[Closed] Golspie Black

Its a good trail.

Ive visited the small injuries department on the edge of Golspie to have my face stitched back together after face planting off a drop to flat, that I thought was a chute.

I think others have made a similar mistake.

Urk. Wish I'd had the stones to try it when I was up there, but also sort of glad that I didn't.

Rode it solo on a quiet midweek afternoon. Never felt so exposed to the consequences of nausing a ride up in the UK. Obviously more exposed things on natural trails but somehow because it's designed to be ridable there's self generated pressure to ride it.

EEEE. I remember when it were just hills And a landrover track to the monument and some natural singletrack down. I could ride it then...

I really like it but the sightlines make it pretty tricky to hit a lot of it first time, especially that jump line, whatsitcalled? You almost never get to know what you're doing til it happens, first run. Second time is much simpler

I love the obstacle coursey bits just after you get into the woods. Not so keen on the last climb up to the manny, though.

Yep, it's a tough one with lots of high-consequence sections on it. Have had to help a guy with a suspected broken back into a helicopter a couple of years ago.

That said, once you know what's coming it's a brilliant trail centre.

It's not that hard technically but very easy to get wrong with nasty consequences especially if the bit through the trees is slimy with leaves or pine needles.

I'm up at Aviemore at the moment on holiday with my bike, is Golspie worth the 160mile return journey to ride it bearing in mind the weather forecast this week includes snow, sleet and icy northerly winds?, or am I best to stick to the many trails I know in the Cairngorms.

I was up there staying with one of the guys involved in getting it off the ground..

First run on a borrowed bike, which happened to also be my first (and only) time on an FS I had to use my discretion on a couple of the features..

I'd love to spend a bit longer up there on a hardtail.. It's a pretty rad hill

We camped at Dornoch for a week and had the pleasure of riding it 3 times, it's one of the best purpose built trails I've ridden, it's got a little of everything.

We rode, Balblair and Learny while we were up there, all in beautiful Scottish sunshine one September, well worth a road trip.

Balblair's ace- micromoabs! carbisdale's worth a wee visit too, it's pretty straightforward blue/red stuff but still pretty charming.

How's Learnie these days? Last time I was there it was a bit knackered, it'd just had a chunk of the black destroyed by logging and the waymarking in other bits was pretty hopeless (I remember arriving at a 5-way junction with no signs, and riding up a red descent...) Some really nice sections on it but mostly I remember being a bit pee'd off.

@somafunk- depends on you really. I'd probably make the trip but I really like it. And I'd probably either go up for a second lap (maybe cut off the very top) or nip over to Balblair just to fill the day up/make it more worth the trip.

Only bettered by Laggan I reckon, a cracking trail. And I won my first race their so it has some special memories- the black run on an XC hardtail with 100mm forks and a saddle right up the ronson was exciting to say the least.

I'm up at Aviemore at the moment on holiday with my bike, is Golspie worth the 160mile return journey to ride it bearing in mind the weather forecast this week includes snow, sleet and icy northerly winds?, or am I best to stick to the many trails I know in the Cairngorms.

The higher sections of the black, once you are out of the forest, are very exposed to the hillside, with minimal to no cover at all (from what I remember). With the height you gain I can imagine it would be pretty grim up there with an icy wind and rain / sleet.

haven't been there in about 8 years, but still remember this bit vividly 🙂

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The higher sections of the black, once you are out of the forest, are very exposed to the hillside, with minimal to no cover at all (from what I remember). With the height you gain I can imagine it would be pretty grim up there with an icy wind and rain / sleet.

Agreed. The only benefit is Golspie being right on the coast. My mother lives half way between Nairn and Aviemore - there are times when Aviemore can be virtually snowed in and Nairn on the coast can be sunny stroll along the beach weather. But the top black bit of Golspie could be a grim place to be in rough weather.

alishand - Member

with minimal to no cover at all (from what I remember).

It does have the Worst Shelter Ever up near the top. Made entirely out of crooked sticks and gaps, it'd be pretty useless even if the open side didn't face the prevailing wind 😆

IIRC you can crop off the top though and you just miss the first descent, and join it where it enters the trees, at the random enormous wooden bridge? Which is a shame, but still an option.

Genuine question, given the wealth of fantastic natural stuff in the highlands, is it worth going all that way to ride a trail centre? I'm not anti-trail centre at all, but with the likes of Torridon, Cairngorms etc "nearby" it would have to be a hell of a trail to tempt me away from them.

Is it that good?

Is it that good?

Depends. Torridon and Cairngorms are brilliant - world class even. Both are more weather dependant than somewhere like Golspie and by that I mean poor weather in the days and weeks before makes a greater impact on its ridability and arguably your wheels are doing more damage when it's softened up. Golspie is also more adrenaline like riding pre mile than you would get on natural trails if drops and 'just about ridable squeaky bum time' is your thing whilst most of the natural stuff is more traditionally 'trail' like. It's also not especially pretty (in context to what else you can ride in the Highlands). Torridon/Cairngorms is definitely a more awe inspiring/ at one with nature experience that's for sure. As with much in life a compromise and a bit of everything is probably the answer.