Bikemagic Trail Guide: Kirroughtree, Dumfries & Galloway

1 comments 09:41AM Wed, 3rd October 2012

Destination: Kirroughtree, Dumfries and Galloway

In many riders’ top five or even topping their list, Kirroughtree is a must-ride trail centre. Its red trail, The Twister, is one of the most flowing trails in the country and the technical challenge of McMoab is a rock balancing vertiginous joy.

The granite of McMoab is a fun challenge. Image by space-scape via Flickr

How to get there

From Dumfries, take the A75 west towards Newton Stewart. The turning for Kirroughtree is a minor road on the right about four miles short of Newton Stewart. After turning, take the first left and follow the lane to the centre.

Sat Nav: DG8 7BE

Facilities

Cafe, bike shop, bike hire, bike wash, toilets and lots of lovely, grippy granite.

Trails

There’s classic woodland trails as well as the granite. Image by Tom Ledger via Flickr

Graded green, the 6km Bargaly Wood trail is a pleasant, leisurely family ride.

The 14 or 10 km blue trail, with or without Doon Hill extension has some fun bits and even the occasional small rock drop.

The bare Kirroughtree granite juts out of the landscape. Image by brf via Flickr

But they’re not why you go to Kirroughtree. The 17 km red grade Twister is a classic example of how good a purpose-built trail can be, mostly because it rarely feels ‘artificial’. It flows wonderfully and you genuinely feel that every inch of height gained is paid back with interest with wonderful twisting descents.

It’s technical too, with some significant rock steps and drop-offs, most of which don’t have chicken runs, but no-one ever said that cross-country couldn’t have teeth.

Yes, it’s steep. Image by brf via Flickr

Talking of teeth, the 14 km extra that the black grade Black Craigs adds has full-on fangs. Big granite fangs. It doesn’t flow but does everything it can to break your rhythm and make you dab a foot down. A successful clean run of McMoab has to be on every UK riders’ bucket list.

If you’re unsure of your ability, there’s a decent skills loops that’ll give you a taste of what to expect on the trails.