16 – 18 November 2018
DMC headed south to the forests near Dumfries for a weekend of mountain
biking. We were based in the bunkhouse deep inside Mabie forest but
first we explored the Dalbeattie forest trails. Meeting old friends Dan
and Diana was great and they know the area well. We split into several
groups and covered as many trails as possible, from green through to
black. Compared to some other trail centres we found the grading to be
accurate but the density of technical sections much higher. It was great
fun tackling the blues and reds, and watching the braver members on the
crazy black bits. We comfortably exceeded the guide-book time of 1.5
hours for one of the red routes, some of us making it last most of the
day! The scenery was fantastic with sunlight streaming through a varied
mix of trees, and beautiful views from the hill tops. We stayed out
until dusk, heading back up the hill to get a view of the setting sun.
Definitely a recommended destination for MTB. We headed back to Mabie
for a great meal (thanks Berenice and helpers) and a sociable evening
around the log fire. On Sunday we stayed more local, hitting the trails
in Mabie and the local hill Criffel.
- Report by Andrew
