What do people think? I love having somewhere like Carron Valley on my doorstep. I think its a great leisure facility to have in central Scotland.

But I wish the Forestry Commission would extend the trails to the top of hill behind the start of Eas Dubh.

I realise it all comes down to funding but i think Carron Valley has so much potential to become one of the best trail centres in Scotland.

I did find a .pdf file through a Google search saying there was plans to extend the trails to 31km!The .pdf was dated 2006 so I wonder if these plans are just on hold or cancelled?

There’s quite a tale to tell behind this one. In summary it’s looking pretty unlikely that there will be any substantial investment in building new trails at CV.

See here for the whole saga.

The group behind CV were a great bunch with some fantastic plans but they were truly scuppered.

G

Would be great to see the trails extended further up into the hills to make it a longer run, but as it is I kinda like the short, sharp nature of the place- its no biggie to go round a coupla times or just go round once and spend time having fun on the runway.
Location wise its got great potential and is only about 30-40 mins away from where I stay in the east end of Glasgow which is good.
I’m aware of the fallout between FC and the development group which is a big shame- had such high hopes for the place when it first opened but in saying that Fc have spent a bit of money improving the existing trails- whats not to say they might spend a bit more in the future extending it with another loop at the top?

I guess it all comes down to money, wither that’s from EU or local government everyone’s a bit short this weather.

I’m sure the FC know the potential of Carron Valley.

I know there’s reasons why it turned out like it did, but the upper red (Eas Dubh etc) is really pretty crap… So without blaming anyone, some sort of major rebuild up there to make it more worthwhile would be good, just get back in and add some interest to it. It just feels like such a waste of effort, for the riders, for the builders…

I really liked the lower parts, kept doing laps of that, it’s got a really nice feel and personality to it, that’s what’ll draw me back to the place. So more like that.

I reckon the Runway’s one of the better jump lines, progresses nicely and the setup of the place means that laps are no hardship. It felt like maybe there should be slightly more stuff on it but that’s my only complaint, it’s a good fun, approachable jump track for mortals.

Have you been up recently northwind? They’ve re done Eas Dubh. Few more drop offs and relayed trail much faster now.

apart from sanitising the staircase Eas Dubh is a blast…

a push path back to the top of The Run Way would be an excellent adition…

Johnboy373 – Member

Have you been up recently northwind? They’ve re done Eas Dubh

How long ago was that? It was about September I was up last time I think

One thing I would do to improve it would be to move it to Prestwick, So I can ride it all the time 😀 I really like it, It would be great if the trails were extended, there’s no shortage of land, but I can’t see that happening.

I’d extend the trails up to Tomtain and turn Eas Dubh into a climb as it was intended…I’d also introduce some small loops in between the trails so that people can really mix and match – graded the loops so beginners can go with more experienced riders.

Once that was in and embedded, I’d then extend out towards Meikle Bin, then once that was done I’d extend round to the other end of the reservoir – adding loops within the main trails so people can mix and match.

Bit like the plans that were originally agreed and then destroyed.

The FC don’t realise the potential of CV other than seeing it as a large draw from Glentress – end of the day CV got killed for political reasons – not funding as that was ‘relatively’ easy to obtain…

It’s being left as-is and unless there is a geological shift in direction, it won’t be getting developed any time soon – unless someone is incredibly rich, can buy the land and develop it…the FC will be doing their best to stop everything developing there…which is a real shame.

Northwind- I was up at Carron Valley for the first time since about September too so Im not sure when works were complete.

FC do seem to be spending money at CV. Their re-laying the car park this week and obviously they’ve done Eas Dubh this year and The runway last year.

Hopefully something changes and maybe the Forestry can deliver a trail centre that central Scotland could be proud of.

Some changes would be good. Right now its fine for beginners and is a good place to take my wife and 4 year old. I would like to see a 4 x track with proper jumps, DH track, pump track, small skills area near the car park and any new technical trails would be appreciated.

>I did find a .pdf file through a Google search saying there was plans to extend the trails to 31km!The .pdf was dated 2006 so I wonder if these plans are just on hold or cancelled?<

FC would no doubt prefer that stuff wasnt kicking around the web 😉 No shortage of detailed plans but no will on the part of the current Mgmt Team to extend technical trails. Perhaps when fuel bursts through £7 a gallon there might be a re think? 😉

I’d heard the lochside trail had recently been extended. Progress of sorts but not a mtb trail so didn’t require a volte-face on the part of those inside FC so vehemently against mtb development at CV.

Gather also the remaining partnership has been re invented minus Clanranald and Scottish Water but with the addition of Falkirk and East Dunbartonshire Cooncils + SNH. The issue of ‘what to do with the Campsies’ is currently out to (yet another) consultation. The Councils will be keen (admittedly easy for them to be as they don’t have the same exposure to risk / nor have to make long term financial committment to maintain) but the problem will always return to FC ownership of most of the land up there (and that recently includes a huge chunk of hill above Clachan of C btw) and the fundamental philosophy of ‘forcing’ central Scotlands mtb community to drive down to GT.

As others have said at least the current crop of maintenance is a commitment of sorts but in terms of the bigger picture the inertia /waste of money on the part of all the public bodies concerned is actually quite shameful in my view.

Perhaps one day CV and its environs will just be one massive windfarm and the power Co’s will be running a Llandegla type facility…

still good but i preferred the olden days –

put the runway back the way it was with meaningful tabletops and flow, unlike the mini kicker fest it has become

narrow eas dubh back to where it was and let it get a bit rooty/gnarly – see below

let the trails roughen up a bit, its a bit of a gravel driveway

Decent fun loop for novices once you get past the doggers in the car park. That’s about it really – can see no real reason to develop further.

>Decent fun loop for novices once you get past the doggers in the car park<

You wish…