I’m up on holiday in said area next week with Mrs FD and Jnr FD (15 month old) staying near Kirkcudbright.

Unfortunately my fitness isnt great having being off the bike with a fractured wrist. Which would be the best trail centre for me to ride with a loop about 12-20 miles?

Also which would be the best centre for us to go out as a family, and where can we hire a kids trailer from?

Ta

Either Kirroughtree or Mabie – Kirroughtree is probably slightly better for the family day as it has a green route and you can hire trailers there. Both red routes are about 18k but Mabie has more hills so a bit more challenging from a fitness perspective.

Ta, meant to also add, do any of the trail centres have any decent FS for hire, as I am looking at changing bikes over the winter and would be tempted to hire some thing if they have decent 100mm FS bikes for hire in the area too.

Second for Kirroughtree, there is also a large kids park there

kirroughtree is my personal favorite in the area but there is mabie , ae (a bit crap) dalbeattie and drumlanrig all within 40 mileish of kirkcudbright

Again K has a good selection of demo bikes

http://www.thebreakpad.com/ + good play park, walks and cafe and Newton Stewart is a couple of miles along the road.

http://www.creamogalloway.co.uk/

http://www.cycle-centre.com/shed.html

http://www.nextlevelbikes.co.uk/

http://www.mpgcycles.co.uk/contact.asp

http://www.drumlanrig.com/drumlanrig-outdoor-activities/mountain-biking

http://www.cdbikes.co.uk/

ae (a bit superbly crap sh*t)

Amended that 😉

Just got back from a weekend there. Bunch of lads so didn’t pay too much attention to the family oriented facilities. We rode Mabie (red), Kirroughtree (black), and Dalbeattie (red), the group was mixed fitness levels and ability but all got round fine.

I’d say avoid the black at Kirroughtree if you’re wrist is still a bit dodgy, it’s pretty technical in places so depending on your confidence/pain levels it may be a bit much. The red sections we rode were nice though. Mabie was good – smooth and swoopy so good for a sore wrist, but only 17km so unless you go round twice maybe not that suitable.

I’d say go for Dalbeattie if it’s close enough – it’s about 25km and there are short black sections which you can take if you’re feeling good. The red was a good mix of fast rolling, roller coaster sections and rockier more technical sections. No idea what facilities are there as we just parked and rode.

You also pass Mossyard on your left when driving to Kirroughtree (farm and campsite). They have a really nice small beach for little ones there – think you can park and use the beach for a nominal fee.

We also use Rockliffe beach to entertain kids – get dropped off at Dalbeattie 7 Stanes car park – ride some or all of the route. Can exit the forest at Colvend then short road to Rockliffe. Or exit at the car park or Barnbarroch, ride up the road 5 – 10 mins and then turn right onto a forest road before Clonyard Hotel – this brings you into the back of Rockliffe through the woods.

Slight hijack whilst Trekster is reading – are there any other “natural” routes worth riding in the Kirroughtree / CD / Balcary etc area?

Thanks for all the info so far very helpful!

Looks like I will ride Kirroughtree by myself and with the Family. Thankfully very little pain in the wrist all though confidence isnt great on hard stuff yet. Are their chicken runs on the the black route at Kirroughtree?

dunno about the black but i suggest you ride the red for a real lesson in what a flowing trail should be …. its almost as good as riding natural :D(when you chuck in the natural singletrack sections you see as you ride along ! )

none of these traffic slowing features that glen turd has.

The black at Kirroughtree is an extension to the red:

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/7stanes-kirroughtreemap.pdf/$FILE/7stanes-kirroughtreemap.pdf

Not sure about chicken runs, but the one section we all struggled with was McMoab and you can ride round that.

I’d forgotten how good Kirroughtree was until I rode 10 @ kirroughtree at the weekend. Flowing, technical in parts, lots of down for your uphill efforts. The red has chicken runs, not sure about the black as its been so long since I’ve done it. None of the really hard stuff is too long so it can easily be walked if need be. Dalbeattie is good too but not as flowing and it doesnt have the cafe etc that Kirro has.