• This topic has 56 replies, 40 voices, and was last updated 12 years ago by Euro.
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  • Kirroughtree, does everyone think its great?
  • Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    I’m far from l33t, but I made it about halfway on a HT before thinking ‘blow this’ and walking the rest of it.

    That’s Rocky road. Just need some speed, that’s all. I ride it on my hardtail, but, I don’t know what l33t is, so can’t comment.

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    I’ve only been once and thoroughly enjoyed it! I knew it was going to be different and it was. I dont know if its worth a 6 hour round trip from Edinburgh though – unless combined with other SW trails?

    Rorschach
    Free Member

    Is there anywhere worth driving for 6 hours to ride for 2 hours??!?!

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    simonm
    Free Member

    suppose we should all think.. did you ever get back from riding any of them and think that was shite.. wish I really hadn’t bothered at all.. no, never, as its all riding bikes…..and that’d good 😉

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Is there anywhere worth driving for 6 hours to ride for 2 hours??!?!

    2 hours for the black!? I stand back and salute you sir!

    We drove from the capital to do this as part of a combo trip but with injuries and mechs we cut things short. I wouldnt do it as a single trip – even Im not that crazy!

    Garry_Lager
    Full Member

    I did Krtree and Mabie in a day from Edinburgh and it was a long **** day. Driving back was not fun. 2 drivers would make all the difference though – split the driving and Ktree black plus Mabie or Dalbeattie red from the central belt would be nae bother.

    Worth thinking about the old driving – bet many of us have done a full days riding and got back into the car and felt pyar buckled, only to have a 50+ mile drive ahead.

    GiantJaunt
    Free Member

    Yeah Kirro’s quite remote too. I’m up near Glasgow and usually travel back up the coast road if going straight back from the trail centre. It’s a nicer drive than the M74 and helps keep your mind focussed.

    ChrisL
    Full Member

    I really like Kirroughtree, definitely moreso than Dalbeattie or Mabie. Kirroughtree maybe benefits though from usually being part of a weekend break for me whereas the other two are more likely to get ridden as a day trip from Edinburgh.

    Mabie often feels like a synthesis of other trail centres. It’s nice but there’s only one bit (a lovely fast flowy bit from the stream crossing to the start of The Scorpion) that I feel approaches “best in class”. Dalbeattie has never clicked with me. Trekster showed me (and Northwind and another mate) some lovely natural stuff there recently but the waymarked/built stuff only really entertained me for a couple of sections. It felt like it was trying to have the same flowy feel as Kirroughtree but it wasn’t really managing it.

    Usually now if I make a day trip over to Dumfries & Galloway it’s for Drumlanrig rather than Mabie or Dalbeattie. For Kirroughtree I’m willing to organise a trip, book accomodation and make a weekend of it. 🙂

    I can see that Kirroughtree would be less fun on wobbly legs. That may have been some of my problem with Dalbeattie that last time as I was low on energy all day and there were a few pedally bits that may have been much better if I’d had the grunt to do something other than spin up the short climbs in it in the granny ring. However at Kirroughtree even if I’m not full of beans there’s several bits where I’ll manage to dredge up some energy to pedal enough to bring on the grins.

    I don’t find the amount of fire road at Kirroughtree excessive. There’s some at the start of the red but the only bit that sticks in my mind is the long section taking you from the furthermost point on the red to the start of the black. There used to be a similar section on the return journey but that (and I think a few other sections of fire road) have been replaced with more singletrack since it’s been opened. Personally I find the fire road at Dalbeattie more intrusive, perhaps because it seems to be more weighted towards the end of the ride – plus Kirroughtree has a much better finish than Dalbeattie, which helps make sure that rides there are remembered warmly.

    Rocky Road at Kirroughtree is generally referred to as “We Hate Hardtails” by myself and the riders I’m usually there with. 🙂

    Northwind
    Full Member

    ChrisL – Member

    I really like Kirroughtree, definitely moreso than Dalbeattie

    You like root canal surgery more than you like Dalbeattie!

    simonralli2
    Free Member

    I love Kirroughtree and always have a good time there.

    As for Mabie, well all the Drumlanrig groupies I feel have never really ridden all the off piste sections of Mabie. Once Mabie opens up its secrets too you, well you then have all these combinations and permutations depending on what kind of mood you are in and how much time you have. I don’t know why, but I do love Mabie.

    Dalbeattie for me is always a bit of a challenge, but again it has some gentler off piste grin inducing downhills which are just fab.

    I am a kind of local though, so hailing from Dumfries I never have to travel too far for any of them. I also though love to get out and about on the back roads which are great too, as well as my local ride which is a mixture of fireroads and back roads.

    Oh and I love Ae too even though it does beat me up a lot of the time. I now can tack on The Shredder when I am there mid week and the DH kids are not there.

    So much choice in so little an area, and just in case people do not realise, I am a Drumlanrig groupie too – love it.

    Trekster
    Full Member

    How`s the knees Si?

    ChrisL. Mabie often feels like a synthesis of other trail centres

    Mabie has been there a lot longer and well before the Stanes were thought about.
    Dalbeattie was the first “proper” Stane built by the now defunct team of builders. It is still the most expensive ££ per mtr build due to the terrain and the fact a good lot of it was hand built before the team got their hands on licences to use diggers, motorised wheelbarrows and dumpers 😆
    Kirry benefited from all the input gained from the other builds by the forest manager Chris Ross, a biker. His aim is to have as much singletrack as he can get if and when money is ever made available again.

    10yrs on and if the guys had to start again somewhere thing would probably be a lot different. It was pioneering stuff at the time.

    simonralli2
    Free Member

    Hiya

    I am getting more movement back and able to walk a little without my stick! Just swimming right now although the pool where we are has an underwater bike as they also have physio sessions in there!

    shortcut
    Full Member

    Yes Kirroughtree is a e and worth the drive. Even from the south if combined with more trails over a log weekend.

    mikeep
    Free Member

    Kirr Black is great if you are, fit and can commit to riding rocky, tricky section.

    stevemtb
    Free Member

    I don’t get the love for Drumlanrig either. When me and my mate rode it we bailed out around half way. Just wasn’t enjoying it at all. We did have big bikes with us for Dalbeattie and I think Ae downhill so guessing they just didn’t roll well enough. Never found we had or carried any speed.

    Will have to get back with the HT to see if I enjoy it more.

    Wonder if that’s the problem at Kirry too (not for me I love it), could see that being a nightmare on a big bike that doesn’t roll well.

    Certainly goes to show there’s no trail every one likes.

    haggis1978
    Full Member

    I love kirroughtree and its one of my favourite trails. i agree with a lot of people here though, you have to be hitting it at speed to get the best of it. Those singletrack sections through the trees you can wallop them! But I’ve seen myself completely hammer it on my short travel hardtail some days yet on the odd occasion when i’ve been a bit knackered on the 5.5 full sus its left me a bit buggered by the end and feeling like it was a bit of a slog but never has it seemed rubbish, just long.

    Euro
    Free Member

    KT is only 45 mins from the ferry, so travelling from Norn Iron it’s perfect for a day trip. First time I went I loved it. Second time it was good. Third time I got a little bored. Fourth time I just sessioned the good bits and decided i’d not go back. It has some really nice fast flowing parts and has my kind of ascents (twisty turny stuff) but I was dissapointed by the black. I thought it would be harder than the red and I suppose it was, but only because it was longer.

    I’ve since sampled the rest of the Stanes (bar Ae) and would say Inners is my favourite due to the variety of trails.

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