Comrie Croft MTB Trail Centre
Finding new places to ride in the UK seems more relevant than ever before. With the pending barriers to international travel there’s likely to be more riders looking at trips at home rather than packing up the bike bag and heading to Morzine or other far flung riding locations. This might not all be bad and I’m sure there’s still a few gems here in the UK to unlock. As part of The Contour Collectives mission we aim to help more riders access new and exciting places and will be rolling out a series of content to guide you and give you the insight to plan and explore new riding locations. Our location checks will give you an overview of some awesome riding spots and if you really want to delve into things then our trail checks provide you with full runs of different tracks.
For many riders out there Comrie Croft won’t be a place they’re familiar with. While it won the Trail Centre of the Year on ibikeride a few years ago (2016) it’s profile isn’t as significant compared to other UK destinations and there’s been a serious change in the mtb facilities around the UK in recent years. The compact centre gives riders something of everything and would be the perfect place to base yourself for a weekend of riding and adventures whether with friends or family. We’re beyond stoked that Comrie Croft invited us to visit them and feature as our first Location Check.
Stand Outs
Ultimately Comrie Croft offers it all in a few square kilometers and it’s compact area makes it perfect for families and friends and as a base for adventure throughout Perthshire. With accommodation on site offering eco-camping and self contained Kata Tents (think tippies), a bike shop and farm shop as well as awesome trails and a friendly welcoming vibe it’s the ideal place for a weekend or a weeks getaway. This bundle of good trails and facilities on site really give this place a unique and friendly vibe. We couldn’t recommend this place enough, even if you can only get there for a day.
The Trails
While there’s not days and days worth of trails you’ll manage to knock out most of the trails in a whole day along with the skills park and trails at the bottom next to the cafe. The flowy blues are the perfect introduction to mountain biking before more experienced riders can test their skills on the reds and then take on the challenging rocky black trails. These feel like mini Enduro World Series tracks, in fact many of the trails here would put them to shame!
The blue trail is split into three sections. The top section, Dark Side of the Blue, has some rocky sections and we’d advise if you’re just starting out to ride from the top of Cookie Monster which is wider with more flow. This is a superb trail and traverses down the hill making the most of the space Comrie has. While we were there Dual of Earn was closed but the diverted trail was a fast and fun finish taking you to the back of the bike shop.
There’s a lot more red trails at Comrie croft and we’d fully recommend the longer loop around the back. Rock Lobster and Stan Salvador give you some of the best views and take you through amazing old pine forests and link up some excellent features. This isn’t all downhill, for that keep to Muddy Rut and Phil MaBracken which drop in from Decision Rock.
If you’re after some black trails your options are Natural Gold which has just had some recent work completed on it and was noted as Scott’s favourite trail before linking into Sloppy Joes. The blacks are rocky and natural which give you the feeling of being out there riding remote trails. Definitely a good place to push your limits while not too far from the trail centre.
What Bike should I ride?
Really this place is suitable for most bikes. The blues would accommodate anything from a rigid kids bike up to a longer travel trail bike. A downhill bike at Comrie Croft probably isn’t going to cut it. Once you get onto the Reds and Blacks then a more aggressive hardtail or proper full suspension enduro bike will be far more enjoyable.
During the trip Chris rode the Giant Trance X 29 2 which is a short travel trail bike with 135mm on the rear and 150mm up front. This was ideal for all the trails. Christo took full advantage of his ebike which is a Giant Trance E+ Pro 29 2 boasting 140mm of rear travel and the same up front. Get a little more PSI in the tyres for the red and black. Chris went up to 23psi up front and 24 psi on the rear both fitted with Cushcore tyre inserts.
Facilities
With a bike shop on site you’ll get all you need (maybe not any 12 speed chains but you may be in luck) and their hire fleet has a full range of mountain bikes and some e-bikes for those wanting to get even more laps in or if you brought your own e-bike there is a charging station which should charge most e-bike batteries.
The farmshop and cafe will keep you fueled up and even save you from that last minute need for a unique present.
Talking of unique The Scottish Tea Factory is based on site and has their own tea growing on site. Why not pop in to learn more about tea and taste some as well.
Comrie Croft Accommodation
On site accommodation offers the perfect stop over with some reasonable prices and a range of options.
The Farm house has 3 bedrooms while the Steading, described as a little bit posh in places, is great for larger groups.
There’s eco camping which has supporting facilities and hot showers which brings a little ease to the wild camping experience. The views over Perthshire are superb.
The stand out has to be the Kata’s which are canvas tents with some hidden luxuries inside including cooking stove and where your warmth from the night comes from.
Away from Comrie Galvelmore House sleeps up to 21 people in the nearest town Crieff. There’s plenty of other options around the area as well and if you’re looking for a more up market experience then Gleneagles Hotel is only 25 minutes away.
Getting There
The centre is just 5 minutes from Crieff and is best reached by car. There’s a large carpark at the centre.
Buses run from Perth to Comrie Croft so if you don’t have a car then check out this as an option to get from any of the major Scottish Cities.
Useful Links
Parting Message
This small trail centre could just be the most family friendly place you could go for a weekend of riding. From fast and flowy blues and trails to match some of the best EWS races there really is something for everyone. If you’ve not ventured to Comrie Croft then we’d highly recommend it.
The Contour Collective Location Checks
The Location Check series brings all you need to know about riding locations from around the world (or the UK right now). The in depth videos and articles are there to provide you with a guide before you make the trip and give you an insight from those involved in the area. Behind every great trail network there’s always some amazing characters and businesses making it all happen. We give you the inside scope to make your planning a whole lot easier. Enjoy the adventure.
Photos by Doug Somerville