Ride Here: Kirroughtree

From family jaunts to technical blasts, this 7stanes centre has it all

Part of Scotland’s famous 7stanes trail centre network, Kirroughtree is a fully fledged cycling hub with a cafe, bike shop, bike hire and even a kids’ play area. The fact you can bring the family along isn’t the only reason to visit though – the mountain bike trails are pretty special too.

There’s a green graded family loop around Bargalt Glen, while the 10km blue trail, Larg Hill, clocks in at 50 per cent singletrack and is easy enough to be a great taster for less experienced riders before progressing on to the harder stuff.

The Twister red trail is 17km long and consists almost entirely of singletrack. The descents are fun and flow well, with the final one being technical and rocky while still letting you maintain speed and providing a challenge.

If you’re up for a longer ride, you can miss the last descent of the red and carry on riding the black graded Black Craigs loop. This starts with a rocky climb that’s definitely worth the effort when you finally arrive at the top ready for plenty of descending back into the valley. At 31km (14km added to the red) it’s a long ride, but it’s well worth taking enough food and drink and getting around it to experience one of the best trails around.

There’s not a bad word to say about the Break Pad shop, and the new visitor centre and cafe make a great stop-off after a long day on the trails. This place is well worth a visit!