Tentsmuir riders – flooded trails rideable again?

I was gutted when hiking through Tentsmuir in April to find some of the beautiful singletrack I’d previously ridden was under a foot of slimy looking black water! Especially the stuff in the dunes nearer Leuchars.

I can see some recent activity on Strava but my sleuthing skills can’t deduce if that means the flooding has dried out or not.

Anyone got any recent intel?

Ta

I’ve not been since january and found it as you did

Just messaged a colleague … “I was there in May maybe? Lots of the single track gone, but they have been sorting out the flooding and it’s more ridable”

arghhh, heading to St Andrews week after next for a few days and planning to get a few rides in that area.  Are you referring to the nature reserve section of trails immediately northeast of the air base ?

Are you referring to the nature reserve section of trails immediately northeast of the air base ?

Yeah. When I was there it was difficult to navigate around a lot of the flooding even on foot, although it looked as if some folks were still attempting to ride the trails but they were just making a muddy braided mess around the flooded bits.

Nearest the main car park wasn’t AS bad but still some of the good stuff under water.

From Birky’s post though it sounds like it’s improving and I did see a lot of recent May/June activity on Strava

thanks, fingers crossed…

Lots of lovely wee pockets dotted about nearer town as well, although separated by tarmac or farm tracks, e.g. Kincaple Den (a bit spicey, I wouldn’t take a gravel bike down it), Spinkie Den and Lumbo Den (I walked up Spinkie Den, short but lovely rooty bits at the top). Then further out I found a glorious short section swooping down between some old deciduous trees at the edge of a field, look for the strip of trees between The Grange Inn and Scooniehill Farmhouse. Could maybe try and combine them into some sort of loop with Kemback hill or something?

Edit: and the section of singletrack running parallel to the road between the entrance to Cambo gardens and Kingsbarnes, a few wee bits scattered in the trees around Kingsbarnes as well

^^ yeah, we stayed at Easter Kincaple last summer and I explored quite a bit, some lovely spots

Dunno if Lucklaw hill is worth a look? We used to do motorbike trials there in the 80s

https://maps.app.goo.gl/nDW2o2skET11s8789

Singletrack at the north end towards Tayport is all but wiped out. Arwen caused major devastation and even though they are working through the mess, most is gone forever.
Used to go a lot in winter as it drained really well, but with all the tree loss there’s nothing to draw the water out of the ground anymore.

Planning Tentsmuir tomorrow am. Today I rode this one, got the gpx file from Fife Gravel Grinders website.

Oh my, the section where the route starts and finishes at Cameron ?. No path left all, a mile plus of hikey bikey at beginning and end through waist high nettles. My legs are absolutely stinging now..

Met a friendly farmer who was saying that section is part of Fife core paths and hasn’t been maintained in years, he directed me to ride up the wheel lines of his barley fields instead, which I eventually did on the return leg.

The rest of the route was delightful 🙂

Dunno if Lucklaw hill is worth a look? We used to do motorbike trials there in the 80s

And you weren’t  bloody quiet about it as I recall.

Sincerely

Joshvegas esq

Of Lucklawhill

Oh my, the section where the route starts and finishes at Cameron ?. No path left all, a mile plus of hikey bikey at beginning and end through waist high nettles. My legs are absolutely stinging now..

Yeah… Strava shows a path but it has virtually no heatmap activity. Is Fife Gravel Grinders a Komoot collection?

Thanks, yes, seems to be, stupidly I didn’t look at the heat map. At least for tomorrow I know my way round Tentsmuir having ridden it a few times last summer.

Just remembered this thread, how was Tentsmuir looking Iain?

^^^^ ah, I ended up not going, as had a sleepless night due to the nettle stings from the previous ride .. 🙁

Kingsbarnes X

Kingsbarns   ✓

ah, I ended up not going, as had a sleepless night due to the nettle stings from the previous ride .. 🙁

Argh, I’ve been there, spending a night with cold flannels all over the legs to try and calm the burning! (although that was alongside the River Almond nr Crammond, wonder if it could have been hogweed…)