Craigavon Lakes, Armagh

Getting There

Located 5 minutes from the M1 Junction 10, on a slip road off one of the main Craigavon roundabouts.  Park at the watersports centre (signposted, brown signs), or at Tannaghmore Gardens (but NOT here if you have bikes on the roof, as there’s a barrier!)

Trail Description

The first purpose-built official mountain bike trail in Northern Ireland, and also the first to be designed and built within a city park in the UK.

The trail is 10.6kms long with 7kms of singletrack. The singletrack trail is narrow, no more than 600mm wide, with an earth or stone surface. The singletrack trails are suitable for a range of abilities of cyclist from novice riders to experienced mountain bikers, also suitable for kids but only those that are competent cyclists.

Follow the blue circular waymarkers with the words “moderate cycle trail” around the edge, to get around the trail.

There are good visitor facilities at Craigavon Watersports Centre, with parking, a café, the watersports centre itself, a BMX and skateboard park & numerous walking trails.  

Bikes, equipment & guides are available for hire too; call Tel. 028 3834 2669 to make a booking.

Useful Maps & Links

Craigavon MTB Trails Map

Craigavon Lakes on Cycle NI

Location

Trail Head

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Reviews for this trail

• Fantastic off road city track for that quick fix! yes, no big climbs or mountains but the exhileration comes with tackling the twisting single tracks at pace .. never over-used .. you feel like you sometimes have it too yourself!! ...a big thumbs up to the investors and people who maintain it ..
  Paulio: about 13 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• absolutely uusslessssss!
  Conor: about 14 years ago 

  Rating:3 badgers
• Visited again with the kids and weekend - had forgotten how much fun the trails are despite being flat. A great place for younger ones starting to hit trails for the first time and also for those of us with a few more miles under the belt. Give it a go
  Conor: about 14 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• I was very surprised to see just how good these wee trails are. Its impressive what can be done when someone puts the effort in i.e nice twisty wee singletrack trails which are quite fun despite them being on the flat ground.
  Go and enjoy these trails for what they are, family orientated trails, nothing steep and no real 'features' to speak of.
  Had a good wee day out, the day is what you make it.
  Stephen Law: about 14 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• Very disappointed. Might be a good trail for young children, but very boring for everyone else. It's also quite overgrown, two of us got lots of nettle stings on our legs and arms while on the trail.
  Johnny: about 14 years ago 

  Rating:1 badgers
• I rode this for the first time this morning. Its a blast! For a city centre trial its very good. Its mostly gravel single track through trees, with tight twisty sections and some slight inclines. There are some modifications by the locals off the single track, with little jumps etc. Its ideal for high speed trail and XC riding. Freeriders/downhillers will be disappointed by the lack of er... hills. One thing I found was it was easy to get lost when you exited a trail, but a little hunting brought me to the entrance to the next trail (markers on rocks). There were thankfully no walkers on the trails themselves, but you have to watch out on the short paths between each trail for dogs and walkers. Its well maintained with no dog poo as mentioned by someone else, but there are a few sections were nettle and briars cross the path. 4.5/5 from me.
  Drew: about 14 years ago 

  Rating:4.5 badgers
• I use the trails at Craigavon lakes all the time with the kids, as there are some nice singletrack sections and there are no hills or tricky technical sections for them to get stuck on.
  
  The farm halfway round is a good place to stop and give the kids a rest while they feed the donkeys, pigs and cows.
  
  The trails are also good in the winter for a quick blast, especially at night, as they are rideable in all weathers.
  
  Walkers on the bike trails can be an issue, but the biggest problem is just how underused these trails are.
  Ian Wheeler: about 14 years ago 

  Rating:3.5 badgers
• tried trail 1st time yesterday.good fun.give it a go!
  Jba: about 15 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• id advise you not to go on the trails but the tacble top beside the railway tracks is good but the council keep telling you to stop doing it because its "dangerous for other people"
  Conor: about 15 years ago 

  Rating:3 badgers
• i live beside it and it is soo boring why cant they build a downhill track?
  Conor: about 15 years ago 

