Castlewellan

Located an hour’s drive south of Belfast, Castlewellan is one of Northern Ireland’s three national trail centres. Boasting great facilities and a mix of gentle green, flowing blue and exciting red trails (with black options), there’s something here for every rider – even a pump track. All set in a forest park, next to a Victorian castle and one of the country’s most famous lakes. The centre hosts all kinds of MTB events too, from enduros to cross-country races.

essential info

FACILITIES Bike hire, cafe, showers, toilets, bike wash, parking (fee applies). NEARBY BIKE SHOP Life Adventure Centre (on site), 02843 770714, www.onegreatadventure.com Mourne Cycles, Newcastle, 02843 727272, www.mournecycles.co.uk MORE INFORMATION www.mountainbikeni.com GETTING THERE Castlewellan Forest Park is located off the A25. Follow the forest road (one-way) down to the lake and keep left. The trailhead parking is on your left. Postcode: BT31 9BU

the trails PUMP TRACK GREEN TRAIL 4km

This easy loop around the lake is ideal for families or first-timers.

BLUE TRAIL 4.5km

The blue trail starts o on undulating singletrack through the woods, with a number of rollers thrown in for fun, before joining the green trail to follow the shoreline back to the trailhead and car park.

RED TRAIL 19km

Starting on the same blue singletrack, with incredible views, the red trail soon branches o and climbs up behind Castlewellan Castle. The loop includes flowing descents, some with more technical black options to test your skills and mettle.