Glassie vs Comrie Croft

Was not even aware of Glassie, so thanks for that! Unfortunately can’t answer your question though for a comparison.

Comrie is superb fun though, and as it’s all waymarked you just focus on having fun and not peering at a map/Trailforks to find the trails. Generally regarded as at the harder end of the trail centre grading spectrum i believe, but there’s nothing terrifyingly technical it’s more that it is pretty relentless (in a good way) - very satisfying to clear whole loops with no dabs.

Reds are definitely reds, the blacks are do-able with some extremely cool features that are quite committing (but no mandatory jumps) like the swoopy rock sections connected by wee bridges, even the blue at Comrie is pretty well matched as a red just about anywhere else I’ve ridden.

Combine with a nice bike shop, general store and food/coffee options, and generally a really excellent vibe - you will not be disappointed with Comrie IMHO.

Thanks, Comrie sounds like just what I’m after from your description. I do get annoyed with myself when I need to faff about navigating, so the fact that the trails there are all marked and mapped is very appealing. I was also leaning towards Comrie as it’s quite a bit easier to get to as well.

Andy

Comrie is classic more natural trail centre. Good for everyone and short ups

Glassie is amazing. A stupendous amount of work has been put into it and probably the best flow trails in Scotland and running very well right now. Its a steep up and hard work! Park at castle Menzies car park for it

Comrie's blacks in the wet are ...um...challenging. Do the top Reds first before you're too tired, as they're pedally and very natural (ie not all DH and swoopy.) fun, in a compact and bijou way. Go in the dry.

Was at Glassie on Sunday and left a bit disappointed. There has been a huge amount of hard work put in and lots of potential, but I just didn’t feel the place.
Very overgrown, with no real sight lines of what you’re coming up to. Some parts of trail very narrow, with ferns above handlebar height. Trail starts clearly marked but not clear about difficulty level unless you’re constantly checking Trailforks. Could do with colour rating clearly marked IMO.
One big killer of a fire road climb (luckily took ebike) to trails, then blast down. Don’t park at bunkhouse unless you want an uphill finish. We parked in forestry car park at Castle Menzies. Was busy at weekend but I’d imagine fine at weekend. Had benefit of being at end of final black descent ( Top of the World).

I’ll say again that I’m impressed with the amount of work gone in, especially with no real budget ( make sure you donate via website if you go) , but personally I prefer a loop with a bit of everything not just winch up then plummet back down then repeat.

Glassie is a jungle, I think it rides better earlier in the year before the bracken takes hold ...can't see shit.

So I've been staying in a cottage at the bottom of Glassie, in Weem, for the last 2 weeks.

Was at Glassie on Sunday and left a bit disappointed. There has been a huge amount of hard work put in and lots of potential, but I just didn’t feel the place.
Very overgrown, with no real sight lines of what you’re coming up to. Some parts of trail very narrow, with ferns above handlebar height. Trail starts clearly marked but not clear about difficulty level unless you’re constantly checking Trailforks.

Pretty much this - the fire road climb from the bottom of the main 3 trails takes about 15 mins at a leisurely pace, it's nothing horrible mind you.

There's 3 main trails - blue view (which has an optional large rock drop at the start) is fast, lots of quite big berms, it is quite steep for a blue but nice nonetheless.

Purple haze is a red, again a decent trail and runs alongside the blue for a bit. They both converge into the same ending, a straight line through a field which puts you back onto the main fire road climb.

Fyi yes you can park up the top, there's parking right next to the Blue trail start.

The 3rd main trail is Shredo, a black with some challenging sections and a couple of large optional hip/step up jumps.

All these 3 start within 2 mins ride of each other.

Then you have the other trails, some require a bit of a climb to the other side, some need a further fire road climb.

Brown velvet is shortish, steep with some proper tough sections - most of it was beyond my skill level. Pretty typical Scottish black in the trees.

Sundance is shortish, typical open Scottish black.

Top of the world - good, but currently the top section is very overgrown and so you can't see where you're going, and the bottom section is like powdery dust, oh and ****ing steep with some very steep, loose turns/off camber bits.

Overall, it's good but not amazing - can't comment on Comrie Croft yet, but I will be able to later today, it's my last day here and I'm just about to drive down to Comrie to spend the day there! 👍

Comrie is good fun and packs a punch into short loop. Very rocky trails and a fun wee bike park thing at the bottom (good for practising your jumping). Good cafe!

Don't discount Balqhidder - it's excellent and not super technical so would likely suit you. Although not a trail centre if that's what your after. I've not been recently so unsure how the vegetation situation is. You can park in the church carpark or down by the community centre.

Also Dunkeld not that much further than Comrie (time wise) Could be worth it as an alternate?

