MartynS – Email in profile if you want some steers – depends how far you want to ride / travel – and what grade of riding you want 🙂
I think I may know the road – if I’m heading for the Dava Way from Elgin / Rafford I’ll head down tarmac road from Granary then round the back of Blervie House, dumps you down at a couple of houses as you say (Woodside the map says) – lot of forestry work round the back of the big house, must have bene sold recently, it was on the market (Allan Shiach selling up).
Plenty of bikes round there certainly ! not mine MTB wise though.. check Stuarts Cycles in Forres for rough guidance – ask for Reg (the owner himself) or Matt..
DH track is likely GI60s if by the Wangie – or some (lots) of quite frankly scary stuff on Monaughty (which is what you found) – ends by Pluscarden Abbey like you say. In that forest there are good amount of trails, all testing in their own way.
Yes, I’m in Elgin 🙂