some natural

It’s not really a matter of pro or anti trail centres is it? I couldn’t imagine spending a week just riding centres day in day out and nothing else, except as some sort of challenge or competition. But they certainly serve a purpose, eg poor weather and limited time/initiative for anything more…adventurous. Kind of like going to Scotland as a tourist and eating in a different chippy every day.

Drumlanrig red trail is pretty much up and running again.

Only the very last section is shut so there’s a diversion up the black climb onto the road and a freewheel back to the castle.

First black is devastated and will be shut for a while.

To make a decent ride head out for a lap of the diverted red approx 15km then if you want more do a lap of the red bail out to make it up to 20km…

The trouble with 7 stanes in 7 days is Newcastleton and Glentrool. Drum adds a bit more complexity by being not a stane but brilliant. Mabie and Drumlanrig red would make a good day I reckon, and Glentress and Innerleithen can eat all the days you have especially if you’re up for the downhill and offmap stuff (personally I don’t think much of the best stuff at innerleithen is on the maps, the red route’s pretty lacklustre, the black’s better but the not-very-secrets are stunning.

Hmm, first off, I’d hire a car. As others have said, public transport isn’t the best away from urban areas. It’d give you more flexibility as well should you decide that you’d like to try something else.

Personally I wouldn’t want to do a week solely at trail centres but can understand why someone coming over from the States might want to make the most of their limited time, they don’t have the luxury of being able to head to the far north because there’s a good forecast. I’ve not been to Ae or Newcastleton but have made several weekend visits to the others so I’m not anti trail centre but given the option (read good weather) I’d drive further north and head out in to the mountains. For the majority it’s not a case of one or the other, it’s simply a case of making the best of recreational time.

Trail centres are pretty much a UK thing and the magazines do major on them so it’s understandable why a visitor would wish to sample them.

I’d not stick to just the stanes(I’ve never heard of the 7 stanes challenge! :D) head up north, fort william/ wolftrax(maybe get a discussion started on the best route around the aviemore/cairngorms as an introduction), do glentress or inners, head down to mabie or kirroughtree, and then on to the lakes.

That there will give you a full slice of scotland and a bit of northern england(which I’ve still to venture down to but I do really fancy it, you’ll also need someone to advise you on route choice there with GPS or what not.)

unless you are confident in deciphering scottish dotted lines on OS maps(you shouldn’t be if you are :D) and considering how the weather can be here, making your own routes could be very much hit an miss. you’d defo need peoples suggestions and GPS routes, though aviemore is superb, (as is torridon), but that’s a shedload extra driving.

you’ll defo need a car i reckon, accommodation wise, I’d just get the route sorted first and then worry about that, you’ll be able to find cheap hostels about if you want to keep the budget down(no frills dorms, sites for them are http://www.syha.org.uk/ and the independent hostels http://www.hostel-scotland.co.uk/) you’ll also find various wigwams style glamping huts in places that you could make use of sometimes.

Hi JMJ,

Just in case, you arrive earlier. http://tweedlove.com/ If not lots of photos, links to accomodation etc. Have fun. My Email is in profile, as I live in Peebles and can show you some trails.

Ivnickkate

I stayed at this place a few weeks back: http://www.gorsebank.com/
Nice, reasonably priced accomodation and the people who run it were very nice.

It’s right next to Dalbeattie and not too far from Ae, Kirroughtree and Mabie – would make a good base if you had a hire car.

They do bike hire too.

how was your trip?

Hire a van.
I like to do Kirroughtree first, staying at the crown in Newton Stewart.
Then Lagan, the black is a must. There are loads of b and b in Newtonmore.
Then Golspie, this is the best trail centre in Scotland don’t miss it. Stay in Dornoch.
Then go to aviemore,try to arrange a guide through Bothy bikes
Then down to Glentress and Innerliethen. Stay at the Tontine

I do this trip once or twice a year. In this order you work your way up and back down again breaking up the journey into reasonable sections.. Admittedly the best bit is the guided riding in Aviemore but I really don’t understand people that knock trail centres, particularly Scottish ones. They are world class.
Whatever you do don’t miss out Laggan and Golspie.

To be honest if you are coming from the states I’d sack off the 7stanes in 7 days idea, there’s far better wild riding to be had if you head up to aivemore and the Cairngorms for a few days of cracking wild rides then head across to Torridon for an experience. I’m up at avimore at the moment and just back in from a full moon night ride out to glen einich and back with just a merino base layer and hardshell outer, it’s surprisingly warm at the moment up here.

I live within 30mins of 3 of the 7 stanes (kirroughtree/Dalbeattie/Mabie) and whilst they can be entertaining in the switch mind off & ride mentality, you could do so much better for your time in the country.

Edit – I meant to add that whilst I live very close to the above mentioned trail parks I also have to say I’ve not ridden them in the past 2 years, from a perspective of having ridden pretty much all over Scotland I’d say head to avimore and take a box of decent biscuits into bothy bikes, buy a full set of local trail maps (very cheap) and take advice from them. There’s enough here to fill your week without venturing to trail parks, not that there’s owt wrong wi such places but if you’re coming so far you ought’a do yourself a favour and see what Scotland is really like

Doh!……just noticed the original post date……..

Thanks all for all the advice and suggestions. I did end up going but stayed mostly around Fort Williams and Isle of Skye for most of my riding, or at least until I tore my rear wheel up… But, I did get some pretty great riding in and the weather was pretty great. Looking forward to making a trip back soon for more riding.

Here are some of the rides I did. Most of these were just through talking to locals, getting a map and heading out.

https://www.strava.com/activities/152428552
https://www.strava.com/activities/152780211
https://www.strava.com/activities/153571799
https://www.strava.com/activities/157004320

I think the USA version of an MTB trail is a bit different from the British ‘Trail Centre’. I think you’d have been disappointed flying halfway around the world to ride Dalbeattie…! Looks like you did it right, anyway.

Thanks for the update 🙂

Glad you managed some good riding and hope the weather/midges held too.

@jessemillerjom – Member

Some nice rides there. As you found, good weather can make all the difference in Scotland. The country is small enough (in American terms) that you can easily move around to find better conditions, well most of the time 😕 I’ve been sunburnt in Ullapool on the west coast whilst Aviemore has been sat under rain clouds the whole time.

The underlying geology also makes a difference to the riding and scenery – just compare your Quirang and Sligachan rides. All just a few miles apart.