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Fiona


Posts: 146
Joined: Mar 2006
Last Visited: 11:20
12th Apr 2016
Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 20.30hrs on Tue 19 Sep 06
Hi Folks,

Just wondered if anyone has been to the Carron Valley trails just south of Stirling?
Details at [www.carronvalley.org.uk]

If so what are the trails like?

Cheers,

Fiona


twin_tipper


Posts: 158
Joined: Mar 2003
Last Visited: 13:30
22nd Feb 2021
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 11.29hrs on Wed 20 Sep 06
There is only one trail(red) at the moment but it is very good. Short but sweet you can blast round in as little as 30mins so you'll probably want to go round a couple of times. The fun park is good if you like that sort of thing but the jumps ar'nt very challenging. Worth the visit if you live reasonably close.

HTH


Posts: 3210
Joined: Nov 2005
Last Visited: 11:13
20th Feb 2018
What's this?What's this?What's this?
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 11.52hrs on Wed 20 Sep 06
By coincidence, I drove up Carron Valley yesterday. I turned into the old reservoir carpark for a look, and drove my car unwittingly up some of the Red route, as marked on the download map. - oops.

But I didn't notice any MTB trail marking along the way, and only stopped driving when I eventually met a "No Unauthorised" sign on the track. - It didn't say anything at that point about bikes, and apparently I was on the Red Trail, above the reservoir at that point. (?)

I'll go back with a bike sometime, because it's nice territory anyway, and maybe I'll notice the signs better on a bike. - Also nice road bike touring, especially if you ascend "Tak Me Doon" Road, from Kilsyth.

Fiona


Posts: 146
Joined: Mar 2006
Last Visited: 11:20
12th Apr 2016
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 21.53hrs on Thu 21 Sep 06
Thanks. Will attempt to investigate soon.

wintz


Posts: 197
Joined: Dec 2003
Last Visited: 12:37
5th Aug 2016
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 19.24hrs on Sat 23 Sep 06
I would agree with twin_tipper, good ride if you live in the vicinty. Not anywhere near what you get at Glentress and the like but they set the bar pretty high. Definitely a good start and if they keep developing it could be really good.

I didn't like the tight single track in the woods after the Kelpie Staircase, corners were too tight and often off camber so felt slow (could be just me smiling smiley), prefer if they could build the corners up it would be excellent. Fun park flowed nicely and for someone on a hard tail felt really good, not sure if riders who like to get big air would find it very challenging though.

Oh park on the right at the (obvious) car park even though there's a "P" sign pointing staight on! Could see how HTH ended up driving up the hill smiling smiley

Daveye


Posts: 7
Joined: Aug 2006
Last Visited: 10:53
25th Sep 2006
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 10.52hrs on Mon 25 Sep 06
I love Carron Valley exactly because of things like the offcamber corners. The track is designed so it's easy at a slow pace but the minute you build the speed up things get a whole lot trickier.

It might not "flow" in the tight section the first time but give it some practice and it will start to work. It really makes you want to ride it all again. Which is great because its shortgrinning smiley.

Its very refreshing compared to the 7stanes I've tried (Mabie and Glentress), a whole different charachter to the trail.

Also try riding (ehem pushing) up Mekile Bin which is near by. A great fun brake burning descent.

TheDog


Posts: 8
Joined: Sep 2006
Last Visited: 07:17
6th Feb 2007
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 09.33hrs on Tue 26 Sep 06
aa

Fiona


Posts: 146
Joined: Mar 2006
Last Visited: 11:20
12th Apr 2016
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 22.24hrs on Tue 26 Sep 06
Cheers Wintz.

We're in Edinburgh so it's no further than Glentress and hopefully will not require getting out of bed early in order to get a spot in the car park!


TheDog


Posts: 8
Joined: Sep 2006
Last Visited: 07:17
6th Feb 2007
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 11.32hrs on Thu 28 Sep 06
Fiona,

The last post I left 'aa' wasnt too helpful eh. I was trying to attach a map for you of a phenominal trail which I do whenever I go to Carron Valley (CV) to make the day more rewarding. CV is the warm up!

You do need to drive between the two venues.

North Third Reservoir has excellent single track, friendly exposure on the cliffs above the res and a couple of steep sections. You will not be disappointed if you give it a try.

Attachments: NTR close up.jpg (128kB)   NTR location.jpg (54kB)  
stevomcd


Posts: 293
Joined: Nov 2005
Last Visited: 19:02
11th Nov 2010
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 13.52hrs on Mon 2 Oct 06
Just to add much the same opinions as everyone else, the trails at CV are good, but they're short and not technical when compared to the 7 Stanes. The twisty bit in the trees can be a bit frustrating, but is actually good fun once you get the hang of it and it sharpens up those cornering skills which fade away on the big berms at Glentress & Innerleithen. There isn't really anything remotely technical, even the Kelpie's Staircase is a straightforward drop-the-weight-back-and-don't-touch-the-brakes.

