[Closed] AE / Mabie / Dalbeattie - This weekends trip advice

See if they’ve got a camping pod available at Gorsebank and the showers are ace there . It’s literally 2 minutes bike ride from Dalbeattie

We're trying to keep it as cheap as possible - we've done a 'conversion' to the back of the car so can both sleep in comfort - no fancy pants campsite for us:)

Quite happy with a river or similar to wash in - any ideas?

Sorry mate no , both times we’ve been there we only used the site facilities and then went out biking from there

I was at Ae over the weekend, the final part of omega man has been carved half by some forestry machinery...and unless i was mistaken there was a disturbing lack of signage about the fact, apart from the large pink letters "caution" spray painted on the 2foot high wall of dirt in the middle of the trail. My mate was nearly over the bars. Poor show that.

On the other hand, that did give us the opportunity to ride the "turn down for what" trail as our last decent...which is fantastic.

although the end of that trail as also been massacred by forestry machinery, resulting in it chucking you out into a bog via sneaky step down that will try and kill you.

I like Dalbeatttie, although a fair bit of forestry road connecting the good bits,.

THat looks fun!

I've just been Google Earthing (and looking at old threads..I know, should have done this before) - Loch Ettrick looks a good place to sleep over!?

I'm going with the misses so trying to find a couple of Blue/Red type rides

diversions at both Mabie and Dalbeattie... https://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/activities/mountain-biking/7stanes

Loch ettrick is a nice wee spot, thornhill just up the road is too, ideal for Ae and Drumlanrig, nice cafes, and a good pub.

Can shower at Ae cafe + bike wash, park in the old car park for over nighting....
Trailforks for all the Enduro trails.
Check out Julia’s vids

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7wa44Hmgz78
Shredder has had a makeover and is now open again, see video of shop FB page, #aebikeshopandcafe
As DavyG days, lots of forestry works remove diseased trees at Mabie and Dalbeattie.
Drumlanrig is just along the road, take the scenic/back road from Ae to Thornhillg

SXC race at Dalbeattie on Sunday 31st
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/194236/SXC-Round-2-Dalbeattie

Usually a few locals out on a Sunday morning around 10, have a word with the guys in the shop on Sat if you are there. I’m off marshalling @ Dabeattie

I’m off marshalling @ Dabeattie

And yes, that is how they actually pronounce it! 🙂

Thanks for the excellent advice so far guys - so, based on the above am I now right in thinking that we should give Mabie and Dalbeattie a miss for now and look at Drumlanrig?

If that's the case, and bearing in mind I don't know the area at all (other than Omega Man many many years ago) and I'm going with the misses (who has only been riding 6 months, is progressing really well and will stop and push on anything too technical - but I don't want her pushing all day) - how does this sound?

Saturday Afternoon - Drumlanrig Old School / Magic 8 Ball followed by calling in a pub at Thornhill for beer and late lunch
Saturday Night - Get misses to drive from pub along back road to Loch Ettrick, wild camp for the night with more beer and bbq (maybe bath in the Loch?)
Sunday Morning - Ae Forest Ae Line
Sunday Afternoon - drive home

Might not sound like a lot of riding compared to travel time but it's just as much about getting away somewhere new and having a bit of fun with the camping as it is doing huge miles.

Another question - last time I was there, the Shredder was pretty new and I did an uplift...whats the best way to the top by foot/pedal? Is there an option of me cutting off to do it and meeting the misses further down where it hits the Omega Man?

Cheers all

Sounds like a good plan. Thomas Tosh cafe in Thornhill is good for snacks/lunch etc unless you use the castle one(check web site to see if it is open & entry fees)
If the missus has only been biking for 6mths she may need to push up on a few bits of Ae red. You can download a map from the 7Stanes web site.
Cut off on the red for Shredder is at the Stane man head. Mrsyos can follow red back to cafe, wash bike, have shower, coffee and cake. You carry on along the forest road, keep left at Y junction uphill for a few hundred yards and then turn right through/past a gate up to Shredder/DH start. I’ve not been down it yet but going by the video the top half is much the same until you come to the road gap, new berm been built and all the trees have gone!!! From there some jumps have been created
https://m.facebook.com/AeBikeshopandCafe/

Trekster - you're a star, exactly what I needed - looking forward to it 🙂

From the Talking Head Stane you could follow the red to where it says Omega Man on the map then cut leftvup onto the road (there are a few track marks) Follow that road as already described, straight ahead at first junction then follow orange dots on map....
Enjoy......

I'm heading down to Ae this Sunday for an uplift... should be interesting riding the DH tracks with no trees on them... been 3 years since I last done an uplift down there

trekster
I’m off marshalling @ Dabeattie

Me too. Will look out for you.

My order of preference for the area
1 Drumlanrig
2 Dalbeattie
3 Mabie
4 Costa
5 Ae

The Ae off piste is brilliant, I'd always drive past Drumlanrig to ride it.

New Shredder(lower section)added to Ae cafe FB page(link ^^^^^^^)

Could anyone recommend more off piste trails as I thoroughly enjoyed that "turn down for what" trail or indeed how to string together an off piste route as I'm not particularly a fan of the trial center loop.

It's mostly, if not all on, trailforks matey, or ask Cubb in the shop. Trailforks is real easy to use out on the trail, some of the entrances weren't obvious with the tree cover, I haven't been down since it was napalmed, maybe a bit easier to see now right enough.

Loops can be found on Strava if you are on it. I’ll point a couple of guys to this thread, occasional users.As nobeer says a lot of the entrances are not obvious.
The most obvious afecthe 2 off the top of the DH/trig point ‘97 and I forget the other. Basically from the trig point startvoff down Shredder, after the first 2 berms there is a cut off to the left, bit rooty and off camber. Just follow the ruts....
The other starts to the leftvof the trig point, a bit boggy to start. At the brow of the hill there is a choice of going straight ahead or the not so obvious track to the left. Hit the forest road, go left and there is another trail on your right(Castrol can marks entrance) Hit the road and turn right, take next r/junction and after a fair pedal there is a track to left, again not obvious.... turn right again , look for track off to left, yet again not obvious!!!!

I’ve done most of them recently but useless at remembering trail names...

Might be an idea if you are on FB to post up looking for a local to show you round......

I'll have to check out the ae off piste. I'm up there in August and I love the riding up there, but I've never got on massively with Ae. This year would be my first time there on a full suss though, so I'm quite keen to see if it's any better.

Lot less pain on a full sus prawns, gave up on my hardtail ages ago due to back pain issues mainly. Have actually passed it on to grandson. If you want some company I’ll be happy to show you round. I need to up my off piste and fitness before Septembers visit to Spain, currently very poor!!!
Link to Trailforks
https://www.trailforks.com/region/forest-of-ae/?activitytype=1&z=12.7&lat=55.21588&lon=-3.58860

Link to Ae map which you can download. May help with orientation with Trailforks:

Nobeer and Trekster have both advised well. Trailforks is the tool, looking out for Turn down for What, Rainbow Road, Frazers and the 97 on that side of the river. The Quarry and Von Ryan’s express off Green Hill and along to Rambo if you’ve a head for tight steep turns!( Wish I could put up a screenshot!☹️)

It's a much shorter fire road climb to lap the off piste stuff, when compared to Golfie anyway. Obviously the runs are shorter, but hey... 🙂