The blue-graded Moyle Hill route is a good introduction to riding 7stanes singletrack - and to the granite rock that that gives Dalbeattie a character all of its own - offering some cracking views and fun riding.
Crushed rock and timber trail!
The trail starts out through the skills area and you'll find your tyres are immediately crunching on the local crushed rock. Take the easy line through the harder red & black grade options before joining up with the red route for the long, straightforward sections of raised timber trail that take you across the bogs of Richorn Plantation.
The Moyle Hill climb
Exiting onto a forest road, you now climb steadily around the side of the Moyle Hill to a welcome rest at the high point. A bench seat provides the perfect excuse to have a breather and soak up the view of the Urr estuary and the hills beyond.
Back on the bike, and a short, fast road descent leads to a section of fast-flowing singletrack that eventually spits you back out on to the road again near the bottom of the hill at Barnbarroch.
Another steady climb takes you around the fringe of the forest before easing off to take you on a loop into the middle of the forest and the open marshland of the 'Dry Loch'.
Cloak Hill
A very sweet section of trail now follows, with a few small rocky and rooty sections thrown in, before more easy forest road and singletrack take you around Cloak Hill to meet the outward route at the start of the first climb. Heading back down the road leads to the final, flowing section of trail around Volunteer Ridge and back to the trail head - a fitting end to this fun-filled ride.
Distance: 14km
40% singletrack
Estimated time to ride the route: 2 - 3 hours