Tarland Trails for a novice

Everything at Tarland 2 is rollable. Initially stick to the Blues and progress. The only difficulty is the height/steepness of the berms. Most of it is no bother. Its a place for flow and fun. Big but easy climbs though.

Tarland 1 is just across the other side of the village. Great for beginners and a much smaller scale if the big trails get a little intimidating.

She will be fine.

I took a guy from work, who had never ridden a mountain bike, to Tarland 2 and he was fine, well, until he got tired and started to crash 😀.

Echo above. The Tarland trails are easy if you go relatively slow. Also try Glenlivet if you're in the area.

We were there a few weeks ago in the snow.

The lower half / blue is harder than Llandegla blue IMO because of the highe berms, bigger changes in topography, etc. It's a bigger climb, bigger descent, but everything is rollable and take it at your pace. It's a shorter trail overall.

The bit of red we did do, including the climb, was a proper step upon challenge and rockyness, bigger changes in topography etc. Particularly challenging at speed. In snow.... 😆

https://www.flickr.com/gp/matt_outandabout/676H5P528K

https://flic.kr/p/2pzLBNL

Tarland 2 is all jumps and berms IMO. And the climb is.. up, up, up..

Glenlivet blue is great, I think it's the only place my wife likes riding as it's more undulating rather than just up-then-down. The views are good & so is the cafe.

Mates wife is a novice and loves the blue at Glenlivet. Flows well without having to go fast. Good wee skills loop as well.

Tarland 2 is fun if you can carry speed through the berms, if not it could be hard work and constant braking. Also very much a case of climb, climb, climb with all the descending at the end.

Brilliant. Thanks all. Might do Glenlivet day one and Tarland day two. I was considering heartbreak ridge but might be a bit more intimidating for her.

Yeah. Heartbreak ridge is the area classic but its a really big climb....like big. Although fairly straightforward there's few sections a novice may balk at.

I should mention Chutney and Relish at Aboyne. These a couple of great trails for the beginner/intermediate.

Been given a makeover by the ATA very recently and running very well. The road bridge from Aboyne over to the south side is closed so you will have to ride from Aboyne or take the diversion round. The ride over is not too bad on super quiet roads.

Definitely do HBR but do it without your partner, neither of you will enjoy if together.  It's a big climb but not a long loop, can be fitted in early morning or late afternoon.

I would say the scale and technicality of heartbreak ridge (particularly in the wet) make it not for a beginner.

Tarland is great for all abilities - you can just go faster and harder the better you are. Even the climb is fun and easy if you’re moderately fit despite the altitude gain.

Tarland is good but I'd say you'd be better heading up then session the trails nearer the top rather than all the way from top to bottom then repeating as that would be a nightmare.

Spine is a great trail but has some small rock gardens and a few bits that are fairly steep down followed by a steep up. But worth looking at and giving it a go.

I've done Heartbreak Ridge last year, climb up isn't too bad plus she will be on an ebike. Just one steep rocky dropdown that would probably be a bit much, BUT if I can fill 2 days with Tarland and Glenlivet then that sounds the part.

Do you guys know if there is parking at Glenlivet that is suitable for a motorhome ?

Thanks for the feedback. All useful stuff.

I should mention Chutney and Relish at Aboyne. These a couple of great trails for the beginner/intermediate.

+1

Really nice spot and good fun trails.

Do you guys know if there is parking at Glenlivet that is suitable for a motorhome ?

You'll be fine unless it's something monstrous. Often see motorhomes parked up by the cafe.

There's loads of room for campers at Glenlivet. As mentioned there's parking behind the cafe and on the road up to it.

Don't think the Cafe opens up until Easter or at least it didn't use to. Not an Instagram/Facebook person but I think they usually post on conditions and opening or closing of the cafe/trails

The blue at Glenlivet is lovely, prefer it to the red which I thought was an unrewarding slog, jump trails are nice though.

Tarland 2, the blue is a step up from the blue at Glenlivet with bigger berms and more elevation change but its so well built that its easy to be confident on it.  The red is a step up in terms of steepness with a couple of rocky sections but you can roll everything.

Glenlivet cafe opens 23rd March.

@stabilizers

I've never been to Aboyne and know nothing of the trails there. Is there a guide online or could you point me in the right direction ? Thanks very much.

https://www.trailforks.com/region/aboyne/

The blue trails out towards Birse on this map.

And Master Blaster nearby is one of the most-fun trails I've ridden in years, but maybe not fully novice friendly.

https://www.trailforks.com/region/aboyne/

The blue trails out towards Birse on this map.

And Master Blaster nearby is one of the most-fun trails I’ve ridden in years, but maybe not fully novice friendly.

Great Stuff. Thanks very much. Plenty of food for thought.

The Aboyne blue trails are great and deffo worth a visit. Not far from Tarland at all. Super easy climb too.

Thanks for all your help. Do you know f there is parking at Tarland that is suitable for a Medium Motorhome ? I don't mean for overnight, but just to park while we ride there.

Thanks for all your help. Do you know f there is parking at Tarland that is suitable for a Medium Motorhome ? I don’t mean for overnight, but just to park while we ride there.

You should be fine - they've just expanded the car park a bit, to allow for vans to park up during the day (still no overnight).

Probably worth giving HBR a miss - it's really wet, and snowing up there for the last two days, so much better options around Aboyne (in the trees).

Echo recommendation for Aboyne trails, such as Chutney/Relish - only thing to watch is that the main bridge over the river from Aboyne to those trails is closed for motor vehicles, so either go in via Potarch or Dinnet bridges, or else park up in Aboyne and ride in (much easier, and means you can end up going to Shortys or Spider on a Bicycle for a coffee and cake afterwards)

where would be a good place to stay overnight in a campervan near tarland.
I looked at the motorhome place in tarland but they seem to have shut the toilets and i don't have one in my van

Overnight parking is allowed in the Muir of Dinnet car park (Burn o' Vat) about 10 mins away, which has a toilet block, otherwise there is a campsite in Tarland itself (not sure if that's the one you've heard has the toilets closed).  https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/uk/aberdeenshire/aboyne/tarland-by-deeside-camping-and-caravanning-club-site/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwh4-wBhB3EiwAeJsppP6DOdUTfLMfIuADglDkyG0yrH0YX98e6DTeuoszpw7wE1OA04YYzxoCgZkQAvD_BwE

Thanks

We are staying at the main site in Ballater.

Thanks for the heads up Gavin.