Was up there last weekend and did Kirroough',Dalbeattie and Mabie and had much more fun at at the latter two, although saying that, Black craig and Talnotry that followed it were stonking but the rest... 
Bike Forum
Kirroughtree, does everyone think its great?
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Posted 1 year ago #
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You weren't riding it fast enough! Kirroughtree is excellent, best of the 7Stanes IMHO.
Posted 1 year ago # -
It's not my favourite either. But saying that I have history with that place. Dislocated a figner there once.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Nope there are plenty of people who don't like Kirroughtree and I'm one of them. Ridden it a couple of time and never seen what the fuss was about. I'll not be making any special trips to go there again especially as places like Laggan and Golspie are closer.
It is a pretty heretical view though (as evidenced in crazy-legs post) so you can expect some criticism but I say bravo for making up your own mind and not being swayed by the crowd.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Rode Kirroughtree at the weekend and a bundle of other 7Stanes trails, I think Kirroughtree was the best, did it on the second day of a 4 day trip. I think if we had done it on the last day it would have been another story though, its pretty gruelling!
Scotland roadtripPosted 1 year ago # -
Of the stanes, i've done Kirro, Dalbeattie, Innerlithen & GT. Of those Kirroughtree is my favorite, but that is no reason to say that it should be yours. We all have reasons to like what we like when riding a trail. There is no right or wrong about it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
If you hit the singletrack sections at full speed in a group of mates its one of the best, if your just cruising it loses some of its magic.
Posted 1 year ago # -
ridden all 7 stanes and most other trail centres in scotland. Kirroughtree is one of the best. Nice long trail, with plenty of interesting features and flows really well.
really liked Mabie the first time i went but seemed a bit meh after that.
Dalbeatie is good fun but doesn't have the flow or size of the Kirroughtree trail.
All subjective though.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Have to admit I used to love it, now I still really rate it but the red feels a bit empty, about half of it just seems to be featureless trail. Nice, flowy featureless trail to be fair but still. But I do love the black. Had to skip McMoab last weekend due to injury but as USPs go it's pretty immense. So I still think it's great but I'm not as enthused as I was.
Mabie didn't manage to make that much of an impression, I know this isn't fair but it felt like a hodgepodge of other trail centres, seemed to lack its own character (apart from the iffy drainage making it seem like it was surfaced in pig s**t anyway) but it was very nice.
Dalbeattie I didn't quite get but I'd like to- I do like piles of rocks. But I think you either need to be better than I am or know the trail better than I do to get the best out of it. So maybe while Kirroughtree wanes a wee bit for me Dalbeattie'll rise.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I rate it, but only ridden it a couple of times so it's not a trail I know well. If it didn't have McMoab it would be a different story, but that's a great feature and well placed in the trail. It's something you can have fun on, ride about on it. A bit different to something like the Slab at Dalbeattie - also a great feature, but not really something you get a lot out of once you've ridden it the first time IMO.
One problem with the flattish 7Stanes in Dumfries / Galloway is that the fire road really sucks. With a hillier trail the fire road at least feels like it has a point to it - the gaining of altitude. Just pedaling from one piece of singletrack to another doesn't feel the same, somehow.
I know a few people who don't rate Dalbeattie or Ktree because there's just too much fire road - I bet there's not a significant amount more than other 7stanes routes, it just feels like there is.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Best "trail centre" of the lot is Drumlanrig by a long long long way.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Kirroughtree is by far the best of 7stanes however, you have to work hard at it, its a long trail and tough.. I think these days a lot of people want to the smiles for easy miles of Glentress Red.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I did Kiri once, the black trail. I'm so glad I live closer to GT and Inners.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Haven't done it yet but Golspie (favourite), Balblair and Lagan black are all fantastic.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Kirroghtree is the best of the SW trails, it flows great is good in all weathers, for something different Drumlanrig is hard to beat, we should rejoice in the fact that we have so many to choose from, I'm old enough to remember when there was no trails at all. We are all different and like different things.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I find if I'm tired and not pedalling well Ktree is a bit of a drag. But, with plenty of energy and really on it, it turns into one of the best. There really isn't much that's gravity assisted only which makes it a lot of pedalling to get the flow but do find it well worth it.
Only bad thing I find is the place is cursed, don't think my mate and I have ever made it all the way round trouble free. Quite often ends with one of us breaking a bike or heading back to the car not feeling well, no idea why!
Probably in my top 3 Scottish alongside Inners and Golspie (this is probably no 1). Rode Balblair recently, what a fantastic place that is, can't believe how much grip the rocks had in the wet. Went down the first steep bit expecting the bike to slide down and could have completely stopped if I wanted to. Real hidden gem.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Don't be too hasty and write it off. didn't like it first time but I've been back twice since and wondered how I'd got ht so wrong the first time. did 10@kirroughtree last year and despite bad cramps kept going round because i was having so much fun. do think you have a better time if you are really going for it rather than bimbling round.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I though Kirroughtree was the worst out of the ones I've been to. Just a bit of a slog in parts. Glentress and dalbeatie my favs.
