[Closed] Ae, Mabie or Dalbeattie?

Dalbeattie every time for me.

I like techie stuff, but the missus likes flowy reds when it comes to trail centres.

Dalbeattie is perfect then, it's generally flowy but there are technical sections you could do and your wife avoid.

Think dalbeattie is the only one of those without closures just now.

Have you thought of Drumlanrig?  There's a blue circuit but with red and black bits off to the side.  That makes it a true mixed ability trail (albeit not too demanding) but you can all go round together and everybody gets the riding they want.  And Rik is a splendid chap.

Drumlanrig is a good call too. Good riding and much prettier than the others.

Ae depends on what you do. If you ride the trailcentre lap, it's really not very good. If you ride the dh or offpiste, it's absolutely phenomenal.

Mabie has a bit of a more natural feel and is a really lovely complete lap imo, Dalbeattie has more in the way of Signature Moves and highlights but I think on average is a bit less nice. I like both pretty equally but they ride differently.

And I love Drumlanrig, though I've only ever ridden it as the red/black loop, not sure about the other options.

Hadn't considerd Drumlanrig.  May well have a look at that. Ta.

Dalbeattie is now on the radar, thanks.

If you had 5 days post the weekend and wanted to head north, where would you guys head? 🙂

Ae red is a bit of a grind. Don’t seem to get back what you put in. Mabie is a delight. Small closure when I rode a few weeks ago. Dalbeattie I haven’t done for years but it was good. Not quite as sweet as Mabie.

+1 for Dalbeattie, it's a fair haul without being too strenuous, and plenty techy bits to keep you amused. Agree with previous comments on Ae regards not getting as much back as you put in. If you plan heading North later in the week, I'd try get some local knowledge of the ground conditions first. Been a load of snow up here the last few weeks, and the high passes will be covered I'd imagine. A bit depressing to be honest as I'm off next week also and hoped to get a start made to the mountains myself. Alternatively I planned Kirroughtree, only to see closures there too.....

Of the three I think your wife would enjoy Mabie the most ..and you Dalbeattie .

If the idea is to put her in a good mood first before dumping the poor girl on Monday ..head for Mabie!

You would also enjoy Mabie..it has more " flow" to it ..even if it's not as tech.

I've no idea as to the conditions further North ..so will leave that to the locals ..

Have fun ..and hope the divorce goes smoothly if she ever reads this 😁

Just been there at the weekend and did Dalbeattie, Mabie and Drumlanrig.

I enjoyed Mabie the most, followed by Drumlanrig and then Dalbeattie.
All were good, but I did find Dalbeattie was a bit "pedal pedal pedal woh big rocks to go down pedal pedal pedal"

Trail conditions were excellent - surprisingly dry

Bumping this back up, I'm staying about halfway between Mabie and Dalbeattie with the family this weekend. Which of the 2 is best with the kids? 5 year old normally does 3/4 Glentress Blue (we ride from the bottom but don't go all the way up to Betty Blue). Which one of these 2 would be best bet? Wondering about Mabie as it looks like cafe facilities are better, so could leave the wife and kids in the cafe for an hour while i have a spin myself?

Mabie would be better with the kids I reckon (I prefer Dalbeattie tbh) I don't think there's a cafe any more, but Mabie Hotel caters well for us bikers.

Dalbeattie cafe is good, Gemma puts on good scran.

Doug.

Went to dalbeattie with the kids a couple of years back. The little one was on 20 inch wheels and found it hard going.  Think he was 8 years old at the time. The other one was fine on his 24" wheels.

So not convinced dalbeattie is great for very young kids. (Unless they also have a blue, which I've no idea about)

The little one was on 30 inch wheels and found it hard going.

Nae wonder!

Doh. Too slow.😁

30" wheels todally make the trail come alive. It's the new standard.

Ae Red is absolutely bloody awful. Worst trail centre in Scotland.

Mabie is pleasant, though there's nothing challenging now the north shore stuff has gone. With kids this would be my choice.

Dalbeattie is pretty darned good, I really like it. It feels like a real day out but it'll be a bit of a long loop for kids.

I know it's a bit out of the way it you're halfway between Dalbeattie and Mabie but Drumlanrig would also be good with kids, and there's a castle with suits of armour and stuff to mooch about in before or after.

I know it’s a bit out of the way it you’re halfway between Dalbeattie and Mabie but Drumlanrig would also be good with kids, and there’s a castle with suits of armour and stuff to mooch about in before or after.

Yup, plan is to stop at Drumlanrig en route tomorrow, Mabie/Dalbeattie is for Saturday.

So not convinced dalbeattie is great for very young kids. (Unless they also have a blue, which I’ve no idea about)

Supposedly they do https://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/visit/dalbeattie#bike

Dalbeattie blue used to involve a load of dull fireroad, not sure if its any better now

And Rik is a splendid chap.

Or, alternatively, he's a fud, depending on what mood you get him in.

Mabie is a delight. Small closure when I rode a few weeks ago.

Just what I was gonna say, Mabie is just lovely and has some really good fun fast singletrack with a very natural feel. Best little trail centre in Britain IMO.

The off-piste is smashing too. There's a ridiculously long, loamy, rooty line from the top bit.

Best little trail centre in Britain IMO.

Mate, you need to go to Comrie. 🙂

Of the three I think your wife would enjoy Mabie the most ..and you Dalbeattie .

After dragging my wife and daughter around Mabie, I think I'd agree here. Dalbeattie would have killed them.

Nice little hotel near the car park at Mabie, serving food near a big log fire. This happily entertained the girls while the boy and I tackled lap #2. They seemed very content with this situation...

Ae Red is absolutely bloody awful. Worst trail centre in Scotland.

Worse than Newcastleton? (I rode there last week and was very disappointed. Haven’t ridden Ae.)

Worse than Newcastleton?

I'll see you, and raise you a Carron Valley.

There is phenomenally good riding at Ae, it's just not in the trail centre

I've not ridden Newcastleton actually, but that does bill itself as very gentle routes.

I'd say Carron Valley at least has some redeeming features, whereas the Ae red route has none. The DH is good, though.

I’ve not ridden Newcastleton actually, but that does bill itself as very gentle routes.

That wouldn’t be a problem. My issue was that having driven through some gorgeous scenery, I was looking forward to an equally gorgeous ride. What I got was a mundane trail through a claustrophobic forest with barely a glimpse of the outside world. It felt like the brief was ‘ MTBers like riding around trees - make 20km of trail meandering around these woods.’ And that the trail builder had been given a picture of a MTB but had never ridden one.

I finished and continued my drive north through gorgeous scenery wondering if I’d missed the point.

To add some balance, I thought mabie was really bad. No technical interest and just  a slog.

Liked Ae though.

Weird

I'm with thegeneralist - liked Ae, wasn't fussed (but didn't hate) with Mabie.

The off-piste is smashing too. There’s a ridiculously long, loamy, rooty line from the top bit.

this is interesting! I haven’t been since all the off-piste stuff disappeared in the felling. It worth the trip again now?

Ae Red is absolutely bloody awful. Worst trail centre in Scotland.

The red route  is not the best but the Shop/Cafe put on a Tuesday night ride and have done for 5 years now( curry and pudding for a fiver). We regularly get between 30 and 40 riders and we never ride the same route on consecutive Tuesdays using the red route to link up the good stuff. We’re  always finding new badger tracks😉

if Ae’s the worst there are some seriously lucky riders elsewhere in Scotland😂

What time are the night rides?  Do you have to book a place/food?

7pm sharp start, split into 3/4 groups. No need to book