cheers dude! going there tomorrow with the girlfriends dad… trying to get him started on moutnain biking, he seems pretty keen and this is right next to where they live so pretty handy.
Close to me also but I would rather drive for two hours to go somewhere better tbh.
Firstly its very short and due to its location,the north facing side of the Campsie hills it never seems to get warm or dry out ever.
I appreciate that folk have put in a lot of effort to do this but it just doesnt do it for me or anyone I know who has used it.
A better place to go in my opinion and especially for a first timer is the forest tracks around Aberfoyle which as you know no doubt isnt that far away.Several easy routes to choose from and a few that are a bit more demanding.
Although I can see snow on top of the Campsies out of my window right now so there may well be some at Aberfoyle at the minute as well.
Don’t know what WTF is on about. The trails are very well surfaced (maybe too well!) so they’re never wet/muddy. The loop is pretty short (6km I think?) but has some fun sections on it. Great place to take beginners, there’s only one feature on the trail (The Kelpie’s Staircase on the Eas Dubh section) that’s likely to prove a show-stopper. The final “bike park” section (lots of easy doubles) is great.
Used to go there regularly for a lazy Sunday-afternoon ride or a night-ride.
WTF, im a bit more experienced than the fella im taking so will probably think the same as you however the idea is to go on an easy trail jst to introduce the fella to mountain biking as hes only been the once i think. So according to stevo it sounds like it is pretty much perfect for the beginner. And cheers rockthree well helpfull. where abouts are the two of you from? the girlfriends family live just west of cumbernauld.
I’m a big fan of the CV trails. They’re very well surfaced and no matter how much rain you get, they remain mud free. Overall the trail is just over 10km long and it’s easy to re-do certain sections over and over again, without having to do a full loop.
Pipedream is the first climb. Starts off fairly easily and meanders up through the trees. Quite a few tight turns but nothing too challenging. It gets a bit steeper about half way up but it’s not too tough.
After the singletrack of Pipedream there’s a short fireroad climb to the top of Eas Dubh which is a downhill section. This is probably the trickiest section. The surface is a lot rougher and far more undulating with the Kelpies Staircase near the start of the section. It’s a short, steep rock staircase that looks worse than it is, as long as you keep to the right hand side you’ll be ok. After that the trail is fast as it winds tightly round down through the forest and spits you back out onto the forest road.
There’s another short fireroad section that brings you back to the top of the Pipedream climb which is also where the next downhill section starts. This the Cannonball Run and this is a great downhill section for going absolutely flat out on.
After that there’s another short fireroad climb to the top of The Runway which is the final section. The surface is quite rough in places and it’s filled with jumps, doubles, berms etc. At the end there’s a short fireroad back to the carpark.
The trails are well maintainted and rideable all year round. They’re never too busy and they’re within a 40 minute drive from Glasgow so they’re great for night rides if you’re in the central belt.
A nice little on-board video here
And for comedy value, someone getting Kelpie’s badly wrong. As I said, stay to the right. 😆
oo err i see cool man, where abouts in the alps are you? me and a group of mates went out to chatel near morzine last summer and ive been skiing there a few times with a friend, and im fairly sure we are coming out there again this summer woo
I live in Sainte Foy, near Les Arcs. My wife and I run a chalet – snowboard/ski holidays in the winter, bike holidays in the summer. It’s not a bad life… 😀 Mountain Bike Holidays Sainte Foy / Les Arcs
What Bob and Stevo say………..great place for a beginner, only one tricky bit (the staircase) and a great fun ending. Not somewhere I’d want to go all the time, but fun nonetheless, especially if you’ve got someone new to the sport along.
yeh so i have heard.. there seems to be a wealth of bikin spots near carron valley and stirling etc… jst didnt really know what. sounds good tho… i think i few more trips to the grilfriends house will be in order over the coming months/year 🙂
And for comedy value, someone getting Kelpie’s badly wrong.
that’s someone getting the unnecessary chicken run wrong. here’s how to ride it properly… 🙂
