Cairngorms & Moray
Access note: Open through the end of October, weather permitting. Funicular maintenance starts 2 November 2026; railway reopening planned for 10 November.
Cairngorm Mountain Bike Park brings purpose-built gravity riding to the slopes above Glenmore, with green, blue and red flow trails and the mountain railway carrying bikes to its middle station. The short lower runs make it useful for families learning how a bike behaves on berms and rollers. Higher up, longer descents and committed red features give experienced riders a different kind of day from a forest cross-country loop.
The lower zone uses two conveyors, while the upper trails can be reached by the climbing tracks or a funicular uplift pass. That choice matters when planning a mixed group: beginners can build skills close to the base without joining the railway queue or attempting the upper reds. The park is a paid, managed facility, with patrol staff and rental bikes, and its gravity grades should be read in that context.
Green · 180 m
The easiest descent on the operator’s map starts above the upper conveyor. Mellow linked berms and rollers let you practise braking before turns and looking through the exit. Repeat it until the movements feel predictable, then join the lower return without stopping in the trail.
Official route information →Green
Hairy Caterpillar adds steeper, quicker berms over 160 metres. Golden Dragonfly is a 120-metre green with faster turns and double rollers. These are separate short runs, so choose one progression at a time and let slower riders establish their own pace.
Official route information →Blue · 250 m
A lower-zone blue with berms and jumps that the operator describes as rollable. Its position near the conveyors makes it the sensible next step after confident green laps. Keeping both wheels down is a valid way to learn the line and judge your speed.
Official route information →Blue
Stoatally Awesome is the 760-metre upper blue, connecting to the 350-metre Weasel Mayhem in the mid-zone. Expect larger turns and a longer sequence to remember. The optional Hipper Dipper hip jump is red: the main trail’s blue grade does not make that feature a beginner option.
Official route information →Red
Wobbly Wagtail is a 110-metre red alternative near the top, with rock drops and tighter berms. Ouzels Delight is the 200-metre mid-zone jump line, finishing with the Black Grouse hip. Red features can require jumping skills, so inspect unfamiliar take-offs and use the indicated blue return when appropriate.
Official route information →The resort PDF maps named green, blue and red runs, uphill connections and the base area. Conveyor and funicular uplift reach different riding options.
Begin with Blaeberry Bumblebee and use the conveyors for several steady repetitions. Keep a generous gap, identify the return before setting off and pull completely clear if you need to discuss a feature. A useful first session finishes with consistent braking and balanced cornering, not simply a harder colour on the list.
For confident intermediate riders, the upper blue combination makes the strongest first full descent. The funicular reaches the middle station; the 220-metre Adder climb completes the approach to the top. A pedal pass instead allows climbing via Grass Snake and Slow Worm. Leave the red alternatives for a later sighting run once the main blue line is familiar.
Cairngorm Mountain Bike Park is reached from Glenmore / Aviemore. Use PH22 1RB alongside the official entrance directions. Official directions →
Travel to Cairngorm Mountain’s base station at the end of the ski road above Glenmore. The official trail map gives PH22 1RB and grid reference NH 98962 05911. Use the resort’s arrival instructions and parking signs, keeping the access road and pedestrian routes clear while unloading. The map pin marks the base area, not a trail start on the upper slopes. The summer tariff is £3.50 for up to eight hours or £5.50 for an extended day; pay before leaving.
Buy the correct pass online or at the ticket office. Adult funicular uplift is published at £36 in advance or £39 on the day; the adult pedal pass is £12 or £14 respectively. The Tuesday–Thursday off-peak offer has date restrictions. Railway bike capacity can mean a wait, so do not plan your last descent around an immediate departure. The Aviemore Adventurer30 bus serves the resort daily; arrange bike carriage separately before relying on it.
Find the planning area on a map →Approximate trail-area pin. Base-station planning point, not an upper-trail start. Follow the operator’s arrival directions. Official coordinate source
The base station has the Cairngorm Café, Mountain Shop, toilets, rental facility and bike workshop. Hire ranges from balance bikes to hardtails and full-suspension e-bikes. Resort hire bikes remain within the bike park; they are not a rental option for a separate Rothiemurchus ride. Reserve the suitable size and product before building your day around a hired bike.
Helmets are compulsory, and the map recommends gloves, knee pads and elbow pads. Under-16s need their responsible guardian or carer on site and contactable. Trailers and child seats are excluded, dogs cannot enter the bike park, and staff instructions take precedence over any plan made at home.
Resort hire includes balance bikes, hardtails and full-suspension e-bikes. Hired bicycles stay within the bike park, so they cannot be used for a separate forest outing.
The park advertises daily operation through the end of October, subject to the mountain report. Buy the appropriate uplift or conveyor pass; summer parking is £3.50 for eight hours or £5.50 for an extended day.
The operator advertises daily riding through the end of October, subject to weather and inspection. Exposed turns can feel very different in wind or rain, even when the forest below is sheltered. Carry a warm layer for uplift waits, reduce speed when surfaces change and allow staff to close any section that is unsafe.
The funicular’s scheduled maintenance closure starts on 2 November 2026, with reopening planned for 10 November. That reopening is for the railway and approaching snowsports season; it is not an announced extension of the bike park’s October season. Choose dates from the bike-park booking calendar, particularly for an autumn weekend.
Met Office: Aviemore town, not the mountain slopes forecast →
Aviemore is the practical base for accommodation, evening meals and a second day in the forests. Staying in Glenmore puts you closer to the ski road and Loch Morlich; an Aviemore hotel gives more town services. Ask your accommodation directly about indoor bike storage and charging arrangements, since a room listing alone does not confirm either.
For a rest afternoon, use the resort’s mountain garden or spend time beside Loch Morlich. Keep a forest ride separate from your bike-park ticket and take the appropriate local cycling map. Combining a managed gravity day with an easier woodland day is a useful way to give different riders something they will enjoy.
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Displayed distances are straight-line estimates using OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), not road journeys. Ask the property about secure bike storage and wet-kit arrangements before booking.
RIDE PREPARATION
Consider what suits the route, forecast and your own experience.
Yes. The lower green runs and conveyors are designed for progression. Riders still need to operate their brakes safely; the operator recommends a minimum age of four. Start with Blaeberry Bumblebee and build up without making the higher trails compulsory.
An uplift pass includes railway transport to the middle station when the funicular is operating. There is a short climb on Adder afterwards. Capacity is limited, and waiting time depends on demand; a pedal pass does not include railway uplift.
The resort publishes full-suspension e-bike hire, including a pedal pass in its hire price. Its rental bikes are for use within the park. Bring identification and confirm the size, session and collection arrangements before travelling.
Do not assume so. The official map says some red features require jumping. Wobbly Wagtail and Ouzels Delight demand advanced skills. Use the blue alternatives or stop safely away from the riding line if an unfamiliar feature is beyond your experience.
The bike page advertises operation through the end of October. Weather can interrupt a day. November railway maintenance ends before winter operations, but the operator has not presented that railway reopening as a new bike-park season.
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Cairngorms & Moray
Cairngorms & Moray
Develop braking, cornering, climbing and technical riding through deliberate practice, with sensible progression for roots, rocks, steeps, wheel lifts and jumps.
Plan mountain-bike rides around UK rain, ice, wind and heat, with seasonal trail care, tick precautions and conservative decisions at water crossings.
Book the right uplift, riding pass, hire bike and coaching session, confirm equipment and carriage rules, and plan a controlled first bike-park day.
Trail conditions change — check the official page before you travel.
Open official site →