Our corner of Fife is a hidden gem for mountain bikers. With uncluttered miles of natural singletrack, deep forests, river vistas and technical challenges when you least expect them, it only takes a little bit of local knowledge to get your flow on in Fife.
So where to head to first?
Pitmedden
Like your singletrack steep and loamy, with slippery wet roots a plenty? Or prefer a gentle peddle on quiet forest paths? You can have all that and a wee bit more in Pitmedden Forest.
Heading towards Perth, take a left after Abernethy and look out for a steep road into the hills. There’s a small car park on the left and you’re there. The forest is a literal maze of trails, so keep your eyes peeled for the singletrack snaking out into the trees.
Still lost? Here’s one of the best trails to get you started – and here’s another.
Lomond Hills
Known as the ‘paps of Fife’ (ask a local), the Lomond Hills offer stunning views of the Firth of Forth and as pleasant a hilly pedal as they come. Shared with walkers, runners and other outdoor types, check out this handy guide for parking, the routes and other need-to-knows.
Fife Coastal Path & Tentsmuir Forest
Fancy 117 miles around the Kingdom’s entire circumference and one of Scotland’s most celebrated ‘wild’ trails?
Or something a little more manageable maybe? The good people at the Fife Tourism Partnership have laid out some excellent trails to try along the coastal path route – from the climb outside Lindores Distillery and up Newburgh’s Bear Hill, to the chilled sandy stretches of Tentsmuir Forest. Enjoy!
Favoured by the downhill and enduro crowds, Falkland woods are for those who like their hits big and their airtime lengthy. Bring your big bike and expect jumps, chutes and a technical challenge.
If this doesn’t scare you, then you’ve found the right place. But still best to message a local rider before heading over.
Trail Centres
Craving something a little more cultivated? Never fear, we’re in easy reach of some of the UK’s top trail centres.
Glentress and Innerleithen – two of the famous Seven Stanes – are around an hour and a half by car.
If it is Highland wilderness you’re after, then the excellent Laggan Wolftrax is roughly the same travel time up the A9 past Perth and beyond.
You don’t need me to tell you that mountain biking can be a hazardous business, especially on natural trails that are ungraded and for everyone who loves the great outdoors, not just those on two wheels. So check your bike, check your head, ride within your limits, and enjoy the spectacular, secret singletrack that our corner of Fife has to offer.
Author: Peter John Meiklem – ‘a Fifer who loves Biking’