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Are there any good day routes in and around Ayrshire? Was thinking Fairlie moor or the back of loch winnoch, I know there's a good one down loch Doon way but that's the other way for me by some distance.
I'm keen to explore Lochwinnoch/Muirsheil Park, I've only ever done a loop up onto misty law many years so, was pretty good, but wet.
Fairlie is good, loads of options but not a huge amount of XC in the traditional sense, if its not going up its going down!.
Where are you based?.
^^ I grew up in the hills above Lochwinnoch, Linthills and Muirfauld, so just down from Misty Law. Muirsheil was my back garden and a great fun place as a kid. Been back a few times on the bike, and in a dry spell it’s quite superb, not so much in the usual wet…
Yea it's a bit sloppy out there the now for sure, just fancied fancied getting out the woods for a bit - based in Kili @nobeer
Muirshiel, on the Largs side anyway, has hee haw barring the tracks around Greenock Cut, it's just miles of hummocks. Heading south there are paths from the hill overlooking Blairpark to Douglas park but not much and if you want to make a loop it's gravel one way or another. Further south again from Kelburn down to West Kilbride there are some better loops.
One thing that's common across the whole lot is that it's a boggy mess, proper Wetscream country.
Mountain Biking North Ayrshire is worth checking out on Facebook, its been fairly dead for a while but if you organise something folk will come out.
The ebike has opened up a lot of it, there's a few guys at Hunterston that I see on strava SK, opened up a few options that otherwise would be a lot of pushing.
Irish law and around that area frinstance, my favourite is from West Kilbride, up over glentane Hill, descend to road, then up kaim and do kaim hill race route as a descent, all the way down Fairlie Glen, then back up Moor Road to top of kaim again, do the regular kaim game descent, then up cauldron hill and down the lovely grassy ridge to glentane and back to WK.
A couple of hours on the ebike, a mission on the Bronson!.
Near to Killie theres a nice run down from the top of Burn Anne down in to Galston - starting on the road between Threepwood and Cairnhill. Not a big ride but quick to get to from Killie and it can have some great views on a nice day. If you're not averse to a bit of time on tarmac then riding out from Galston towards Sorn - missing the turn to Threepwood (which has an absolutely brutal climb on it) but taking the road further south that passes Meilke Carleith and threading back to the Threepwood road and the start of the Burn Anne path gives some quiet, typically traffic free winding roads before an nice roller-coastering path down the path.
The ebike has opened up a lot of it, there’s a few guys at Hunterston that I see on strava SK, opened up a few options that otherwise would be a lot of pushing
I can guess who they are.
A couple of hours on the ebike, a mission on the Bronson!.
Aye, a night ride would usually be one ascent of Kaim on the loop, that's basically what we ride but just split it up over different weeks. Eeb would definitely help for that but you still have top lift the bugger over gates.
There's also some half decent cut trails in the woods above Darvel, it's due to be harvested soon though.
If you wanna get some miles in and not get mingin, it's fairly easy to get from Newmilns up onto whitelee windfarm.
Also, the river Ayr way is decent all year round, loads of options in and around auchinruive, Annbank, stair and Failford.
Spent a day cutting in a new descent from the mast up on the carricks behind Ayr between Xmas and New year, hopefully get more up there this year as the land owner is cool with it.
Sorn to Haugh along the River Ayr Way is a good all-weather run.
Upstream from Sorn the R.A.W is very stop-starty with quite a lot a gates, stairs and gloop - there can be a perfect time in late spring for it between everything drying out and it all being consumed by overgrowth!
Right at the top end of the R.A.W its nice to ride up stream from Nether Wellwood and then pick up various tracks about the hills to the south of Muirkirk
When are they harvesting darvel @nobeer?? I love it up there.
Supposed to be early this year, you know big Findlay that rides up there? Owns a bit of land up there, he was telling me that day we were cutting new tracks in at Xmas.
Tbh it was supposed to be harvested 4 or 5 years ago, but was delayed due to the presence of trees that had a protection order or something to that effect
@maccruiskeen I've looked at that track from the back of the cairn table to Wanlockhead many times, but never committed to its undoubtedly disappearing joy! 😬🤣
Think I've only ever seen two other people riding there before. A lot of trees came down in the winds before Christmas, they do need harvested they have been left to grow too big. Be sad to see the trails go tho - still lots of fun to be had the now. Cleared a few trees and rerouted a few trails but one or two have big trees over some of the best bits.
@Nobeerinthefridge - aye - those trails south of Muirkirk are definitely best left until it's frozen or end of a dry summer. We had a recovery job come in couple years back to go rescue a mountain rescue vehicle sent to rescue an injured walker - we borrowed a John Deere for that one!
It can be nice when you hit it right though (old Sanquhar road)...
Maybe a tad south for you but there's loads of XC type hill riding in hills around Afton Reservoir, Carsphairn forest, etc. Good windfarm tracks in/out then explore as you see fit.
Saw this on view ranger too...
http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTU3NDc=
If anyone ever fancys a jaunt lete know. I'm down in newton stewart but happy to have a bit of a drive out!
^^^ saw that when it was initially posted, there were some great pics too. I'm in East Kilbride but would be delighted to come down and do that one in dry conditions.
Not been down there since I was a wean, looks like a good loop, cheers!
I'd be up for that some time too! Looks good, sounds like a freeze might be the best bet to getting one of these ticked off before summer.
It must be 10 years @duncancallum since I put that route on ViewRanger so no idea what state the tracks are in these days. All my routes (and new ones) around these parts are on OutdoorActive now if you have made the switch from VR.
vmgscot