[Closed] Aberfoyle routes?

id say the routes there were a bit harder than glentress red routes ...

i did the sxc at aberfoyle ... i did not have an issue with the course as i come from a downhilling background but it was described as a "real mtb course" and it was harder to ride down slow than at speed due to the roots crossing from all angles

[i]Looking for red route Glentress style.[/i]
You're looking in the wrong place then.

There's a few bits and bobs including the SXC course (which i've not ridden in it's current incarnation), but Aberfoyle is mainly lots and lots of forest road.

There's some singletrack in the forest above the David Marshall Lodge, and loads of wee trails that branch off the forest roads.

Nothing like Glentress, it's all natural for a start.

Ben Venue for some real fun on the way down?!

Cheers for info, I reckon it'll be worth a shot anyway.

Just got this

on youtube.....might be a bit tamer with the recent dry spell.

That video is excellent - specially the last tag line!

There are enough "bits and bobs" in Aberfoyle to put together a couple of hours entertainment especially if you take in the other side of Aberfoyle and loop in some of the older unsurfaced footpaths (there are 'newer' crazy steep sustrans type footpaths) - it does require fire road links which is not everyones cup of tea - but the descents on the old and new race track circuits are excellent. Nothing is waymarked though and even a map wouldnt be much good as it takes a bit of searching to find the older routes. None of it is vaguely like GT red - more like the race track links at GT if you have done them.

You can also loop in the Menteith hill track - the dashed line running NE from Dounans and returning via L Drunkie - which some rave about tho I have never done cos it usually looks a quagmire - but it should be dry at the moment.

My usual comment on this type of post
"Why on earth is there no mtb centre in the Trossachs (near glasgow)"
It was classed as 'high importance' in the original FC consultation doc.

Can't help with routes other than the descent that goes under Go Ape.
few trails to the left of Go Ape
Follow the guided walks through QE forest to south of Aberfoyle and look out for trails.
Ben Venue as above.

>Why on earth is there no mtb centre in the Trossachs (near glasgow)"
It was classed as 'high importance' in the original FC consultation doc. <

Plenty of conspiracy theories:

*Because FCS has a very Highlands / Borders centric view on where mtb centres should be developed

*Because GT "had to be" the centre of excellence (read £3m building et al) and this has syphoned resources which would / could have been spread much wider

*Because FCS "has done enough for mountain biking"

*Because somewhere people would actually throng to would pose a liability nightmare

We'll never know - they dropped the facade of intent to publish any kind of cohesive strategy 3 years ago

I think that some of the money came from EC funding for regions with high unemployment hence the borders and the highlands and not the central belt.

Could be wrong tho

True to some extent (in the case of 7S)

Iirc a large proprtion of the money has actually come directly thro FC and other Govt depts - both directly (flogging off a forest and god knows what else to pay for GT)and indirectly (£300k to Golspie under the Woodland Grants scheme plus subsidisation of numerous 7S projects through payemnts in kind - e.g plundering the roads budgets and other Forest District budgets for quarried stone)