Contrary to previous posts, if you're not used to getting a bike off the ground, especially over doubles, you'll find the Fun Park a bit intimidating. That would be my one criticism, there's too many doubles and not enough tables in the park so it's hard to build up without having to fear the consequences of not clearing the double. Otherwise, the Fun Park is great.

That said, it made me finally man-up and jump some doubles for the first time, so I'm not complaining!

Niall Thomson


Posts: 95
Joined: Nov 2003
Last Visited: 04:54
3rd Aug 2019
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 06.24hrs on Sun 8 Oct 06
Hi

Thought I'd help out with some info. I'm the Chairman of the group (Carron Valley Development Group) that built the trails: www.carronvalley.org.uk

The title might sound slightly grandiose but we are all Mountain Bikers and we are all volunteers. If you've already ridden the trails then please fill out the feedback form on the website as it gives us a steer on what folk want to see and it also helps support future expansion.

As others have said, the built trail length is relatively short (4.5k within a 10k circuit) although that's down to the limit of the Forestry Commissions permission at the time rather than any lack of ambition on CVDG part. The challenge was to design a circuit of reasonable length, with a variety of terrain with something for everyone. Whatever we built would also need to be absorbed into a wider trail network in the future. Not as easy as it might first appear but the feedback we have so far tells us we got it largely right.

Eas Dubh and The Funpark attract the most diverse range of comments but a lot depends on what type of riding you've been weened on? :-)

At present, the contractors are on site adding further ‘built Singletrack’ (another 1.6km) and this will take us to the limit of our current permission with The FC. For those of you who have already ridden at Carron, this includes: A section of 500m from the dam head to the start of Pipedream i.e the current start point of the Singletrack; A section of 800m from a point just before the quarry exit on the ascenbt trail - right to the strt of to the middle trail and a 200m link section from the big berm at the end of the middle trail back on to the climb. This removes the 'worst' of the forest road climbs and opens up some big views (as far as The Cobbler.) Lastly, there will also be a spur off the middle trail just before the final berm to take you back to the road up to the Funpark. If you are doing another circuit of Cannonball, you’ll just whip left round the berm and continue round again on Singletrack, if you're heading for the Funpark you turn right at the spur.

Just like waiting for a bus all this has unfortunately coincided with current felling operations and even road building so the top and middle trails are currently closed (although this is only for a few a weeks)

Most experienced riders go up and do a few laps and the forest roads up to Meikle Bin and along the reservoir are a good, if slightly more boring, additional workout. If it's been raining hard and you cycle all the way along to the West end of the reservoir then check out The Loup of Fintry (far West end) -a spectacular series of waterfalls that require a wee 5min tramp on foot off the forest road. You'll need to refer to the OS map as its not sign posted from within the forest.

Carron Forest is vast and the MTB potential is therefore huge. Also, a cursory glance at the map tells you the immediate catchment area is rather large so unlike some of the other Centres this is local riding for a huge swathe of the Scottish population.

On Thursday of last week CVDG gave a presentation to The FC - effectively a blueprint for significant expansion at CV including Green, Blue and Red - i.e proper Red:-) and also multi user trails. These have been designed in collaboration with Paul Masson (of Laggan Wolftrax fame) and The Group are tremendously excited at what will be possible at CV. At this level these things become political and The FC have a review of MTB centres currently ongoing however, we are hopeful of a positive outcome so...... watch this space.

I'll see if I can post some pics shortly


Hope this helps


wintz


Posts: 197
Joined: Dec 2003
Last Visited: 12:37
5th Aug 2016
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 09.20hrs on Tue 10 Oct 06
Thanks for the update! Sounds very positive and I'd agree that the area has got great potential. Good luck!

Niall Thomson


Posts: 95
Joined: Nov 2003
Last Visited: 04:54
3rd Aug 2019
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 06.47hrs on Fri 26 Jan 07
Just to update.

The new trails were finished just before Christmas - then the storms came and blew down dozens of trees down all over the them :-(

Anyway, these are mostly cleared now and the minor trail damage and final tidying will be picked up by the Trailbuilders over the next month or so.

So, if you haven't already been back then get up there and try them out. Don't forget to leave feedback on the website: www.carronvalley.org.uk Also, if anyone would like to help and put something back in - the Traibuilders meet every Saturday @ 10:00 in the carpark -new volunteers are always very welcome

Should be able to update very shortly with some big plans for the future

Doug_Bryce


Posts: 1373
Joined: Jan 2003
Re: Carron Valley trails - anyone been there?
Date Posted: 18.08hrs on Sun 10 Jun 07
Thought this deserved a wee bump - made my first trip to the Carron Valley MTB trails, near Stirling grinning smiley
Nice change of scenery from the 7 stanes - fun, fast trail.

A little short at 10km - however the simple answer is to go round twice winking smiley
...And it looks like they have some ambitious plans in the pipeline.

[www.carronvalley.org.uk]



Edited 2 times. Last edit at 21.10hrs Sun 10 Jun 07 by Doug_Bryce.

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