Where to go???

[soupy]

Was thinking of booking a day of work to hit the trails, but where could i go?

Mate in works going to go as well, where looking to go some where different that would suit me (being a noobie) and some where we can find the trails easily with out getting too lost or wasting time looking for them. Happy to get up early to travel, i'm just outside ards.

Mainly just been out at helens tower/lead mines and had a few runs round bever.

Where would you's recomend?

[Tree Magnet]

Day return on the ferry to kirroughtree in Scotland, did it the twelfth week and it was great

[penguinni]

Ditto a day trip to KT. Look on the Stena site for MTB special ( 50 quid for a car and up to 4 passengers) and head over on the 0730 ferry. Its a straightforward hours drive to KT and you will have a blast on the trails for about 6 hours and time for a feed in Stranraer. Catch the 2000 ferry back and you will be home, knackerd but grinning, around 2300!

Simples!

[soupy]

Sound brillant but was looking a bit closer to home for now

[soupy]

Forget that last comment, i'm looking into it

[penguinni]

You know it makes sense....

[a2themfk]

As above KT or head down to our equivalent down @ ballinstoe, its about 2hrs from belfast. No mad early start and you'll be home for dinner

[Aul Han]

Yip a day off deserves a trip to K'tree or B'stoe. You can always nip down to local trails in an evening or weekend.

[JAC]

Link for the boat (http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/day-trips/daytrip-scotland-mountain-biking)

You'll not regret K'tree. Well worth the price.

[soupy]

yeah been on looking £50 for the boat isn't bad i'll check it out why my mate tomo but i'm sure he'll be up for it. Was reading a thread about ballinstoe but a trip to k'tree sounds much better. How much is it?

[JAC]

Just remember that £50 trips are limited to Tues, Wed, Thurs. All other days are £100. Apart from fuel for the car & yourself that's nearly all you need spend, £1.50 I think for the car park at Kirroughtree. But it doesn't do any harm to support the local economy when you're there & get grub in the trail cafe. All goes towards the infrastructure which makes the place such a success.

[soupy]

Yeah was thinking of thurs, does it not cost any thing then for the trails? £25 each for the boat and few pound for fuel and food isn't bad. cherr's guys. you've talked me into it.

One this thing i've only got a hardtail will be good enough to take with me

[Wildturkey]

Hardtail perfect for it

Oh and bring some spares and trail snacks

[JAC]

Hardtail is grand for Kirroughtree, rode one first time I was there & reckon I'll take another back next time. There's nothing there that a HT can't cope with, & in some parts it will make the trail a lot more fun. No need for any more than 4" or 5" of travel in the forks.

Costs nowt but a nominal fee to park, all FS land which we're already paying for plus it's a working forest (at least in parts).

[Steveb]

Listen to you lot. KT, BS, that, NI has some incredible riding that is the perfect training ground for any newbie.

You lot forget what we have on our doorstep sometimes.

[Tree Magnet]

Listen to you lot. KT, BS, that, NI has some incredible riding that is the perfect training ground for any newbie.

You lot forget what we have on our doorstep sometimes.

Oooooooooooooooooooo listen to you goin off on one! It's a full day off, You can do Tolly and all the mud &roots any old Sunday but a day away is a different story

[Miki]

Yeh, when you're taking a day off work, a day away might seem more rewarding.
But any other time just go to Ballinastoe. Petrol money food money and 1.90 euro for the toll.
Plenty of great trails in NI (Castle Wellan, Rostrevor, pretty much anywhere in the Mournes) but you're not really supposed to ride there; Down South or in Scotland there are plenty of legal trails.

[Steveb]

Does a trail being legal make it better? More enjoyable?

I'm not going off on one, just saying you don't have to look far afield for great riding, we have it here. And it's natural, which is better any day of the week than man made.

[JAC]

I think the reason Kirroughtree in particular was mentioned was that the OP doesn't want to spend half a day exploring to find trails. With trail parks you arrive, jump on bike, ride good trails.

Over here we have some excellent riding, some of it far better than K/tree & much on a par, but you have to search for it. You need to put some effort into finding the good stuff, & if you only have a limited amount of time then you want to make all of it count.

[Tree Magnet]

I think the reason Kirroughtree in particular was mentioned was that the OP doesn't want to spend half a day exploring to find trails. With trail parks you arrive, jump on bike, ride good trails.

Over here we have some excellent riding, some of it far better than K/tree & much on a par, but you have to search for it. You need to put some effort into finding the good stuff, & if you only have a limited amount of time then you want to make all of it count.

What he said

[Bowdie]

You shouldn't have a bike if you can't be arce'd or 'don't have the time' to explore the trails, if you want a quick fix get a cycling computer game or rent a 'rad' movie. Peps might have an argument if they're taking the Misses and kiddy-winks and want a sanitized safe theme park environment. Anyone else, invest the time, the pay-back is aways miles better!

[JAC]

Yeah. What he said :rolleyes:

Soupy- just go somewhere you think you'll enjoy yourself. That's what it's all about after all.

[Steveb]

I think the reason Kirroughtree in particular was mentioned was that the OP doesn't want to spend half a day exploring to find trails. With trail parks you arrive, jump on bike, ride good trails.

Over here we have some excellent riding, some of it far better than K/tree & much on a par, but you have to search for it. You need to put some effort into finding the good stuff, & if you only have a limited amount of time then you want to make all of it count.

Ya, now that is a good point, and well made! my apologies.

[soupy]

Thanks for all your comments, mind made up where going to kirroughtree during august, just need to sort out a thurday that we can both get booked off work and where off. Just wanted somewhere i could go for a good day out on the bike without spending half of it searching for trails. I don't get out as much as i'd like so that sort of why i don't want to spend this day looking for trails. But as said before i do agree we do have some good local trails and i don't mind searching for them think it's part of getting out. But on a seperate point if any of you's guys could point me in the right directions of some trails in N.i likes of newcastle/ tollymore etc. Would be great for another day out cherrs

Kirroughtree sounds good i'm going there!!

[jacks2ts]

KT is just FUN ! Go and enjoy :)
Dont take any notice of Bowdie " He get lost round HT" but then so do i :):)

[Bowdie]

KT is just FUN ! Go and enjoy :)
Dont take any notice of Bowdie " He get lost round HT" but then so do i :):)
Thats a turn up for the books - I seem to remember some english blow-in going on at length about 'man-made' and 'built for tourists' bike trails whern't as good as the real thing - perhaps been hanging with Mr P too much me thinks ;-)

[penguinni]

Keep me out of this.

I ride anything.


Slowly.

[jacks2ts]

Bowdie's dead ard the other side Bridge End !!!! :)
P.S. Dont forget the Jaffa cakes tomorrow ;);)

[Bowdie]

Excuse me - fig rolls!
Jaffa cakes are a bit gay for Bridge end!

[soupy]

Boat booked roll on thurday Kirroughtree here i come,

I usally ride up round ht and been to bever a few times but where else in NI is there for trails and for the likes of tollymore where abouts would i go to start finding trails and likewise for rostevor