[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZaWjf2QRVg[/video]
Short GoPro chestcam vid from a visit to the Fire Tower trail near Lochgilphead earlier this week:

Cant see the video as at work but how do you rate the trails?, been meaning to to ride there for a while.

looks like fun, another reason to take my bike home with me next time!

Thanks for posting.

Kev

Apparently there some interesting trails in Glenbranter forest as well.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdMwqfyPsq4[/video]

I thought the trails themselves were pretty decent, but there did also seem to be lot of climbing (and re-climbing) on fire-roads which I wasn’t so keen on (although most of the climbing was into the teeth of the wind on Wednesday so would have been worse than usual).

Worth riding if you’re in the vicinity anyway, but I don’t think I’d make a special trip to ride them.

The singletrack seemed quite different from the other trail centres I’ve ridden – it was quite narrow and less well surfaced. Nice to ride on but I doubt they’d take Glentress scale traffic, especially in winter.

Definitely too much fire road at the beginning. Beautiful part of the country though. Great views from the fire tower hill.

nice wee film steve, i skipped there after biking the Kintyre Way as last day the rain was (really) bouncing a foot off the ground! 😮
so now i see what i missed!,
there is alot of old roads/trails around the area, i did a film on one with brother in law (hill runner) showing me how to go up hills!
if you get the weather it is paradise…if not you dont need to wash the bike after!…midges are the size of sparrows over there though!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCmcn5eh408[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY0PN_5ZEnI[/video]

We live 20 mins from the Glenbranter trails. A 35 minute winch up a fireroad then 4 singletrack setions back down. They’re short but really good, very tight & twisty. Makes a favourite night ride.

Our club has actually approached the forestry commission about doing an uplift day there, will see what happens.

I did the firetower trails a few yrs ago alone, and have never felt so remote. Sat on top of fire tower hill on a stunnng clear day and all you could see all around was forested hills. Felt like the yukon!

The views weren’t so good from the top when I was there due to the weather, but I did notice that you couldn’t see much of civilisation. It’s a nice area – I think I’ve been stayed around there 3 times so far this year.

The Fire Tower trail would make a good uplift as well – in fact there didn’t appear to be anything to stop you driving to the top of the trails.

The Glenbranter stuff looks good – where do the trails start from?

Like the look of the Kintyre Way as well – would like to do that (walking or cycling) sometime.

great thread… nice vids and tunes

If you start from Dunnon then take the road to Strachur and Glenbranter is just at the north end of Loch Eck.

Argyll and Bute is great for road biking too, some really tough climbs (the one between Glendaruel and Otter Ferry is one of my favourite climbs in Scotland) but generally good surfaced roads and pretty quiet and spectacular scenary.

Has Glen Branter s/t been extended – the last time I was there if you blinked you missed it – about 1k in total

The Loch Eck Glen Branter circuits are good enough scenery but mainly forest fireroad riding

The FireTower trail was enjoyable but like the OP says wouldn’t justify a long journey – good for a warm up before doing the Auchendrain loop tho 🙂

When I did it there was not another soul around which – with no phone reception – does make for mind games at a couple of the drops

Cracking video Steve 🙂

I am usually up around 3 or 4 times a week for a quick blast as its just behind my house. I agree with what has been said, worth a shot if your in the area but not worth a long haul to visit them. Alot of fireroad climbing which is a bit ball-aching but the views out over mid-argyll are great on a clear day..

The Cowal end of Argyll has so much potential, there are about five Glentress size and shaped Glens within 10 mins of Dunoon. The majority is forestry road and cheeky trails, it’s too off the beaten track to atract biker numbers that would justify developing anything beyond that (not that the FC are developing much these days anyway), but it would rival anywhere if anything was done.

Lochgilphead Firetower is great for the locals, but not worth a medium/long journey. IMO of course.