[magpie]

Hello bike people! 

If one was wishing to have a go at some easy, beginner trails relatively near to Glasgow where might be best to go? 

For some reason I have Glentress stuck in my head, would that be a good starting point?

Any other suggestions?  Or anything else I should know before I give it a go?

Thank you!

[Adam Lincoln]

Glentress has a Green which is about 4 or 5km. Should take you up to an hour. Not very technical. There is a blue also which is 16km. About 2 and a half hours. Bit more technical and bit more effort required. There are also a Red and a Black but would think you would need to get hold of a hire bike for the red.

Get yourself down to Glentrool and Kirroughtrees, much better riding in IMO. If you fancy something once you have done a bit at Glentress which isn't very technical, but requires a lot of effort, then go and do the Big Country route at Glentrool, 58km and will take you a full day.

Both the above places will are near Newton Stewart, and will probably take a couple of hours to get to from Glasgow.

[SA Chris]

For first days out, Pollok Country Park is apparently ideal

http://cycling.visitscotland.com/mountain_biking/mb_centre/pollokcountrypark

The Green Circuit - This is an ideal introduction into the feel of Mountain Biking. This circuit offers a gentle ride in the woods that can perhaps progress to be a warm-up session for the more challenging routes.

http://cycling.visitscotland.com/mountain_biking/mb_centre/carron_valley_mb_trails

is also meant to be good, but not been to either personally. I have a few mates based in Paisley and E. Kilbride who do a lot of biking, can nask them if there is anything even closer to home?

[Norton Sharley]

Have you been to Carron Valley which is much closer and is easy - http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6p6kbl

There are some good combination trails along and around the Campsie Fells although they can get boggy.

There's also loads of stuff in the Trossachs at the Queen Elizabeth Forest Parks and circuits out of the Park around that area.  There are a number of 'secret', i.e. unmarked trails in this Park that allow you to do nice 4x4 track uphills and singletrack downhills.  The FC certainly didn't mind these unofficial trails being built some years ago but I'm not sure of there current stance.

[magpie]

Thanks, boys. 

I've been nowhere really, NS, I wondered about the Trossachs as we did a little bit there on our way back from Inverness, I'll look into that further as it's dead easy to get to and not too far away, will also check out Carron Valley.

I live pretty near Pollok Park but someone local told me it was a bit rubbish, maybe it's worth a look though, since it's so close to home?

I'm not sure I'll ever fancy something that requires 'a lot of effort', Adam, but I will check out the ones near Newton Stewart. 

[SA Chris]

If you are looking for "easy, beginner", a bit rubbish might translate to "ideal for you".

If it's close it's probably worth a look.

Regarding glentress - the green is v naff and not worth travelling over there for. If you have any idea of how to ride a bike (which we know you do) you will be fine on the Blue. There is nothing particularly hard on it - it's well designed with nice swoopy turns all the way. A mate's girlfriend hired a bike and did the blue as her first ever mountain biking and had no problems on it, apart from being a bit knackered from the climbs. But as conqueror of the Slochd summit you should have no such difficulties! Main problem will be avoiding slower riders, esp on busy peak times (weekends and summer). If you are feeling at all unfit you can drive to the upper car park and start from there, ideal if someone will drive the car down for you so you can go all the way to the bottom car park.

[magpie]

If you are looking for "easy, beginner", a bit rubbish might translate to "ideal for you".

I did wonder that myself.   

drive to the upper car park and start from there, ideal if someone will drive the car down for you so you can go all the way to the bottom car park.

That sounds ideal, but it won't do much for my fitness will it?   

[SA Chris]

No but will increase the funness

[magpie]

True. 

[burned]

glentress is supernice there is somethign for everyone and some really low northshore stuff that you can mess around on and have a laff, you can wash your ride and eat awesome cake too : )

If you are looking for something more mellow, there is heaps of firetrack around Aberfoyle : ) but no cake

[magpie]

The cake is a fairly big selling point. 

[SA Chris]

The caff at Glentress does great cake.

[john horscroft]

  and the blue at Glentress is a must!

[cofe]

Think there's some stuff in Mugdock Park too, although I don't know much about it.

[burned]

the cake is awesome, and wasnt too costly either if I remember right... is it still whats-her-face that runs it.. you know, the gay downhiller championee chicka.. (name totally escapes me)

[Norton Sharley]

There used to be an excellent hippy cafe in the middle of Aberfoyle with homemade cakes?

Tracy Moseley?

[magpie]

We really need to steer this thread off the cake recommendations, you lot are meant to get my syked for hardcore cycling and fitness, not encourage me to eat more cakes, I am already the cake at around 7c / black trail level.   

Thank you all for the suggestions though.