Kirroughtree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kirroughtree |
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Cycle Trail in Kirroughtree Forest
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 Location in Scotland
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| Location | Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 54°57′14″N 4°25′18″W / 54.95389°N 4.42167°W |
Kirroughtree Forest is a cool place in southwest Scotland, near the town of Newton Stewart. From here, you can even see the Irish Sea! It's looked after by Forestry and Land Scotland and is part of the huge Galloway Forest Park. This forest is super famous for its awesome mountain biking trails!
A small river called Palnure Burn flows through the forest and into the River Cree. Kirroughtree is also home to amazing wildlife like red squirrels, red deer, and ospreys.
Fun Things to Do
Lots of people love visiting Kirroughtree Forest. About 78,000 visitors come here every year to enjoy the outdoors!
Mountain Biking Adventures
Kirroughtree is a top spot for mountain biking. It's one of seven special places called the 7stanes (pronounced "seven stones") found across the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. The 7stanes project started in 2001 to create amazing bike trails.
Each 7stanes location has a unique stone sculpture, or "stane," created by artist Gordon Young. At Kirroughtree, you'll find the "Gem Stane." It's a giant stone sculpture, weighing 1.75 tons, made from beautiful Scottish pink quartz! People often call Kirroughtree's trails the "hidden gem" of the 7stanes. Plus, the forest is close to the Creetown Gem Rock Museum.
In 2010, Kirroughtree was even named "MBR Trail of the Year"! A brand new visitor centre opened in 2014. It has a restaurant and a bike shop where you can rent bikes.
Kirroughtree has many cross-country (XC) trails for different skill levels. There's also a special area to practice your mountain biking tricks.
- Bargary Wood: This is an easy, green trail. It's about 3.8 miles (6.0 km) long.
- Larg Hill: This blue trail is for moderate riders. It's 6.3 miles (10.0 km) long. You can also add the Doon Hill extension, which is another 2.5 miles (4.0 km).
- The Twister: This red trail is difficult and 10.6 miles (17.0 km) long.
- Black Craigs: This is a super tough, black trail for experts. It's an 8.7-mile (14.0 km) extension to The Twister. The coolest part is "McMoab," a unique granite area with huge rock slabs and ridges. It's named after a famous biking spot in Moab, USA. You'll also face "Heartbreak Hill," a tough climb, before flying down sections like "Hissing Sid."
Long Bike Routes
The National Cycle Route 7 passes through Kirroughtree Forest Park. This long route stretches for 200 miles from Glasgow to Carlisle.
Fishing Fun
If you enjoy fishing, there are several great spots in the Forest Park. You can try to catch brown trout and pike at places like Loch Braden, Loch Dee, Black Loch, Spectacle Loch, and Garwachie.
