7stanes Mountain Biking: Map and Guide to Every Centre

Eight venues, one memorable riding network

The 7stanes stretch across southern Scotland, from the Borders to Dumfries and Galloway. Forestry and Land Scotland lists eight venues: Glentress, Innerleithen, Newcastleton, Forest of Ae, Mabie, Dalbeattie, Kirroughtree and Glentrool. The shared name does not mean identical riding. Some visits revolve around gentle forest loops, others around granite features, long cross-country circuits or expert downhill.

Choose the riding first, then the overnight base. A weekend is more enjoyable when it leaves time to learn a route than when it becomes a race to collect every centre. Use this guide to compare the venues, then open the individual location pages for named routes, grades, arrival details and accommodation. For the wider picture, browse mountain biking in Scotland and our Scottish bike parks and trail centres guide.

How to choose your first centre

For a first mountain-bike outing, start with a published easy route that suits your bike and confidence. Glentress, Ae, Mabie and Kirroughtree provide useful choices across several grades. Dalbeattie's rock features reward good control; Innerleithen's downhill trails are for experienced riders. Glentrool offers shorter forest loops as well as a separate long gravel day. Newcastleton makes a worthwhile Borders destination in its own right.

Trail grades and distance answer different questions. An easy route can still take energy; an extreme descent can be short and technically serious. Carry a map, basic repair equipment, water and enough clothing for a stop. Read the current FLS 7stanes information and individual venue alerts before travelling; follow closures and diversions on site.

Glentress: a first taste of the Tweed Valley

Glentress gives a mixed group a broad choice of riding without committing everyone to the same trail. The Lower Green Route is the natural starting point for an introduction to mountain biking; the blue network adds more climbing and technical features. Experienced riders can build a longer day around the red or black routes. FLS currently publishes diversions and repairs on parts of the network, so use the signed route on the day. Start with a manageable loop and leave the more demanding descent options until you have judged the surface and your energy.

Glentress: routes, map and places to stay →

FLS route map, grades and current notices →

Innerleithen: cross-country effort and expert downhill

Innerleithen is the choice for riders who want a demanding outing. Its red cross-country route combines a substantial climb with technical descending; the downhill trails are a separate proposition, including Matador, Cresta Run, Gold Run and Make or Brake. Those extreme lines require the right skills and equipment. They are not the next step for a visitor who has just completed an easy green loop elsewhere. Decide whether you are planning a pedalled cross-country ride or a downhill session before organising transport, protection and any uplift booking. Pairing Innerleithen with Glentress makes a flexible Borders weekend.

Innerleithen 7stanes: routes, map and places to stay →

FLS route map, grades and current notices →

Newcastleton: a quieter Borders ride

Newcastleton belongs in the Scottish Borders part of your trip, even though it sits well away from the Tweed Valley pair. The blue and red routes offer different levels of commitment in a working forest near the English border. Choose the blue for a shorter introduction to the network, or allow a fuller day for the red. The village gives the ride a natural base for food and accommodation. Keep the trailhead and your chosen route downloaded before setting off, and treat any forestry notices as part of the route plan. This is a separate day out, not an extra lap at Glentress.

Newcastleton 7stanes: routes, map and places to stay →

FLS route map, grades and current notices →

Forest of Ae: touring loops to downhill

Ae offers green, blue and red riding alongside expert downhill and a skills area. That range makes route selection the important first decision. The Ae Valley Green Route suits a gentler forest outing, while Craigshiels Blue and the Ae Line Red ask more of the rider. The Shredder and the downhill course serve a different kind of session from a family tour. Choose a route from the official map, rather than following another group into an unfamiliar descent. Ae can anchor a Dumfries-based trip with Mabie, with each day's riding chosen around the group's ability and appetite for climbing.

Ae 7stanes: routes, map and places to stay →

FLS route map, grades and current notices →

Mabie: woodland loops near Dumfries

Mabie's green, blue and red choices make it useful for a weekend that needs several levels of riding. Big Views provides a green option; the Viewpoint Blue Loop and Phoenix Red Trail bring different demands. Read the current route notices before choosing a named loop, because not every line shown on an older map is necessarily available. A skills area gives riders somewhere to settle into the bike before heading farther into the forest. Keep enough daylight for the return and organise the day's food around your base. Mabie pairs naturally with Ae without requiring everyone to attempt downhill terrain.

Mabie 7stanes: routes, map and places to stay →

FLS route map, grades and current notices →

Dalbeattie: granite and technical judgement

Dalbeattie's granite distinguishes it from a smooth flow-trail outing. Its green Ironhash and blue Moyle Hill routes give alternatives to the red Hardrock circuit, while the taster loops provide shorter decisions near the start. The technical reputation is a reason to inspect unfamiliar features, especially when rock is wet. Pick the route that matches your own control and confidence; there is no need to ride a difficult line simply because it is famous. Dalbeattie works as a focused riding day with time left for the surrounding coast. Use the location guide for the route choices and a nearby accommodation shortlist.

Dalbeattie 7stanes: routes, map and places to stay →

FLS route map, grades and current notices →

Kirroughtree: gentle forest riding to Black Craigs

Kirroughtree spans gentle green riding through blue trails to the more technical Twister and Black Craigs options. It is a strong choice when companions want different routes from the same destination. The skills area offers a useful warm-up before committing to a loop. Treat Black Craigs as part of a properly planned technical ride, with the return distance understood before leaving. A route's colour describes difficulty, not how much daylight or energy you have available. Base a western Galloway stay around Newton Stewart and give this centre a full day if you want time to explore without rushing the final descent.

Kirroughtree 7stanes: routes, map and places to stay →

FLS route map, grades and current notices →

Glentrool: blue trails and a bigger gravel day

Glentrool offers a different rhythm from the network's downhill venues. The Glen and Green Torr provide shorter green and blue options, while the Big Country Route is a much longer gravel outing. Do not treat that longer ride as just another singletrack lap: plan food, navigation, weather protection and the return around the whole route. For a mixed weekend, Glentrool can complement Kirroughtree with a more scenic touring emphasis. Visitors wanting a modest ride should choose the shorter signed option deliberately. The full location guide separates the routes and helps you organise a base around the western end of the network.

Glentrool 7stanes: routes, map and places to stay →

FLS route map, grades and current notices →

Plan a 7stanes weekend

For the Borders, combine Glentress and Innerleithen with a base around Peebles or Innerleithen. Choose Newcastleton as its own riding day, with an overnight plan that suits the village and your onward journey. For the central group, look at Dumfries for Ae and Mabie, or Dalbeattie when the granite trails are the priority. For western Galloway, compare Newton Stewart bases for Kirroughtree and Glentrool.

Keep the second day flexible. A shorter loop can be a better finish after a demanding first day, especially when the weather changes. Our Tweed Valley itinerary and Dumfries and Galloway itinerary help shape the trip. Use the weekend planner for accommodation and the packing checklist.