Scotlands future mountain bike mecca is coming to Dunoon

[@rideitpodcast]

Exciting times ahead for Dunoon, what a project. Good luck to all involved 👍

[@camrivers3122]

Amazing news. Have been desperate for something like this for years. Hoping beyond hope that we don't have the anti climax that was the "Gloom Doon" at Nevis range. If the builders want this to be a success we need something like Bike Park Wales. I.e a range of trail grades where the easier trails are still fun for advanced riders and most importantly...jumps. Jumps jumps jumps of all sizes especially some nice big floaty "A-line" style ones with friendly wedge shaped take offs that aren't too kicky. The trick is to build something that people want to come back to once a month. The Blue Doon has never seen the numbers it did on opening day again. It's a one and done kind of a venue. Hoping beyond hope that this takes off and wishing the development team the best of luck. 👍👍👍

[@Joewel0]

100% agree

[@mad3arber]

Yeh jumps....

[@marcodunoon1122]

Fantastic for Dunoon and west coast . 👍👍👍

[@robin4c]

Awesome as a Helensbugh mountain biker, I dream of putting my bike on the Waverly, coming doon the water and exploring the Dunoon trails and having a beer in the waverly bar in the way home 😊

[@TheContourCollective]

That would be cool!

[@niseach]

There's a lot of potential for further developing the trails above Helensburgh as well...

[@ksm1985]

This looks promising! All the best

[@linton_photo]

Fingers crossed you make this happen. I remember coming over a few years ago to shoot a piece for MBUK and loved the 3 days we had over there. I need to get back over soon to see and ride the new stuff thats been created - keep up the good work

[@TheContourCollective]

Plenty of good trail development on existing trails has been done by the team. All hand dug by a small group.

[@engineer3112]

Love it!

[@neillowes9232]

Wow - it’s got to be a must for us / bucket list / motor home and Scotland too

[@trevoredensor7114]

A brilliant and exciting prospect....cant wait to hit them mtb trails ...the area looks amazing 👏 👍🤞

[@TheContourCollective]

Going to be great once it's doe!

[@Ry_Rides]

Looks like it’ll be well worth a visit when it’s all open

[@TheContourCollective]

Absolutely

[@thestrengthfactory.]

Looks mint!!

[@lufbraroots]

the enduro/downhill trails in Dunoon are amongst some of the best I have rode in the uk! hopefully the increased traffic doesn't result in trails getting blown out and destroyed. looking forward to making a return visit and to hearing more regarding the possibility of a gondola on the hill!

[@TheContourCollective]

It’s a double edged sword with these things. Excellent work by the team already lately and more weather proof trails will help. Other bike parks get thousands of riders over weekends but with a full time dig crew they can keep on top of the maintenance.

[@RicardoPetrazzi]

This all sounds great! Gondola! Gregg Minar! On-Site Facilities? (How has the road infrastructure been considered, as many would use the A82/A83/A815 route and as this will be a major travel factor in addition to the Ferry across from Gourock/Greenock)?

[@ACTIVEPAIR]

There’s been a few Community Engagement Events which things like access and parking has been raised👍🏽 All in hand😃

[@RicardoPetrazzi]

@@ACTIVEPAIR 😎👍

[@TheContourCollective]

I think your questions been Answered. I'm sure the Action Argyll team would love the engagement and input from the community to see the plan benefit the area.

[@ACTIVEPAIR]

@@TheContourCollective yes it would be great to hear from anyone in the ‘Active’ community not just we locals 😀

[@garrethgarrett4858]

@@TheContourCollective I dont think his question has been answered, not at all.

[@stellasqueak]

This is great but as someone else has pointed out, you need to attract people to want to come back time and time again, mountain biking has moved on so much in recent years and Scotland hasn't really moved with the times we are still stuck in the 7 states days, yet places like Wales are attracting world class athletes from all over the world to actually move to the area, Scotland needs a big jump track or a couple of big hard trails with big feature. We need to look at what places like Bike park Wales is doing and also Dyfi and Revs and Antur Stiniog, you have all these amazing places in Wales and Scotland is simply lacking in any kind off trail to put it firmly on the map as a must place to visit, me and my mates regularly take trips to Wales as our local Innerleithen is great but its lacking any kind of proper investment, and this contributes to the lack of vibe of the place and lack off decent facilities. I hope this does take off and its not another project hyped up to be a let down or a place you go once and don't really bother going again, Scotland and the trail builders need to sit down and speak with proper bikers and listen too what they want to ride and have a backbone and put in a trail with some big jumps and features that attracts people from all over the Uk want to come.

[@niseach]

Agree with you. As a Scot, I don't ride in Scotland much these days, mainly as I'm lucky to live within a couple of hours of Dyfi and an hour an a half from Revs (when it reopens) and Antur. It would be great to have the same trail selection, facilities and features as these places opening in Scotland. Saying that, there is so much that could be done at the likes of Nevis Range, Glencoe and Glenshee. I hear a new trail is going in for the Worlds in the Summer and with the new lift at Glencoe and the Cairnwell lift at Glenshee, there are possibilities. A lift at Inners was talked about, but I can't see it ever happening now...

[@mad3arber]

Nice pies at inner tho

[@ACTIVEPAIR]

17 seconds, me hanging out off the back……”hang on lads”!!

