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Morning all,
I'm off to the borders in a couple of weeks with the family and the long range forecast isn't looking great. Plan was to ride Dalbeattie, Mabie & Drumlanrig in the early mornings and do family things after that. I've been lucky with the weather in previous years and haven't caught any rain, plus I haven't ridden dalbeattie or drumlanrig before, what are they like in the wet? Do they drain well? Or will any of them be a miserable muddy slog?
Fingers crossed it picks up, I can't be arsed to take loads of fresh kit up (plus the wife will murder me)
*marks thread for two weeks time*
I rode Dalbeattie a few years ago in a cold wet February and and there were only a few puddles to worry about and these were more near the "features" rather than on the actual trails.
From what i remember it drained well and was holding up well.
It's Scotland, it will change 🙂 Forecast here is only good for 2 days in advance really. The Stanes routes all drain well, Drumlanrig is one to avoid if recent rain as it's a rootfest which is best enjoyed in the dry. It does drain well, and there is no mud, but big slippy roots are a bit awkward to say the leastthe long range forecast isn't looking great.
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I did the same as you are planning a couple of weeks ago, leaving Dumfries at 5AM to have a play before the family were up and about. The weather was changeable, rain every day but not too bad. Mabie and Dalbeattie both drained fine and I enjoyed them despite the occasional puddle. Drumlanrig was the surprise highlight, looks like it'll never really be properly dry but that didn't matter, lots of flowing rooty pleasures. I went round Ae in steady rain and it was more "character building" than "fun", not too muddy but the bumpy jumpy stuff would have been a lot better in the dry.
thsi time of year, when the temperatures are still decent it actully dries out pretty quick. The pic i posted was 2 weeks ago, about 48 hrs after some quite heavy prolonged rain and the roots were proper dry. Early morning it tends to be a bit slippery with morning dew. Heading there for a scoot tomorrow evening 🙂looks like it'll never really be properly dry
Good to hear, I've ridden Mabie and Ae before, I assumed Mabie would be mostly ok, Drumlanrig was the worry. I've put my flats back on so slippy roots might be liveable.
Ae was no fun on my Voodoo anyway, I think I'll probably give it a miss this year.
Any idea what the Slab will be like in the wet? Grippy or slick?
The slab is very grippy, should be fine in the wet.
I wouldn't be going down the slab on my own on an early morning solo ride, but then I'm a mincer, with ....'history'.... 🙂
The slab is very grippy, should be fine in the wet.
I rode it in torrential rain. It wasn't massively grippy, but it got ridden. The Twins (is that right?) later in the ride was lethal.
BUT....
I agree. A few days later, dry ride, solo and very early, I chickened out. 😀I wouldn't be going down the slab on my own on an early morning solo ride, but then I'm a mincer, with ....'history'....
Drumlanrig is way better when it's wet IMO. Despite being unsurfaced for the vast majority of the route, it never gets really muddy tbh.
^^^^ nobeer - you coming on the Sprockets ride there tomorrow at 7 ?
Excellent news all round then, I've even got a tailor made excuse for bottling anything 8)
I'll have a butchers at it but will more than likely take the chicken route, I bottled the first tiny black roll in at mabie last year so I'm assuming the slab to be way out of my comfort zone.
Rode Kirroughtree in the wet back in May. Actually was half way round the black - and crucially just past McMoab - before it started. Now I'm a bit of a wuss/numpty/old git on downhills so there was one sections (Hissing Sid) where I opted for discretion over valour, but the rest was absolutely fine. And so much fun that despite the rain I went out and did a quick lap of the red.
Also did Dalbeattie that week, and was impressed at how quickly it dried after a couple of heavy downpours
Drumlanrig is my 'go to' when the weather is crappy... its sheltered so doesn't get that drenched and the trails hold up really well...never much mud. The roots are not that bad... that photo above probably being the worst little rooty drop down bit.
I thoroughly enjoyed Drumlanrig but unfortunately only managed the first 8km before mangling my bike. It's a long trip back up for another go but I'll do it soon.
Yes, it's definately the bit I find hardest to get down without an endo ... 🙂that photo above probably being the worst little rooty drop down bit.
I seem to remember that I pointed the bike and closed my eyes.
Trails will be fine, but watch out for ticks, they've been horrendous at Mabie and Dalbeattie recently.
Trails will be fine, but watch out for ticks, they've been horrendous at Mabie and Dalbeattie recently
😯 Better do some reading, could really do without lyme disease.
Excellent news all round then, I've even got a tailor made excuse for bottling anythingI'll have a butchers at it but will more than likely take the chicken route, I bottled the first tiny black roll in at mabie last year so I'm assuming the slab to be way out of my comfort zone.
The Scree Slope at the end of the Moyle and Jacobs Ladder could get the pulse racing then 😉
http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/about-ticks/tick-removal/
Rode Dalbeattie yesterday afternoon in the piddling wet rain topped of with a cracking burger roll at Brambles(cafe by the forest) 😆
Drum is quality in the wet. Dalbeattie pretty much the same wet or dry, the rocks are grippy (though, the slab has some sort of manky green stuff on it in places which is very slippy if you hit those spots... if it had a bit of runout it'd be a nonissue but, it doesn't, so it does need a little care) Mabie can get very soggy in places, especially right near the end... The drainage is piss poor in a lot of it tbh. But it doesn't really spoil it, as long as you're prepared to get wet.
Ae is hard enough work in the dry, I don't think I'll ever choose to ride there in the wet...
(non-trailcentres are available but they do tend to make good wet weather options)
^^^^ nobeer - you coming on the Sprockets ride there tomorrow at 7 ?
Na, only got a 4-9 ride window tomorrow, so just going to head up the river on my lonesome. I enjoy a solo ride on a Friday post work, with a nice ale at the Stair inn. Nice way to finish the week/start the weekend.
You going?.
^^^^ planning to, if I can get a sharp exit from work..
I think it may be off, no numbers mate.