Moray Monster Trails

Fantastic single-track mountain bike routes for beginners through to experts

Whether you’re new to off-road mountain biking or an expert rider looking for big thrills, there’s a Monster Trail that’s just right for you. Head to Winding Walks for extreme freeriding and the red-grade Fochabers Ring, or start at Ordiequish for slightly easier blue routes.

Start at Winding Walks, where the Monster Trails first began, for a great red cross-country trail and some extreme freeriding. The extreme features of the Fochabers Freeride were built almost entirely by volunteers and it’s a wild and scary ride! Take the fun and full-on cross-country Fochabers Ring to get you there – or just enjoy the red trail and keep the hairy stuff for another day…

Alternatively, choose to start the Monster Trails at Ordiequish if you’re looking for some exciting blue routes – but don’t assume this is just an easy ride… fun beckons at every turn!

The Moray Monster Trails leaflet has been removed to be updated. You can find the most up to date information about the trails (including route map) on the panels in the car park. If you want a trail map with the routes you want to use, take a photo of the panel with your mobile before you set off.

Mountain biking trails

Moray Monster Trails mountain biking route card (PDF)

Mountain Biking

Gordzilla

Grade – Blue: Moderate 3 ¼ miles / 5.3 km

Is this trail for you? Find the right grade for your abilities

Grade – Blue: Moderate  
Expect a mixture of climbs and descents with moderate gradients, technical features like tree roots and rock steps; jumps and berms. Rollable features at controlled speed. Variable surfaces.

A great, flowing route. Cruise it or ramp it...either way you'll enjoy it. There's plenty here to get the adrenaline pumping and your heart racing. Gordzilla is made up of hard singletrack and forest road sections. Link this trail to the Soup Dragon or the Haggis to extend your adventure. Find the start of this trail at Ordiequish car park.

Mountain Biking

The Haggis

Grade – Blue: Moderate 5 ½ miles / 8.8 km

Is this trail for you? Find the right grade for your abilities

Grade – Blue: Moderate  
Expect a mixture of climbs and descents with moderate gradients, technical features like tree roots and rock steps; jumps and berms. Rollable features at controlled speed. Variable surfaces.

This beastie’s full of interest, loads of fun, a fair distance but not too technical. Get stuck into The Haggis for fun, moderate challenges and a ride that doesn't take itself too seriously. The Haggis has hard singletrack and some forest road sections. Link this trail to the Soup Dragon or Gordzilla to extend your adventure. This trail starts from Ordiequish car park.

Mountain Biking

The Soup Dragon

Grade – Blue: Moderate 2 ½ miles / 4.1 km

Is this trail for you? Find the right grade for your abilities

Grade – Blue: Moderate  
Expect a mixture of climbs and descents with moderate gradients, technical features like tree roots and rock steps; jumps and berms. Rollable features at controlled speed. Variable surfaces.

A fun-packed friendly route that can be enjoyed at any level. This is just pure fun. You’re in control but there’s just one catch – you’ve got to gain some height first! Don’t worry though, your climb will be well rewarded – it’s soup time – and if you want more, keep climbing to add on the Dragon’s Tail. Comprising good hard singletrack and forest road sections. Link this trail to the Haggis or Gordzilla to extend your adventure. Start the trail at the Ordiequish car park and follow the blue trailmarkers.

Mountain Biking

The Fochabers Ring

Grade – Red: Difficult 5 miles / 8.0 km

Is this trail for you? Find the right grade for your abilities

Grade – Red: Difficult  Expect a mixture of steep climbs, descents and / or avoidable features. Larger jumps, berms and rollable features at controlled speed. Technical features such as tree roots, drop-offs and large rocks. Very variable surfaces.

A full-on and varied cross country trail you’ll want to ride again and again. There’s a ‘no pain, no gain’ climb on forest road up to the pyramid-shaped monument on top of Whiteash Hill – then the fun starts! Feel the adrenaline as you rush downhill on unsurfaced terrain. This trail starts at the Winding Walks car park. Follow the red trail markers.

Mountain Biking

Fochabers Freeride

Grade – Orange: Extreme

Is this trail for you? Find the right grade for your abilities

Grade – Orange: Extreme  Suitable for extreme level riders with expert technical skills & good fitness. Technical bike skills important. Jumping ability obligatory. Expect extreme levels of exposure and risk, large features.

For advanced riders only – monster North Shore and scary earth features, drops and jumps. No matter how good you are, walk it before you ride it. The top section includes big, technical North Shore wooden structures – please make sure you’re capable of this style of riding: most of us aren’t. The second section is big earth features, drops and jumps. After section two, rejoin the Ring (red trail) back to the car park. Join the Freeride from the Fochabers Ring (red) trail. Start by following the red trail markers from the Winding Walks car park and join the Freeride near the monument.

Facilities and access

Walking

Mountain biking

Parking (charge)

Equipment

To get started we recommend a basic mountain bike with suspension forks – nothing too fancy – and please wear a helmet. You can hire bikes at Outfit Moray in Lossiemouth, telephone - 01343 549571.

You can practice your technique at the Skills Area near the car park at Winding Walks before you head out on the trails.

Safety note

All waymarked cycle trails MUST be ridden only in the direction shown. We’ve got some helpful guidelines about how to have fun and stay safe on the trails.

Life’s essentials

There are public toilets in nearby Fochabers, where you’ll also find a caravan and camping site and plenty of places to eat, drink and stock up on rations for the trails.

Car parking information

The Moray Monster trails can be accessed from our car parks at Winding Walks or Ordiequish. Winding Walks operates a pay and display system for parking, while there is no charge to park at Ordiequish. For more information on parking at these sites, please visit the pages as linked above.

More about parking

Getting here

Visit the Moray Monster Trails at Winding Walks

From Fochabers, follow the A98 east towards Buckie for about 1 mile (2km). The Winding Walks car park is on the right.

Using SatNav?

IV32 7PG is the nearest postcode.

Visit the Moray Monster Trails at Ordiequish

From Fochabers High Street turn south opposite the museum and follow the Ordiequish Road for 0.5 miles (0.8 km). The car park is on the left.

Using SatNav?

IV32 7PE is the nearest postcode

The car park is at grid reference NJ337 566.

Public transport

The nearest railway station to both Ordiequish and Winding Walks is at Keith. Regular buses link the towns and villages along the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen. They carry bikes if there’s room – and there usually is. Just get off at Fochabers and head for the trails!

For more details visit Traveline Scotland.

Get directions