Northern Ireland's mountain biking scene has exploded over the past decade. What was once limited to rough forestry tracks and unofficial trails has evolved into a network of purpose-built trail centers, bike parks, and epic backcountry routes that rival anywhere in the UK or Ireland. From flowing singletrack through Davagh Forest to the technical challenges of Rostrevor's mountain trails, Ulster offers riding for every skill level and style.
I've been riding these trails for fifteen years, watching the transformation from muddy fire roads to professionally designed and maintained trail networks. This guide shares Northern Ireland's best mountain biking, from beginner-friendly family trails to advanced technical descents that will test even experienced riders. Whether you're visiting with a bike or renting locally, Ulster's trails await.
Northern Ireland's Trail Centers & Bike Parks
Rostrevor Mountain Bike Trails - County Down
The Crown Jewel of NI Mountain Biking
Location: Kilbroney Forest Park, Rostrevor | Trails: 50km+ across multiple routes | Facilities: Car park, toilets, bike wash
Overview: Rostrevor is Northern Ireland's premier mountain biking destination. Nestled at the foot of Slieve Martin in the Mourne Mountains, the trail network offers everything from gentle forest loops to lung-busting climbs and technical descents with massive exposure and challenging features.
Trail Grades & Routes:
- GREEN - Fairy Glen Loop (5km): Gentle family-friendly trail along the Fairy Glen river. Minimal climbing, suitable for young riders.
- BLUE - Rostrevor Mountain Trail (13km): The classic Rostrevor experience. Significant climb to ridge viewpoints overlooking Carlingford Lough, followed by flowing singletrack descent. Moderately technical with optional features.
- RED - The Summit Trail (11km): Serious climbing to Slieve Martin summit (485m), rewarded by spectacular views and challenging descents. Technical rock sections, exposure, requires good bike handling.
- BLACK - Flagstaff Descent: Expert-only trail dropping from Slieve Martin. Steep, rocky, exposed sections with consequence. Not for the faint-hearted.
Why Rostrevor is Special: The combination of sustained climbing, mountain views, and technical descents creates an alpine feel rare in Ireland. The black-graded trails feature rock slabs, exposure, and features that challenge even experienced riders. Simultaneously, the blue route offers accessible mountain biking for intermediate riders wanting a taste of proper mountain trail.
Davagh Forest - County Tyrone
Flowing Singletrack Paradise
Location: Near Cookstown, County Tyrone | Trails: 36km across 4 routes | Facilities: Excellent - car park, toilets, bike wash, cafe, bike rental
Trail Grades & Routes:
- GREEN - Davagh Discovery (6km): Beginner trail on wide forest roads with gentle gradients. Perfect for young families.
- BLUE - Davagh Dark Sky (15km): Flowing singletrack through mixed forest. Some climbing but nothing too sustained. Features are optional. This is "flow trail" riding - bermed corners, smooth descents, fun without being intimidating.
- RED - Davagh Dusk (15km): Step up in technicality with rockier sections, tighter singletrack, and more significant climbing. Still emphasizes flow but requires better bike handling.
What Makes Davagh Great: The trails at Davagh are beautifully designed for flow - bermed corners let you carry speed, descents have rhythm, and climbs are graded to keep you pedaling. It's less "natural" than Rostrevor but more accessible and rideable for intermediate riders. The Dark Sky trail in particular is pure joy - you can ride it at speed, linking corners and features in a way that feels almost bike-park-like.
Facilities: Davagh has the best facilities of any NI trail center - excellent car park, clean toilets, outdoor bike wash stations, and a cafe serving food and coffee. The Dark Sky Observatory nearby adds another dimension if you're staying overnight in the area.
Castlewellan Forest Park - County Down
Historic Park with Modern Trails
Location: Castlewellan, County Down | Trails: 25km across 3 routes | Facilities: Car park (£5 entry), toilets, cafe
Trail Grades:
- GREEN - Lakeshore Trail (6km): Easy lakeside loop suitable for families and beginners.
- BLUE - Mourne View Trail (11km): Solid intermediate trail with moderate climbing and flowing descents. Views to Mourne Mountains.
