I returned to Golspie today after not having ridden there for a couple of years. Due to time pressure I have been riding less at trail centres recently, but still have managed a few Highland ones like Balblair and Fochabers trails. I was mighty impressed with Golspie again. The downhill run from the top of the black to the bottom is easily my favourite in the UK and possibly my number one. In terms of trail features there are just so many packed in. Plenty of rock jumps, drops and even some skinny bits and woodwork and finishing on a log ride. There are lots of alternative jumps on the sides of the trail and easy “chicken routes” on all major features. The initial climb up has been improved too. Conditions today were dry and very very little mud or puddles so no need for a bike wash after.

What is really handy at Golspie is that there is a great Cafe and car park with public loos about a hundred yards down the road from the trail head so no need for packed lunches.

In terms of climbing the Golspie black has a very very technical climb and I have never managed to ride non stop to the top. There are lots of rock steps that require skills as well as great fitness to conquer. Most bikes will work at Golspie but I think the average rider will certainly appreciate a full suspension bike there. As long as it can climb ok a full on long travel Enduro bike would be great too. I used my trusty 26in wheeled SC Nomad which was superb.

If you stay at or near Golspie, Balblair is also nearby and another excellent trail centre. I would say Golspie is definitely at the top of UK technical trail centres and reminds me of some of the Canadian trails with so many features packed in. The nearest UK centre to it I have visited is Laggan but I must say I prefer Golspie.

It never fails to please.

I’ve never been 😳

I’ve used the cafe a few time though 😆

Cheers guys….it left a massive smile on my face …just thought i would encourage a few to give it a try

It’s on my to-do list for this year, as is a return to Balblair and a first visit to Learnie

Good to hear Scotroutes. . To be honest i don’t do Learnie much these days but in my opinion i dont think it is nearly as good as the other two so I would go for Golspie and Balblair first. . Learnie seems to have less features and is fairly small.

Fochabers is also not to be missed either. There are 2 very very different trails to visit there with trail heads about a mile apart(please see the Fochaber website). The orange “freeride extreme” there isn’t that extreme in terms of features, but I’m my opinion is Extreme Fun! The “Gully Monster” trail just down the road from it is an absolutely unique trail. Not long but quite challenging going down tight singletrack on the side of a massive gully with some really very steep sections.

http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/visit/moray-monster-trails

This is Fochabers

The Ordiequish start is the gully one…happy Riding

I’m up at aviemore for a week or so at the start of May so I may give Golspie/Learnie/Balblair a try, for the previous years I’ve always intended to venture further afield whilst in the area but there’s so much to do around the Cairngorms that I’ve always settled on what I know is good riding rather than try something else, this time I’ll make the effort 😀

Luckily for me, a favourite family holiday location is the next village north. Every year I get to ride Golspie and every year I can’t wait to get back. The quality of the trails is so good, i second everything that Radioman has to say! This year I am hoping some off-piste trails have developed, it would add just another element to this already fantastic location. Its just a shame that the larger scale development plans for more trails has never gone ahead, here’s hoping!

I think it’s the longest downhill in the UK is it not? Loved it when I did it few years back. We stayed overnight as such a long way up.

I enjoyed Golspie – by heck it’s a stiff climb up in places though.
Balblair I felt underwhelmed – it wasn’t that much singletrack, lots was closed, lots felt a bit overgrown.
Learnie was ace – some techno ish bits, fab views, just constantly interesting. Sadly no facilities.

It and Laggan are the peak of UK trail centres, and for very different reasons. Where Laggan is technical Golspie just flows, and the descent is so long! It just goes on and on.

It’s a shame it’s so far north, I’ve not ridden it for five years now I live in England. But that’s my fault, not Golspie’s.

Won my first race there too, the Dawn Raid, which became the Puffer Lite. It was a great place to race.

Fochabers is also not to be missed either.

Has it changed in the last few years? When I went I thought it was dull as dishwater and very poorly built.

