Pitfichie Mountain Bike Trails

Pitfichie Mountain Bike Trails located in the North-East of Scotland offer some of the best mountain biking in Aberdeenshire with two official trails and numerous other off-piste trails.

Pitfichie’s trails lead through varied forest and across open hill tops, with wide views of the Vale of Alford and Bennachie. Mountain bikers can find exciting rides through real countryside on a red-grade trail across granite hill tops, as well as a challenging downhill route.

Granite Top Trail

Grade - Red: Difficult - 4 miles / 6.4 km

Fast singletrack with some great natural rock features, suitable for good mountain bikers. Branching off the Cairn William Trail, you’re soon tackling a challenging climb with some rocky obstacles. From the top of the hill there’s a superb panorama over the surrounding countryside: a perfect place for a breather on a summer’s evening.

After that you’ll need to tread carefully on The Devil’s Staircase – a lively technical descent with some tight switchbacks and a few small drops. Then you can drop back down to the Cairn William Trail, or head up and over Pitfichie Hill to find the Downhill Trail. Remember to ride only in the direction of the arrows, from west to east. The trail branches off the Cairn William Trail near the King’s Stane. Watch for marker post number 16.

Pitfichie Downhill Trail (closed)

Grade - Orange: Extreme 1 miles / 1.6 km

Championship-grade downhill action. The Scottish Downhill Association have often run their Championship Series here – and it’s easy to see why. First up, there’s a fast section over granite slabs and jumps, then an awesome drop and a plunge through the forest on a rough trail of roots and rocks. The lower section’s a bit smoother, with more drops and a big step near the finish. Two hundred metres of descent, adrenaline pumping all the way! It’s a long climb to get back to the start, but well worth it.

The trail is recommended for expert downhill mountain bikers only, with a high quality downhill machine. It would be dangerous for walkers or horse riders to use it. The Downhill Trail starts from the summit of Pitfichie Hill. Follow the Cairn William and Granite Top Trails to get there.