📌 Mountain bike trails in Ae, Dumfries & Galloway
★★★★
Ae… what? Yes, it’s Scotland’s shortest-name village, hidden away on the banks of the Water of Ae and built entirely by the organisation now known as Forestry and Land Scotland. Just to the north, in the Forest of Ae, is 7stanes Ae – one of southern Scotland’s several major mountain biking hubs, where you can listen to cyclists yelling “Aeeee…!” as they hurtle down the two tough downhill trails, or the 24 km red route. Back in the village, look out for an ornate wooden totem pole: a product of the Ae youth project. The name Ae (pronounced “Eh”) comes from the Old Norse Aa, meaning water – making the translation of Water of Ae sound a bit silly.
🌍 Location
📌 Trailhead is off minor road 0.5 mi north of Ae village
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NX 985895
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.189384,-3.596066
🚌 Ae village (0.5 mi)
🚗 Car park (charge)
📝 Key info
⌚ Always open
🎫 Free
➡️ Routes: ⬤ 9 km ⬤ 14 km ⬤ 24+1 km ⬤ 2 km. Map 🔗 here – see official website for current diversions / closures
🚲 Hire bikes at Ae Bike Shop at trailhead – see official website for opening hours
🥜 In a nutshell: Mountain Biking in Scotland
>> Want to know more about Mountain Biking in Scotland in general? Check out our overview page.