- RED - Mountain Bike Trail (8km): Shorter but punchy red-graded loop with technical rock sections and tighter singletrack.
Character: Castlewellan blends historic parkland with purpose-built mountain bike trails. The setting is beautiful - mature forest, ornamental gardens, mountain backdrop - but the trails feel more "forestry" than purpose-built flow trails. Solid riding, particularly the red route, but not as polished as Davagh or as challenging as Rostrevor.
Gortin Glens Forest Park - County Tyrone
Scenic Forest Riding Near Sperrins
Location: Near Omagh, County Tyrone | Trails: 20km across 3 routes | Facilities: Car park, toilets, limited facilities
Trails:
- GREEN - Forest Loop (5km): Gentle family trail.
- BLUE - Gortin Glen Trail (10km): Pleasant intermediate riding through Sperrins foothills.
- RED - Mountain Trail (10km): More technical with rockier sections reflecting the natural terrain.
Appeal: Less developed than Davagh or Rostrevor but offers good riding in beautiful Sperrins scenery. Worth visiting if you're exploring County Tyrone, but probably not a destination in itself unless you're riding multiple trail centers in one trip.
Bike Parks & Uplift Trails
Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Park - County Limerick (Just over the border)
Ireland's Premier Bike Park
Location: County Limerick, 1.5 hours south of Belfast | Trails: 98km across 6 waymarked routes
While technically in the Republic of Ireland, Ballyhoura is close enough to include for Northern Ireland-based riders wanting Ireland's largest trail network. Six waymarked trails from green to black, including the famous 46km Greenwood Loop. Excellent facilities, bike rental, accommodation nearby. If you're serious about mountain biking and visiting Ulster, consider adding Ballyhoura to your itinerary.
Natural Riding & Epic Routes
Mourne Mountains Backcountry
Beyond the trail centers, Northern Ireland offers epic backcountry riding for experienced mountain bikers comfortable with navigation and remote terrain.
The Mourne Way is a 42km hiking trail traversing the Mourne Mountains from Newcastle to Rostrevor. Sections are rideable for strong technical riders - the western portion from Spelga Dam to Rostrevor is particularly good, combining fire roads with challenging singletrack. This is wilderness riding requiring self-sufficiency, navigation skills, and mountain experience. Weather changes rapidly, mobile signal is limited, and the terrain is remote.
Trassey Track in the Mournes offers a steep climb from Trassey car park up through the Mournes with spectacular views, followed by a technical descent. It's a 10km loop that feels much harder than it sounds - steep, rocky, exposed in places.
Antrim Coast Road Riding
The Causeway Coastal Route offers spectacular road cycling and gravel grinding rather than singletrack mountain biking. The quiet coastal roads from Belfast to Coleraine (130km) pass all the major sights - Carrick-a-Rede, Giant's Causeway, Bushmills Distillery - with relatively moderate hills and stunning views.
For gravel riders, forestry tracks throughout the Antrim Glens provide off-road alternatives with more challenging terrain and less traffic.
Skills Parks & Progression
Ormeau Pump Track - Belfast
Belfast's Ormeau Park features a free public pump track - a looped track of rollers and bermed corners designed to ride without pedaling. It's excellent for developing bike handling, teaching kids, or warming up before hitting trails. Suitable for any wheeled sport - BMX, MTB, skateboard.
Bike Handling Skills
Many trail centers host skills coaching sessions. East Coast Adventure at Rostrevor, Life Cycle Adventures, and several other operators offer half-day or full-day courses covering cornering, drops, technical climbing, and bike setup. If you're progressing from blue to red trails, a skills course can accelerate improvement significantly.
Bike Rental & Shops
Belfast Area
- Chain Reaction Cycles: Belfast-based (Ballyclare) online retailer with physical store. Full range of bikes and parts. No rental, but excellent for purchasing.
- McConvey Cycles: Belfast bike shop with rental bikes available. £25-40 per day depending on spec.
- Phoenix Bikes: Belfast shop, good for repairs and advice on local riding.
Trail Center Rentals
- East Coast Adventure (Rostrevor): Full-suspension and hardtail rentals. Guided rides available.