[@calummckinlay1345]

What sort of riding is available in dunoon just now?

[@TheContourCollective]

There's lots of natural trails as featured and the team are continuing to maintain and build to what's there. None of the trails are waymarked yet so you'll be best to check out your favourite trail map app.

[@bfbjock]

Looks great. I have to ask though, where can I get that T shirt that Stewart is wearing!!

[@TheContourCollective]

Best search Stewart out on the trails to find out!

[@trevoredensor7114]

Are there existing mtb trails there...if so where are they accessed from please

[@TheContourCollective]

There are - all the trails in the video can be access in Bishops Glen. We’d advise reaching out to a local, a guide or doing some research on the tracks before you head there. Our website travel guide in the video description should help. The trails are natural and in places quite challenging so we’d always advise sighting the tracks first.

[@andyyoung899]

What ever happened to the bike park project at the Golfie ?

[@TheContourCollective]

Still in progress, not sure there’s been much information released in the last few months.

[@tonyparkin3379]

Stick the kettle in gazzer. I'm coming up in the summer.

[@TheContourCollective]

I’m sure the town would welcome you! Always a warm reception from the local riding club.

[@davidthompson7812]

A bike shop in dunoon would be a better start

[@TheContourCollective]

Maybe a good business opportunity for the right person? Hopefully projects like these can generate the impetus for new enterprises to thrive.

[@ConnorKD1876]

Lived and raised in Dunoon for the last 16 years, (I'm 18) I think this is good news (I have walked up this hill and through bishops glen my whole life) but it's gonna take a lot more than this bike trail and all the supposed plans for the back of the town to save the decline in population, Dunoon is a dying town due to a lot of aspects and the youths almost always leave as soon as they can, the tourist industry here has fallen off dramatically aswell the Waverly is the only good thing here now tbh, there's a lot of work to be done to save and improve the town but every little helps and this bike path should do a world of good for bikers local or not!

[@TheContourCollective]

This sort of project will hopefully be the perfect catalyst then. Maybe tempt you back?

[@ConnorKD1876]

@@TheContourCollective not for me, but I'm sure it will others!

[@TheContourCollective]

@@ConnorKD1876 This will no doubt help! Hope you get back to explore the trails.

[@bikingfix4366]

Really hope this happens as the more proper biking locations the better. One problem I see is it’s location. It’s pretty inaccessible. As others have said it needs to attract people that want to visit time & time again. Scotland is seriously lacking in the jumps area. Inners & Glentress were good but haven’t really moved on with the times, I know there’s Golfie which have been built by riders but there has not really been any investment in the trails at Inners & Glentress whilst money has been spent on cafe, shop & uplift etc. We used to visit a few times a year but now it might be once every 2 or 3 years & with nothing new to ride we just end up heading to Welsh bike parks. Went to Fort Bill in the Summer & although only had a few hours there was well disappointed (not including the WC downhill track). Come on Scotland it’s time to up your game as there’s plenty of potential for world class riding to be had to rival any Alpine resort.

[@TheContourCollective]

We have to agree on a lot of what you say around Inners and Glentress. Big changes need to happen for these places to keep pace with other locations around Scotland or the UK. Developments at GT are happening though so this is positive. Dunoon isn’t far from Glasgow and can be accessed by public transport as well so as a location near to the biggest city in Scotland then it’s in a superb location really. Of course it’s more of a trip if you’re not from the Scottish Central belt and it’s likely to be a weekend or multi day trip. Hopefully with the development then it will provide plenty for the adventurous biker and more.

[@tomas7403]

Interesting place for gravel.

[@algie-t2w]

If the people of Dunoon wanted this I'm surprised it took so long as virtually everybody living in this part of the country seems to be financially very well-off. Not that they would ever admit to it. On a recent visit I thought that I had never seen so many detached houses concentrated in one town. Usually, the well-to-do have no bother getting what they want from politicians. At the same time I found Dunoon to be incredibly dismal.

[@TheContourCollective]

I’m not sure that’s fully the case and these projects take multiple millions of pounds to develop. There will be ways that locals and other can support in future and maybe this will beat the Tweed Valley chair lift plan that’s been ongoing for a long time.

[@SallyMoore1000]

why is attracting more visitors to Dunoon seen as a positive thing? As far as I can see there are already plenty of visitors. Think what happened to the far north when the developers promoted the North Coast 500 route. It has been the death of community all to put money in fat cats' pockets.

[@TheContourCollective]

I’m sure there will be many views on this from others. Seeing healthy activities and recreational pastimes with new opportunities for locals alone will no doubt be a positive from such a project. I believe the NC500 ‘success’ (depending on which side of the fence you site) was not anticipated and the infrastructure may not have been adequate either. Certainly a complex topic with many factors and views.

[@Squirrelking4395]

Why would it be seen as a negative? You only have to look down the Clyde coast to see the effects of declining tourism, if Dunoon has something to draw tourists (other than what? The holiday park?) then everyone profits. As far as I can see nobody is proposing an NC500 (or closer to home, Coig) type fiasco where unsustainable numbers are drawn in without any thought towards infrastructure to support them.

[@garrethgarrett4858]

well, that was interesting. Id have more faith in Keith and what he was saying if he had taken time to iron his shirt though.

[@TheContourCollective]

Hopefully the actions will do the talking and Action Argyll can bring something fresh and exciting to Argyll.