I am staying in Belfast with some family and 'working' between here and Dublin. I have road and mtb with me and can ride tomorrow morning and Saturday.
So Rostrevor or Castlewellan on the mtb?
Bike Forum
Northern Ireland riding
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Posted 1 day ago #
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Went to Rostrevor a couple of years ago now and enjoyed it. Castlewellan supposed to be good too.
Posted 1 day ago # -
I’ve ridden both over the years , Rostrevor is a lot of climbing then all downhill I would say it’s a 21/2 hr to 3hr ride to do it all. Castlewellan is more XC your on the pedals nearly all the time. Out of the two I prefer Castlewellan. Don’t dismiss Tollymore it’s all natural trails and is brilliant.
Here’s a trail guidePosted 1 day ago # -
Fudge, thats the website I have been checking, good to see so many places with facilities like showers and a bike wash. Makes life easier when you are trying to get the work/life balance correct and go meet clients after a bike ride!
I think Castlewellan is going to happen in the morning, weather looks decent and I need to be back in Dublin for 4 to meet a customer. Think Saturday morning I will hit the roads around Belfast.
Posted 1 day ago # -
Good call, Castlewellan is great, especially during the week it should be pretty quiet.
Posted 1 day ago # -
Castlewellan's good fun, but quite pedally and you do have to work hard on the descents to make them super fast. I've never done it on a full sus but my old 100mm hardtail was more than capable so you might be a little overbiked if you have a rear shock. Rostrevor, as people have already said, is very much all up then all down, forest track climb at the starts a killer but the descents are real good fun (even if the trail designers don't know what berms are...), and the views from Kodak corner are incredible (if there's not too much weather coming in from the Irish Sea!)
If you have the time and/or inclination in C'wellan there are some trails they use for the first tracks enduro kicking about, but I've never ridden them and have no idea where they are, and may have trees down from the winters storms as I'm not sure it MTBNI maintain those ones. Same can be said for Rostrevor.
For C'wellan, there's a free car park up round the back on the leitrim road instead of having to pay national trust as well, if you're coming from the north it's fairly easy to see but you might miss it from Castlewellan proper.
Posted 1 day ago # -
Oh and roads wise if you want some routes chuck us a PM with how far you want and what sort of terrain you'd want, or if you want a club ride with friendly locals go and meet Phoenix cycling club at 9:00 for A pace and 9:30 for B pace. Really friendly bunch of guys who'd be happy to ride with you and show you the local countryside
Posted 1 day ago # -
Depends what type of riding you like OP. Cave Hill (not a trail centre) in Belfast is a nasty climb followed by a choice downs from the equivalent to TC blacks to world cup level DH stuff. This time of years it's especially hard though. If you like feeling like you don't know how to ride a bike, then a winter run down Swayze Train will do the trick! (Jimjam from here's crazy creation
)Of the trail centres Davagh is best for hooning, Rostrevor for views and miles and Castlewellan falls in the middle. There's also Barnett Demesne in Belfast. A few kms of blue stuff with a little jump park. No real climbs or descents but ok for what it is.
Tollymore/Donard forest parks have most of the best trails (natural) After the recent weather they'll be slippy as, with possible trees down.
Stick to the TC's or come back in the summer sure
Posted 17 hours ago # -
I really enjoyed Rosstrevor last year although my favourite ride is definitely up and down Slieve Binean.
Quick q. What are the access laws in NI? I tried to find out but kept coming up with nothing. I've heard opposing statements and wouldn't mind knowing what the real story is.
Cheers
Sanny
Posted 17 hours ago # -
@ white101. Avoid the rear car park on the Leitrim road that’s where most cars are broken into. Park in the main square of the town and cycling up he main avenue to the trail head if you want to avoid car parking fees. But it’s not that expensive. Cafe does great coffee and scones when your done. Have a good one
Posted 17 hours ago # -
What are the access laws in NI?
It's Norn Iron - ride where you want and anyone gives you jip - threaten to knee-cap them
A few years ago it was illegal to ride your bike anywhere other than one little forest- Moneyscalp. Didn't stop us from riding/building anywhere/everywhere as it was never enforced.
Posted 17 hours ago # -
Access laws never enforced before Rostrever trail centre was built there were old trails all over the mountain and on busy weekends they are still used if you know where they are, all natural singletrack
Posted 16 hours ago # -
North Down coastal path is a nice spin if you have a spare hour or two.
Posted 15 hours ago # -
Just my 2p
You can just go up the road in Rostrevor at the start, it's pure pain, but about half as long as forest climb.
Posted 11 hours ago # -
I used to ride Donard / Tollymore / Moneyscalp / Castlewellan in the early 90s. Trail access was fine
I’d love to go back cos some of the stuff in Donard looks mint.
You can also go through Tollymore to get to Moneyscalp...or continue round to Trassey Track and then hikeabike up to commedagh and come down the front (but not in this weather)
Posted 9 hours ago # -
Posted 9 hours ago #
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@white101. Well did you manage a run out round Castlewellan? What did you think?
Posted 5 hours ago # -
Off to N Ireland for a week in May so just commenting so I can find this thread nearer the time
Posted 4 hours ago # -
Moneyscalp trails are long gone. The whole forest has been felled.
Tollymore has some of the best natural trails I've ridden anywhere. It is very difficult to navigate though as it isn't laid out in a loop. Mostly the good trails all point down from the two main peaks in the forest.
Donard is similar but a bit steeper and doesn't hold up to wet weather as well as tollymore, Both of those are enduro style stuff I guess.
The trail centre stuff is easy navigate and mostly fairly good fun. I'd rate davagh as the best of them though the really good bits are quite short.
Rostrevor downhill trails were used for the redbull foxhunt and are really good plus there are some brilliant natural downhill runs if you know where to look. The uplift is great and the uplift driver Mehaul is always a good laugh.
If it's natural stuff you are after it's probably best to ask a local to show you around.
Posted 4 hours ago # -
windysurfer just bookmark this
Posted 4 hours ago # -
Well I had a cracking couple hours at at Castlewellan this morning, trail was perfect with a cover of frosty snow and the views up on the higher stretches were beautiful.
My bike is a camber FS, but I frequestly ride with it locked out at the back.
I really enjoyed the trail, don't mind the constant to work on the pedals, despite its lack of big big hills it has enough to keep you moving along quite nicely. The surfaces are in great condition.What was particularly nice was the folk at the cafe. £3 for coffee, shower and a bike wash! Wood burner was in full flow upstairs as well. Well worth another visit in my book just for the welcome I got in there.
Tomorrows road ride is looking positive weather wise. Thinking of a Bangor Newtonards Comber -ish route. Its handy from where I am stopping.
Thanks for all the advice on riding, thankfully I've drummed up enough business to generate another visit in the future.
Posted 3 hours ago # -
Glad you enjoyed it, I live just 19 miles away l plan to cycle there from home and give my new Salsa Vaya a shakedown there once I get my wheels back from being built. Told you the Cafe was good!!
Posted 2 hours ago # -
If up north coast I can recommend garvagh for xc stuff
Surfs good too windy Surfer!Posted 1 hour ago #
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