One of my favourites but not ridden as much as I would like due to distance.
The cafe is great too, the Coffee Bothy I think, but often closed in winter.
Not such a great fan of Balblair. Only ride it because it’s on the way to Golspie

last rode it 8 yrs ago, was great, must get back this summer…

I’ve always intended to venture further afield whilst in the area but there’s so much to do around the Cairngorms that I’ve always settled on what I know is good riding rather than try something else

This is my problem. I can get to so much good stuff just cycling from home that I can never be arsed packing up the van and driving somewhere. Less time driving, more time riding and a pint at the OBI when I’m done 🙂

I dunno why but it seems to turn a good ride into a great ride when you can just dive into the OBI, grab a cool pint then sit outside in the sun whilst you mentally digest the ride, the scenery, the wildlife and the sense of isolation from the previous few hours out on the bike – it’s not the same driving somewhere then driving back, putting your gear away then heading to the pub – totally wrong.

Although saying that i’ve been going to Aviemore twice a year since the mid 80’s as a teenager when i used to make Brapp….Brapp obnoxious noise at the motocross track across the river from the golf course area, so whilst i have a fair knowledge of the local trails it would be good to make the most of the fact that Golspie isn’t too far away and appears to worth a day trip with the van/bike……this time i’ll make sure and try it………if the weather is decent 😉

I think golspie and balblair are fantastic. I really enjoy balblair, short, sharp, lots of line choices and riding on rock is just fun.

I am so hoping work allows me to move back to the North of Scotland next year.. if not it will be about 3 years before I move back north.

I nearly cleared lactic ladder last time but got distracted by a bloody deer. Absolutely love Balblair too, minimoabs! Carbisdale’s a nice wee loop too, it seems to get forgotten.

Is Learnie worth visiting now? Last time i was there it’d had a huge section of black flattened and the red bit after that was pretty much unsignposted. Some brilliant riding there but I found it mostly by blundering into it (riding up a red descent and stuff like that)

I too find Learnie a bit on the mild side in terms of features. The climb is fairly boring, but the “freeride downhill trail” is fun but a little short. For me its a bit of a drive considering the amount of fun, and I prefer either to go further afield e.g Balblair Laggan or Golspe. Fochabers is underrated the freeride isn’t a big trail agreed but fun. The gulley monster is definitely worth it! and I would never miss that one out. Its just down the road from the Fochabers trail. By the way a Golden Eagle swooped down near me last year on the Fochabers trail. Thats maybe why I like it too 🙂 Enjoy…

Very happy memories of riding Golpspie when I lived up near Thurso before the trails were built. It was a good landrover track climb to the monumnet and then there was some sweet natural singletrack down. I had just started mountain biking.

I went back a few years after, and rode the trails.

Golspie, Balblair and Learnie all my local trails. All great in their own way. Lots of new stuff freshly built at Learnie just of the trail centre main trails. Plenty to keep you occupied for a few hours.

Really need to get to Golspie! Never heard a bad word said about it….

For the folks that have been to Fochabers trails lately is it all clearly signed, particularly the gully monster trail?

Hi Groundskeeperwilly . The gulley trail is well sign posted no nav required you start at the Ordiequish site and follow the all routs line up and turn into the gulley which is well marked …. It is a daily short one mind you( it took me less than 40mins riding time last time , it iis a 211m descent according to my Garmin and the whole gulley route is 4.13miles long)but makes up for that in terms of tech fun and adrenaline. Very steep in bits and very tight singletrack. When I go to Fochabers I would typically do the freeride trail twice, then drive to the nearby garden centre restaurant for lunch(its a good one) then down the high street to the trailhead. The trail head locations are both on the Forestry commission link above. I do definitely think Fochabers is a box worth ticking in the Highlands.

Here is the start of the Golspie Black climb

Thanks Radioman, will definitely check it out soon. Any charge in the carpark?