I love Comrie.
I do a double circuit of the Reds etc in a figure of 8, then drop to the cafe.
Thump then climbs up and laps the black while I wait in the queue.

And here's my favourite ever photo: H at Comrie.
https://imgur.com/7Orvztq

Balquhidder
Excellent fun but a lot of fire road.
Make sure you continue up to the bealach past Rob Roy's putting stone.
It's a fun day out but I'd go to Comrie (or Dunkeld) first.

Not done Glassie, but really enjoyed Comrie earlier in the year. Nice skills bit at the bottom to warm up then the trails were great. As mentioned above the gradings are at the higher end which is great if that's what you are looking for.

Great Cafe too 🙂

K

First impressions of Comrie:

Nice pedal up, either to the top of the blue or decision rock. The blue is good fun, top section is more techy, bottom is more flow trail. Just did the red down from DR before I stop for some lunch and it's definitely a high level red, for me I had to look at a couple of features before riding them. It's incredibly dry at the moment, so dusty and every turn is loose as anything, so speeds are low for me at the moment!

Comrie's great! Ride the trails there, camp overnight on site with a (allowed, encouraged even) campfire, ride up to Loch Turret / Ben Chonzie the next morning.

Brilliant stopover on the way up to/back from the far North.

I really like Comrie - don't like the climb but it isn't bad...just always seems far too immediate after leaving the car park...hahaha...the climb itself is nothing technical so it is more just finding a pace that is comfy and get going (I always start far too quickly and then get very slow as I'm always convinced I'm more warmed up than I actually am!).

Haven't ridden Glassie but from the comments above, it sounds like a bit of local knowledge would help if it as overgrown as it sounds.

Thanks so much for all the replies everyone. That’s all great info and really helpful.

I think I’ll head to Comrie and hold off on Glassie until another time. It’s been bone dry here so timing for Comrie seems good. The description of higher end reds and the blue trail sound perfect. I’m not after visiting a trail centre as such, I’ve found I prefer more natural stuff somehow, but I’m happy on trail centre stuff too. Comrie sounds like it’s a perfect balance for this trip, even the skills area with jumps appeals.

I had toyed with staying nearer home and hitting loads of trails around North Third and Cambusbarron, but I want to use the day to go a bit further afield since I have the chance. If it pours down, I’ll maybe revise my plan though…

Much appreciated! Cheers!

23km and 800m of climbing done at Comrie, 100% come here.

Did all the trails apart from the blacks, wasn't feeling up to it and didn't want to spanner myself when I've got an 8hr drive home tomorrow.

The back red is great, takes you out into some punchy rock slabs and stuff that's not very 'trail centre' at all.
https://flic.kr/p/2nzwna1
https://flic.kr/p/2nzxM1i

Good old decision rock
https://flic.kr/p/2nzwoVH

Event did some laps of the skills area, there's 2 drops there, 1ft and about 3ft, the latter just about at the limit of my comfort zone, ride these a few times and the mini roller/jump line.

There's something for everyone here, flowy pumpy bermy blues, tech blues, tech reds and I'd think the blacks are properly technical and rough judging by the rest of the place.

It's so much better that Glassie, well worth a day.

Proper dusty here though!
https://flic.kr/p/2nzxLWL

Literally just back from a day at Glassie and thought it was great. Some trails are a little overgrown but nothing to the point of being unrideable and all easy to find with the help of Trailforks.

The fireroad climb is a bit of a chore but if you're used to 'enduro' rides (e.g. Golfie) you'll be fine - we did 20km with just over 1k of climbing.

Trail-wise I think I preferred it over Comrie, but I've never really clicked with the latter after several visits. I think Glassie overall feels a bit more natural / enduro / off-piste (apart from the bits that suddenly break out into bike park berms) whereas Comrie is a bit more of a trail centre feel maybe?

Whichever you choose, however, I think you'll find stuff to enjoy!

It’s brilliant to have up to the hour reports from both, amazing! Thanks so much.

I’ll head to Comrie as it sounds ideal from @ta11pau1’s review. It’s exactly what I’m after and sounds like I could push myself a bit without going too far. The 23km day you’ve had is pretty much what I had in mind and I can be home quickly too afterwards, which is a nice bonus.

Was it busy?

Andy

Was it busy?

Yes, but no - I got there just before midday, carpark was fairly full and it was busy around the shop/lower camping bits and the skills area had lots of traffic, but then there was a lot of people camping too. Trails were quiet, saw less than 10 other riders when actually out on the trails away from the main hub.

The negative comments about Glassie really surprise me! I *love* the Croft but amen to this comment:

Glassie is amazing.

Glassie is like someone took Comrie, pumped it up for extra size and then tilted it to make it steeper.

Cheers @ta11pau1. I’m aiming to be there for 9-9:30 so hoping it’s even quieter than that.