Description
Quarrelwood, also known as Quarry Wood, is a hilltop woodland on the western edge of Elgin, in Moray, with an informal network of rider-built mountain bike lines threaded through its pines and old oakwood. Around fifteen short, named descents run from gentle greens through rooty blues to steep reds and a handful of black-level lines with drops, linked by the wood's network of paths and forest tracks. It is not a trail centre and nothing is waymarked for bikes, but it is a well-used local spot for a quick after-work blast close to town.
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The Trails
- The riding is a web of short lines rather than set loops: most descents are between 150m and 600m long, and the wood only offers around 85m of vertical, so expect to link several runs together with climbs back up on the paths and tracks.
- The steeper, more technical lines are concentrated on the southern slope above the A96. Look out for Lockdown, a red-level line with berms and pump track features, the longer Full Pump Track Oakwoods, and the Twister and Neddy descents.
- Steep, 3 Out Of 8 and Path are the hardest lines here, short black-level descents, and Steep includes a rock drop. Walk them first.
- Easier blue-level singletrack, including Rooty Path, See-Saw and Deery, Deery Me, winds through the higher woodland, with a green-level line, Need For Speed, for newer riders.
- Nothing is signed for bikes and the lines are unofficial, so download a route or use GPS navigation before you set off.
- The ground is native woodland soil with plenty of exposed roots, and parts get muddy after rain.
Riding Responsibly
Quarrelwood is Forestry and Land Scotland woodland, with Moray Council woodland on its eastern side, and it is primarily a walking destination. The red-waymarked Elginia Trail and the Ancestor's Trail are walking routes, and the Ancestor's Trail leads to a 4,000-year-old henge, so give walkers plenty of room and keep off the henge itself. Follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and avoid riding when the ground is saturated.
Getting Here
Brumley Brae car park, Brumley Brae, Elgin, IV30 5PP: take the A96 west from Elgin and turn right onto Morriston Road at the Eight Acres Hotel. After about half a mile, turn left onto Brumley Brae; the car park is on the left after about 450 metres.
Leggat car park, Elgin, IV30 8XT: take the A96 west from Elgin past the Eight Acres Hotel and Oakwood, then take the next right, signposted to Rosebrae. The car park is on the right after about 300 metres. This is the start of the Elginia Trail.
Spynie car park, Duffus Road, Elgin: on the eastern edge of the woods near Spynie Hospital, on the road out of Elgin towards Duffus. This is the start of the Spynie Trail. From here, reaching the rest of the wood means crossing a fairly busy road.
There are no toilets or refreshments at the wood. Both are available in Elgin, a short ride away, and bikes can be hired from Outfit Moray in Lossiemouth.
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