Laggan

Yeah, it's a pretty safe bet in terms of trail conditions and easy navigation, helped by a decent cafe. 

Dunkeld is definitely worth stopping at. There's good riding and it's a nice place to have lunch.

Yes...

Yes, absolutely. The trailcentre's still great- unique, really- and even has a good climb. and if you want a bit more the "brown" over the road is superb offpiste, and pretty easy to navigate. Well that's a lie, it's impossible to navigate but it's easy to find a start and get to the bottom by some trail or another. Plus there's a ruined castle to visit just near the major trailheads.

You do have to be up for a bit of challenge to get the best out of it, even on a modern bike the black is still quite intimidating, a first run down it's likely to be a bit bitty for most people and tbh it's worth stopping and checking out the features anyway, some of them are like little bouldering puzzles and give the best return if you do them "right". So that can be frustrating, and just not everyone's idea of fun.

The brown is all fairly steep and has some pretty big moments, especially if it's wet, maybe it's just the familiarity thing but I find it harder than the golfy on average. And IMO the newer blues are reds are a wee bit generic- they're perfectly fine, don't get me wrong, they're just not a reason  for a visitor to ride at Laggan, you can ride trails like them anywhere whereas the older stuff is so characterful and unique. (great addition for more local people, kids etc, I'm not the target market and that's cool) Good cakes in the cafe!

Dunkeld is superb too but not so easy to get around, you could waste a fair amount of time not finding the good stuff there, it's a superb place to spend a day and also on top of the first class riding has a nice feeling of location and actually riding somewhere rather than laps in a forest. But I think not so good as a stop off. (it's also brilliant if you want a non-bikey leg-stretchy stop though, head to the Hermitage or even just the cathedral grounds and arboretum, gorgeous, big tree country) Good riding also just outside Perth and at Aberfeldy but I think they all fall foul of not being as easy for a stop.

Have you been to Raasay before? It's a lovely place, spent a fair amount of time there..

Thanks. Think I will give Lagan a go.

No I haven’t been to Raasaybefore but I am a going with H & I Adventures who I went to Nepal with in March so I am confident it will be a great trip

I like Laggan but want to also put a shout out Pitlochrie too. Nice mix of trails and easy to navigate via Trailfoks. 

I find Laggan a perfect 2 hour stop to break up a journey up north. It's not really a whole day place but it's great to stretch the legs. I actually really like the new red that links into the old one...mid-drive I'm never really up for a techfest, more just flowy stuff to get rid of any cobwebs. Don't need to leave the A9 for long and you're never far from the car so don't need to take a bunch of stuff with you. 

I like Laggan, the kids in particular love the newer stuff and there's a decent variety of riding now if you include over the road. 

However, the A9 corridor between Birnam/Dunkeld and Carrbridge must have some of best accessible range of riding from laybys/train stations in the UK for alternatives. Depending on your timings/tastes if you need a stop...

Dunkeld/Birnam: Birnam Hill and the Hermitage to one side and the Mast on the other for Enduro-y fun, xc routes heading out both N and W in particular, and along the river.

Pitlochry: old fashioned XC into the hills and plenty more enduro type stuff in the woods

Blair Atholl: access into/through the Cairngorms via Glen Tilt and bigger rides beyond. XC and gravel friendly.

Dalwhinnie: get off here for Laggan, or down the loch for Ben Alder.

Kingussie: decent access to Feshie/Insh (and the W edge of the N Cairngorms) via Glen Tromie or some old fashioned XC into the hills N. 

Aviemore: Burnside for gnarlier stuff immediately above town, or cruise out through Rothiemurcus to Feshie areas, Morlich areas and all the riding here and beyond. Short spins, big mountain days, gravel, XC, whatever.

Carrbridge: At the N end of Burnside, some XC/gravel/mixed loops in the hills W of town or other way heading into Speyside/Abernethy etc.

All can be recommended

Enjoy Raasay & Skye. Need to get back over - always see loads of wildlife on Raasay and the riding/landscape/history etc all interesting.

If you'll just have a couple of hours, it's probably a decent bet.

As above, Dunkeld is very accessible and has excellent trails. You could park at Birnam station and ride Rake and Ruin in that time. Possibly add on a couple of the shorter tracks near the bottom.

The red at Lagan is good, but the black is possibly my favourite trail centre trail ever!

Was at Laggan Tuesday, the off piste was superb, on the official side the black & Spare Rib were great.