  Rating:1 badgers
• The lakes is a good circuit but v.quicky gets boring. I live beside it so I am there at least once a week, mainly on a sunday or sometimes mid-week for lunch break. What gets me about this setup most is the trails are laid out clockwise & clearly marked entry points with BLUE signs on both rocks going in, the number of times I have nearly come a cropper with muppets going round the wrong way! There are walkers that do walk the trails but it's the bikes coming in the opposite direction which is really dangerous. Some of the rails are quites dark or narrow - so beware.
  I have now resorted to riding over the stepping stones to add some excitement to the circuit and falling in does give me a big smile! 8-)
  Broken_cross: about 15 years ago 

  Rating:3 badgers
• This is a good city trail like pity wasnt somewere closer like! anyone know if any trails near banbridge? thanx
  DANIEL GORDON: about 15 years ago 

  Rating:5 badgers
• Great Fun if you go flat out, lots of twists and turns. great for a quick fix.
  Beller: about 15 years ago 

  Rating:3.5 badgers
• Its impressive what they can make with a bit of effort. Flat but great fun with a bit of speed and ideal for introducing wife/kids to mountain biking.
  
  Worth a visit.
  Mark: about 15 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• Great for a short blast. The circuit appears to have been recently worked on and is great fun. There are a few overhanging nettles so long sleeves and legs allow a faster, scratch time. The Watersports Centre offer showers and refreshments.
  Tony: about 15 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• This trail is fantastic. Where else can you boast an 11k MTB in an urban/city landscape?
  Its overgrown with nettles part of the year because its under-used...get out there and use it more often. But if nettles are a major concern then maybe you should stick to the tarmac paths instead... you're kinda missing the point in an "outdoor MTB trail" Tell your friends about it and keep it busy. This really is a class trail.
  Within the last few weeks its almost entirely been resurfaced and the vegetation has been sprayed and cut back so like I already said...stop whining about the nettles and get out there. Plenty of traffic will soon keep the vegetation back!!!
  Steve: about 16 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• Not a bad trail. I prefer the single track sections as they tend to be unused by pedestrians. Exercise caution on the tarmac sections which although clearly marked, are amok with dumb pedestrians who seem to prefer walking on the marked cycle way.
  A fast trail with very little climbing or descending. I gave this a rating of 4 as its pretty impressive for a city trail!
  Steve: about 16 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• Was up there this morning Sept 12th the trail is well clear of the nasty nettles and even after the recent downpours the trail is in excellent condition a bit slippy in places but good fun all the same
  Torres: about 16 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• first time mountain biking but really enjoyed the course fantastic place to start of riding
  Gavin: about 16 years ago 

  Rating:3 badgers
• Returned to this trail this year and what a disappointment. The trail was grown over,our kids needed long sleeves and trousers to stop nettle stings, parts of it were like a rubbish tip,other part trees fallen and blocking the trail, dog dirt everywhere. Not supprisingly we were the only people using the trails, the locals seem to perfer the tarmac - cleaner and better kept. Such a shame as it was a great place for the kids.
  Geoff: about 16 years ago 

  Rating:2 badgers
• This is flat, but if you blast round it, then it's great fun. Narrow enough to have you dodging trees and bushes all over the place, and if it's too short just do another lap. Very pleasantly surprised. Saturday lunch time and only 2 other riders.
  Clinton: about 16 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• first time at it last night! just a great hack through the hedges! Loved the grey concrete half buried pipe!!
  not too difficult but you can make it harder by going at it full tilt!! you will realy enjoy it! i will be back!
  Bazra!: about 16 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• Just started getting into MTB at the age of 31 and this is ideal,go as fast or slow as you want. Midweek I'm yet to come across another rider. At a moderate pace look at around 45mins. I'd recommend a warm up lap stop at the rare breeds farm for a breather then blast it round to finish off .I'll second the view on nettles !!
  
  Torres: about 16 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• as a total noobie it was fun fun fun good place to start both for riding and fitness highly recommended (as a noobie of course)
  Streethawk: about 17 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• Great run for the family. Great introduction to off road riding for kids - prepares them for some of the more technical stuff.
  Geoff: about 17 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers
• Almost entirely flat, but fabulous fun. The faster you go, the bigger your grin at the end of it. Anyone can ride it from an absolute beginner to the xc whippet (the dh boys may be a bit overbiked!) Tight, twisty, tree clipping fun, surfaced for all year round riding, can be a bit nettle-y if we ever get a summer...
  AndyL: about 17 years ago 

  Rating:4 badgers