Did this years ago, maybe around 2005. Parked at the visitors centre and then along the road a wee bit before turning off right and then along the old Edinburgh 'road' that comes out at the top of heartbreak hill on the black. It was a bit like riding along a stream at points, but very good. Then a lap of kirroughtree, snapped chain on the way back and single speeding along the queens way back to the car.
Anyone ridden there recently? Worth a jaunt?
Cheers.
Nobeer, post it on The Breakpads Facebook page (bike shop at Kirri trailhead) and either Sam or Phil will probably answer you.
I don't do facebook unfortunately Julz!.
Bump for the officianados....
Not very recently but me and the GF did exact same route this time last year and all still rideable and fun (although it was socks off to cross the river at Black Loch).
Riding at Kirro on Saturday there and good fun coming down off Talnotry which had a decent lick of snow on the trails.
on a sort of tangent - does anybody know a taxi in that area that could do 2 muddy people and bikes (planning for next summer) as there are quite a few forest tracks want to do with gf
cheers
As nobeerinthefridge suggests, get in touch with the Breakpad and Sam, Phil or Chris might be able to sort you out.
https://en-gb.facebook.com/thebreakpad/
Ruth @ Bottlegreenbiking biking is another.
http://www.bottlegreenbiking.co.uk
Or?
http://gallowaycycling.co.uk
Or?
http://www.trailbrakes.co.uk
Local club. Worth a shot?
http://gallowayhillbillies.org
Brian in Newton Stewart might know someone?
http://www.kirkcowancycles.co.uk
Nobeer thinking on this....
Black route is definitely all fine and they used the old Edinburgh road on the recent car rally down there so assume it's fine.
I think the old Edinburgh road will probably be better than you're expecting as its a fairly wide forest track these days due to the logging in the area.
No the 'better' I was thinking of Julz! Used to be some rough, rocky goodness in there! Bugger. Oh well, at least it'll get some pre puffer miles in.
Follow the a712 to the first forest road on right after the deer park. Takes you to black loch, from here head left onto old ed road to where the black route and Glentrool big country loop take you for 4km, then turn left back down to a712, go right along road for 2km, then take left Tarmac road down to valley floor. Then follow 7stanes sign for escape route to kirroughtree centre marked with a carpal symbol.
Infoatthebreakpaddotcom for picture maps 🙂
Sam
Ps, I'm training for puffer too....eeek
cutsngrazes route seems to miss out the section of the Old Edinburgh Rd that runs from dam at Clatteringshaws down behind the Deer Range... hope that's not gone as there was a great bit of singletrack there.
No real input but that sounds bloody lovely. Love it over there.
It's a few years since i rode the wee path (old edinburgh rd/brockloch hill) from clatteringshaws down to the black loch/murrays monument area but it used to one of my regular rides as i could head through the hills n' forest roads from Kirkcudbright - Glengap-Grobdale of Girthon-Loch Skarrow-Big water of fleet viaduct-clatteringshaws-old edinburgh rd-talnotry hill and head round Kirroughtree then same route back home.
From what i remember the old edinburgh road was a pretty wet washed out drainage route at the best of times unless in the height of summer but still good fun and your chances of meeting anyone else in an 80 mile ride was practically zero.
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Tonderghie burn descent on old edinburgh road
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Grey mare's tail waterfall nr to murrays monument
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Needle monument at Black Loch.
Aye, that's the one Soma, was basically like riding a burn, but a fun one!.