- Davagh Forest Bike Hire: On-site rental at Davagh with range of bikes for different trails.
- Life Cycle Adventures: Mobile bike rental and guiding covering multiple trail centers.
Best Trails by Skill Level
Beginners & Families
- Davagh Forest Green Trail: Best beginner trail center experience - smooth, gentle, well-marked.
- Castlewellan Lakeshore: Flat, scenic, suitable for young children.
- Ormeau Pump Track: Perfect for learning bike control in safe environment.
Intermediate Riders
- Davagh Dark Sky Blue: Flowing, fun, accessible - this is what blue trails should be.
- Rostrevor Blue Mountain Trail: Step up in challenge with real mountain riding but manageable for fit intermediate riders.
- Castlewellan Mourne View: Solid blue grading with variety of terrain.
Advanced Riders
- Rostrevor Black Descents: The most technical and challenging trails in Northern Ireland.
- Rostrevor Red Summit: Proper mountain riding with sustained climbing and exposure.
- Mourne Backcountry Routes: Epic wilderness riding for experienced, self-sufficient riders.
Planning a Mountain Biking Trip to NI
Sample Itineraries
Weekend Warrior (2 days):
- Day 1: Rostrevor - ride blue and red trails, stay overnight in Rostrevor or nearby
- Day 2: Castlewellan or Davagh depending on direction of travel
Trail Center Tour (4 days):
- Day 1: Davagh Forest - blue and red trails
- Day 2: Gortin Glens
- Day 3: Rostrevor - multiple laps of different trails
- Day 4: Castlewellan and coastal recovery spin
Epic Week (7 days):
- Days 1-2: Rostrevor intensive - all trails multiple times
- Day 3: Mourne backcountry
- Day 4: Rest/recovery - coastal road ride
- Day 5: Davagh Forest
- Day 6: Castlewellan
- Day 7: Gortin or Ballyhoura (cross border)
Where to Base Yourself
- Rostrevor: Best for accessing Rostrevor, Castlewellan, and Mournes. Small village with limited accommodation but ideal location.
- Newcastle: Larger town at foot of Mournes. Good facilities, more accommodation options, 15 minutes from Castlewellan.
- Cookstown/Omagh area: Central for Davagh and Gortin Glens.
- Belfast: Good transport hub if hitting multiple trail centers. 1-1.5 hours to most trails.
Best Time to Visit
Weather: May-September offers best weather and longest daylight. July-August can be crowded at popular trail centers. April and October can be excellent - fewer people, trails still in good condition, autumn colors spectacular.
Trail Conditions: Rostrevor and Castlewellan can get very muddy in winter - they're rideable but challenging. Davagh drains better due to trail design. Avoid immediately after heavy rain if possible.
Trail Etiquette & Conservation
- Yield to hikers: Mountain bikers yield to walkers on shared trails. Slow down, give space, be friendly.
- Stay on designated trails: Don't cut switchbacks or create new lines - it causes erosion.
- Leave no trace: Pack out all rubbish, including energy gel wrappers and tubes.
- Report issues: If you notice trail damage or maintenance needs, report to trail center staff or Forest Service.
- Respect closures: If trails are closed for maintenance or nesting birds, respect the closure.
Why NI Mountain Biking is Special
Northern Ireland's mountain biking scene punches above its weight. For a small region, the diversity is remarkable - flowing purpose-built trails, challenging mountain terrain, beautiful forest settings, and genuine wilderness options.
The trail centers are well-maintained, mostly free to use, and professionally designed. The people are friendly - local riders are usually happy to share beta on routes and conditions. The scenery is spectacular, particularly at Rostrevor where you're riding proper mountains with sea views.
Compared to trail centers in Scotland or Wales, NI is less crowded. You can ride Rostrevor's red trail on a summer Saturday and pass fewer than 10 other riders. The trails feel wild and spacious rather than congested.
For riders visiting from elsewhere in the UK, Ireland, or internationally, Northern Ireland offers a genuine mountain biking destination that's still under the radar compared to Scotland or the Alps. Come now before everyone else figures it out.
For more Northern Ireland outdoor adventures and where to stay, explore our other guides.