Coolaney Mountain Bike Trails

Coolaney Mountain Bike Trails sit in Coolaney Forest on the Ox Mountains in County Sligo, a Coillte trail centre with views over the Atlantic, Strandhill and Coolaney village. There is a 5km blue loop, three red routes from 10km to 23km and two short black trails, all waymarked in one direction. The village is 15 minutes from Sligo, 40 minutes from Knock Airport, 2 hours from Galway and 2.5 hours from Dublin.

The Trails

• Coolaney Blue (Blue, 5km, 100m climbing): High Road, Connect Four, Northwest Express and Pump N Pedal. Moderate with some difficult sections, on rock, roots, loose stones and gravel that get slippery when wet.
• Baywatch (Red, 10km): Mast Trail, Road Runner, Baywatch, Tin Tin and Yabba Dabba Do. The shortest red route.
• Buzzard Aldrin (Red, 12km): as Baywatch, but swapping Tin Tin for Buzzard Aldrin.
• Doomore (Red, 23km): the full red route, adding Hornet, Kiwi, Vista Valley, Doomore and Ruby Rouge, with the best of the views over the coast.
• No Delay (Black, 2.5km) and R and D (Black, 2km): severe throughout, with steep, narrow sections and drop offs. For highly experienced riders only.

The trails are waymarked in one direction, so follow the arrows. The routes use sections of forest road and cross walking trails, so expect forestry vehicles and other forest users, and the upper slopes are exposed in poor weather.

Some sections may be closed while Coillte clears and repairs storm damage. Check the Coillte Coolaney page for current status before you travel, and follow any safety signs on site.

Facilities

• There are no facilities at the trailhead. Cafes, shops and toilets are in Coolaney village and in Sligo.

Guides, Shuttles and Hire

There is no uplift or shuttle here: riders climb the forest roads themselves. A bike shop in Sligo hires out bikes and delivers to the trailhead, and a Sligo-based operator runs guided rides across the wider Ox Mountains.

• Chain Driven Cycles: mountain bike hire from a half day, with delivery to the Coolaney trails, based in Sligo town.
• Northwest Adventure Tours: guided mountain biking with qualified instructors across the Ox Mountains and the wider Sligo area, based in Sligo town.

Northwest Adventure Tours does not name Coolaney specifically among its routes, so contact them before you travel to check they ride here.

Getting There from the UK

Coolaney is in the northwest of Ireland, and the easiest way in for most UK riders is by air to Ireland West Airport Knock, only around 40 minutes' drive away. Dublin and Shannon airports are both about two and a half to three hours' drive, and Cork is further again on the far side of the country.

By ferry, sailings run from Holyhead or Liverpool to Dublin, and from Fishguard or Pembroke to Rosslare in the southeast, with Coolaney around three hours' drive from Dublin and closer to four and a half from Rosslare. Riders coming from Scotland or Northern Ireland can cross from Cairnryan to Belfast and drive south, around three hours to Coolaney. Remember to drive on the left, and that the Republic of Ireland uses the euro rather than the pound.

Getting Here

Head for the forest entrance above Coolaney village and park in the car park just up the forest road, open 8am to 9pm. Please don't park at the forest entrance itself, which must stay clear for emergency access. If the car park is full, there is more parking in Coolaney village.

Local Organisations

• The trails were developed by Coillte in partnership with Sligo County Council, funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Failte Ireland, and built in association with Coolaney Development Company and the North-West MTB Club.
• Follow the Coolaney National Mountain Bike Centre Facebook page for news and updates.

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