Trail Badger
Mountain Biking trails in Northern Ireland
Southern Scotland
If you live in Northern Ireland, Southern Scotland is easily accessible to you, even for a day trip.
The 7 Stanes is a series of mountain bike centres in Forestry Commission Scotland forests in the Borders and Dumfries & Galloway. Drumlanrig is a similar centre on a private estate.
There are well over 400 km of trails for all abilities in all styles, from sweet flowing singletrack to monster berms and jumps.
Visit the Drumlanrig biking web site.
Transfers of you, your mates and all your kit, from Stranraer to Kirroughtree and other centres, can be organised through K'Tree-based The Brake Pad, meaning you and your mates don't need to drive - brilliant!
Visit The Brake Pad to organise transfers.
Day Trips
Book Stenaline Belfast-Stranraer Day Trips
Be on the 07:35 Belfast-Stranraer, returning on the 19:50 Stranraer-Belfast. (The cafe at the front of the boat does a great all-you-can-eat breakfast for £11).
You have plenty of time to spend the day at Kirroughtree, only 40 minutes from the ferry - you should be on your bike by 10:30. Leave the centre before 17:00 and you will have plenty of time for a Chinese in Stranraer before the boat.
You could make some of the more distant centres for a day trip instead, but it may just put you under time pressure to get back.
Overnight/Weekend Trips
Book Stenaline Overnight Trips
For an overnight, weekend or longer, you will need to sort out accommodation, according to your taste! Visit the 7stanes web site and there are useful links from the right hand side of each centre's pages that will help.
One recommendation is the Cross Keys Hotel in Peebles - a really top notch spot for basing yourself if you plan to ride Glentress & Innerleithen (a great place to spend a whole weekend).
Room prices £22-£25 per head per night, including breakfast), right in the middle of Peebles, great facilities for bikers. Ewan is the man to talk to, and make sure you mention TrailBadger.
Visit the Cross Keys Hotel, Peebles web site
Another option is Greenhead Lodge, which sleeps 8 in a converted barn in
proper (biker) luxury, about 6 miles north of Dumfries. 6 people sharing works out at £15 per person per night!
It is about an hour from Kirroughtree, and no more than 30 mins from Dalbeattie, Mabie, Ae, and Drumlanrig - a perfect base for short trips where you want to ride trails at a number of the centres.
A fine blend of family trails and rough & tough for the more experienced rider. 90 miles / 2 hrs from Stranraer.
Great rocky trails of all grades. Includes The Slab and other notable features. 60 miles / 1 hr 20 mins from Stranraer.
Classic 'natural' woodland singletrack through some of Scotland's finest scenery, with a selection of trails to suit every ability and interest. 17 miles north of Dumfries on the A76. 90 miles / 2 hrs from Stranraer.
Probably the best biking centre in Britain. Everything from beginners' trails to long XC to extreme downhill and challenging free-ride. Café, bike shop & hire at Glentress. 140 miles / 3 hrs from Stranraer.
Along with Glentress (beside it), probably the best biking centre in Britain. Everything from beginners' trails to long XC to extreme downhill. Café, bike shop & hire at Glentress. 140 miles / 3 hrs from Stranraer.
Home to some of the best singletrack in the country. Something for everyone, with seasonal café and kids' play area. 25 miles / 40 minutes from Stranraer.
Magnificent flowing singletrack for all, and a 3km North Shore test piece for experts. Café, bike shop & hire. 75 miles / 1 hr 40 mins from Stranraer.
NOTE: The trails on this site have been ridden before, but you should not interpret their inclusion as an indication that mountain-biking is officially sanctioned on them. Seeking permission from landowners is your own responsibility, as is conducting yourself in a manner that is courteous, respectful to the environment, and conscious of the safety of others.