Afternoon Hive Mind
Myself, my better half and the 2 smaller Hatters (9 and 6) are heading up to the Dunkeld area next week and, weather permitting, I'm hoping to get in as much riding as possible.
We've already got Comrie Croft down as a must visit but what other places in the area do you recommend for both proper singletrack and 'forest tracks with a picnic en route' style family excursions.
The older nipper is on a decent 24" full sus and pretty fit and confident, he's happy on 'red' grade stuff but the smaller one is only on 20" so some mellower options would be great.
Do any of the local shops do trail maps or guides to the area?
All local knowledge greatly welcomed.
Thanks
https://www.progressionbikesscotland.com/trails for some ideas. Chat to the guys in the shop for loads more.
Get Trailforks for maximum discovery.
Picnic rides - Loch Ordie
Riverside, North bank is easy cycle way, South bit more singletracky but all easy apart from one short climb/descent. Lots of good picnic spots by river.
Ride to Hermitage then along forest road past bottom of DH tracks. Down Inver Wood Descent - short rocky drop, back along river.
Easyish ST - Blue runs above hermitage, bottom of Cairn to Cottage is good fun but a wee step up.
Electric Beaver at the bottom of Birnam Hill - jumps and berms, not steep. Dougs and Dans also OK but a wee bit harder.
Path along parallel to A9 from above Birnam is fun and wee loop via cycletrack back.
Glen Garr is a nice XC run but suspect return from Bankfoot has been trashed by new A9.
On Atholl Hill sde the real cave pass is nice but a bit of a mission to get to. Hush Hush is pretty mellow for a black.
Loads of other path and tracks can be linked up e.g. Up through Hermitage to Rumbling Bridge, cross A822 and climb track to first left then trails/tracks back to Birnam.
Riverside path from Birnam is nice picnic run too.
Basically tons to go at, go explore, have fun!
That's a good start, thanks, I'll go see the guys at Progression.
Going out westward on the south bank up to where the A9 crosses the river, then back on the north bank through the arboretum, is absolutely lovely- the Hermitage gets all the attention but this is lovely too, river on the way out and big trees on the way back. Not really a mountain bike ride, more of a "walk where you happen to be on a bike".
The arboretum- immediately west of the cathedral- is worth a visit in its own right if you don't fancy that loop. Makes for a shorter walk, it's fairly up-and-down if you want to explore it all but it's totally worth it. Big ****-off trees.
I'm quite partial to the occasional big **** off tree so.... noted
Thanks
Somehow I had no idea about the whole "big tree country" thing til I went there for a race, ended up riding back along the north side of the river just going ooooooo. It's basically the conifer craze stately home gardens thing, but on a bigger scale because of the planting dukes (the Parent Larch kind of sums it up) There's a pretty terrible guide to the arboretum/dunkeld house/cathedral grounds here:
https://www.pkct.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=3ef7a145-c9d9-4e05-97fa-50b7052ffc07
One of the tallest trees in the UK, is in the strath by Ossian's Hall at the Hermitage.
https://www.monumentaltrees.com/en/gbr/scotland/perthandkinross/7757_thehermitage/15561/
The huge larches at the side of Dunkeld Catheral are defo worth a look too, as is The Aran Bakery on the main street in Dunkeld. Although the bakery at the other end of the road on the same side is also pretty excellent for huge sausage rolls of every variety.
I wouldn't bother with the Fish & Chip shop though - overpriced and poor quality IMHO.
Oooo yeah, food/takeaway options also appreciated.
Excellent advice there from LD. I can add that the return track on the Glen Garr XC loop from Bankfoot back to the sawmill has just been re-built in the section near the A9, with a brand new dirt road; slightly changed the line it takes but pristine gravel N from the Gelly cottage to the estate sawmill. The section nearer Bankfoot is unaffected.
Loch Ordie: Half way between the spot where the burn exits and the lochside cottage, there's a grand wee spot for a picnic, next to a little memorial cairn thing. There are a couple of really tame garden birds there (a robin and a coal tit) who will come to your hand for a feed. They have been known to sit on and poop on handlebar grips too, so beware.
If you take the Ordie route as a family day out, the trail back SW & S from behind the lochside cottage that skirts the west side of the hill and returns to the Mill Dam is worth a look.
Show the kids the beavers' dams & related tree work at the north end of the Mill Dam.
Please try to remember to check for ticks daily.
Glen Garr
Ahhhh.... this explains the list of illustrious names from this forum that appeared on the Strava segment through Little Glenshee! I thought it was a bit obscure as a popular MTB ride (excellent gravel route though) but it turns out it is part of a conventional Glen Garr loop.
I've tagged it on to a wee trip from Bankfoot - Little Glenshee - Amulree - The Quaich Road - Rob Roy Way to Aberfeldy, back up and over gravel tracks to nr Dunkeld and back to Bankfoot via Glen Garr. Really excellent looking loop so thanks for tips above.
(sorry for hijack OP)
No worries, this thread has already given me plenty to go on. Looking forward to it, fingers crossed on the weather!
Just read the OP again. Other localish areas worth visiting if you run out of riding in Dunkeld would be Kinnoull/Deuchny at Perth and Aberfeldy. Couple of new blues and a fun red, Shreddo, coming down from the bunkhouse - Glassie