Posted 1 year ago # -
simonm - blimey I rode GT red the last week and was surprised how tame/lame it was (rode some black sections too, same opinion) - glad we didn't make Kiri. Sorry locals but was expecting more technical/rugged trails for some reason. Was still enjoyable but a little dissapointing in that respect. We did Inners which was a bit better, a little more natural in places, plus the Caddon Bank drop section added some spice to the end of the trail.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Why do people go to trail centres and expect to ride "natural sections"? Its a trail centre, its manmade it is supposed to be sustainable/wearproof
Posted 1 year ago # -
Its a bit flat
Posted 1 year ago # -
K'tree is a strange one really. As I hinted at in my first post and as others have said, you need to ride it FAST to get the most out of it. If you're just bimbling or you're having a bad day, it'll feel pretty rubbish. But when you're on it, it's just SO flowing and rewarding. It's great that all the Stanes have their own characteristics - imagine how dull it'd be if every one was a copy/paste of Glentress.
I really liked Laggan as well, again that's a trail that you definitely need to be having a good day to enjoy. But then I also liked the middle of nowhere route in the Highlands that I did - stunning views, not a soul around but not especially technical.
Horses for courses.
Posted 1 year ago # -
It offers something different from the other trail centres though and some people obviously like it.
Personally, I think its boring, low on technical features and my least favorite trail centre in Scotland.
The exception being the 'Black craig' descent...the rest can be missed!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Did Kirroughtree and Dalbeattie the other day. Only did the Blue routes cos the OH was recovering from an ankle injury.
WTF is with the rock garden in the middle of Kirroughtree? That's somewhat excessively gnarly for a Blue route, shirley? I'm far from l33t, but I made it about halfway on a HT before thinking 'blow this' and walking the rest of it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Did Kirroughtree t'other week and have to say really enjoyed it and still on of my faves - Black craig descent in particular was a blast.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Kirroghtree now nowhere near as flowing as when it first opened and the trail was new. Still some great sections though.
Favourites are McMoab, and (dare I say it) right near the end after the red/black join up again with the BLUE just before the car park. God that section is smooth, fast and flowy - loverly.
Posted 1 year ago # -
It was ok when I did it the other week, I was on a new bike though and was feeling a bit tired so was not a flowy as I expected. That's my fault though.
Incidently, I didn't see anyone on the black route and I was riding it for about 2 hours, looping back in parts to ride them again. Great.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Did Kirroughtree and Dalbeattie the other day. Only did the Blue routes cos the OH was recovering from an ankle injury.
WTF is with the rock garden in the middle of Kirroughtree? That's somewhat excessively gnarly for a Blue route, shirley? I'm far from l33t, but I made it about halfway on a HT before thinking 'blow this' and walking the rest of it.
Not sure which bit you mean - there is a wee section called rocky road that's just basically a really uneven surface. You just need to keep the speed up when you hit it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I think I said this on another kirroughtree thread - I can understand why kirroughtree might not be everyone's favourite but I don't understand how some people actually dislike it - it's biking in the countryside!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Kirrie is a lovely trail, great part of the country. We are so lucky to have such a variety of trail centres about. However, there is also such a great abundance of more natural trails too.
Lets not knock Kirrie, but celebrate its fantasticness and uniquieness.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I can understand why kirroughtree might not be everyone's favourite but I don't understand how some people actually dislike it
Isn't that pretty much the same thing though? With the exception of McMoab and hissing sid (I think) I don't remember anything other than a smooth manicured surface, that's part of reason I don't like it. I also prefer my riding to come with hills that I can really sink my teeth into (or cough up a lung depending on how you want to look at it) which Kirroughtree simply doesn't have.
I get that some people love it and that's cool, what I really, really dislike though is being told, as I have been on several occasions, that I've not been riding it fast enough/been on the wrong sort of bike/wasn't "on it" that day. I just don't particularly enjoy riding it that's all.
Posted 1 year ago # -
gonefishin - Member
I also prefer my riding to come with hills that I can really sink my teeth into (or cough up a lung depending on how you want to look at it) which Kirroughtree simply doesn't have.
It's got the most horrible climb I've ever seen at a trail centre
Worse than riding up the push-up at Innerleithen, though mostly because it's right after McMoab so my legs are already falling off at the start.Don't really understand "I don't remember anything other than a smooth manicured surface" either- sure, the red's very smooth but even that has the occasional rock garden, plus rocky road which is kind of the exact opposite of smooth and manicured... It's not exactly wikkid gnarlz but I don't think that's a fair description tbh.
I don't remember anything other than a smooth manicured surfacePosted 1 year ago # -
aint been there for years,but always thought it was good un.
prefer it to GT,dont know what it is but not a fan of GT.
i like inners outa the 7. kiroughtree 2nd.Posted 1 year ago # -
Kirroughtree, does everyone think its great?
Yes
Biased I suppose, only live an 1hr away so considered a local trail.
But I could say I just like riding my bike rarely analysing whether I like or dislike any trail.
With the exception of the start of Inners
That climb just kills my back and I cannot enjoy the rest of the trail as much as I should 
Posted 1 year ago # -
Hey, not saying its crap or owt but just can't see that the hype about it is justified, as i said, quite liked parts of it but I've done every trail centre in the country except for 2,and wouldn't put it in my top 3 kind of thing (i know, sounds like tick box cycling but it isn't, honest).
And wouldn't fall into the trap of comparing it with none trail centre stuff, which i love, both offer great riding.
I guess to some extent it is just what grabs but I think parts of the bike press and some on here are guilty of over hyping it.
Maybe as some have said a second visit is what is needed... sounds like an excuse for another road trip!Posted 1 year ago #
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