Ae is fast becoming known as the 7 Stanes mountain bike center to ride. The Forestry Commission and their team of trailbuilders have put together almost 50 km's of dedicated mountain biking routes within the forest.

Wanted ... Trail Demons!!! If you can spare a few hours on a Saturday and would like to help to build and maintain the trails here at Ae Forest then become a Trail Demon!! No experience necessary, just a willingness to work and help improve the trails at Ae. A few hours work, free lunch & time to ride in the afternoon. Free Hoodies & Uplifts for our regulars ... more details on the Ae Forest Trail Demons page.

Weather Check: Get the 5 day Met Office forecast for Ae.

Ae Red Route Record Time: Feeling fit? Have a go at the course record. Start and finish at Ae Bike Shop & Cafe .... Current Record 1 hr 21 min!

Ae boasts everything from the family friendly green trail through the old forest, a slightly more difficult blue route, the classic Ae Line red route (a real red route!), the new Shredder freeride trail and the infamous Ae National Downhill course!

New green and blue routes finally put Ae on the map for families with younger children or for those who enjoy a more leisurely bike ride. They both follow trails through the old forest, close to the bottom of the valley which has the river Ae flowing alongside. A fantastic place to bring the kids for an action packed family day out on the bikes. These routes are ideal for tag-alongs which you can hire from Ae Bike Shop, along with adult and kids bikes.

If you want to see a video of the Green Route click here.

The Ae Line or Scottish Renewables trail has been extended to 24 km's. Test your skills on this classic red route. If you want a silky smooth ride stick to tarmac! This route is real mountain biking, it's rough & rocky in places, smooth in parts, has some tough climbs, some great technical features and some seriously fast flowing sections. You'll be amazed at the variety on this route and you won't forget it! This is an exhilarating experience which will have you buzzing especially at the end when you hit the famed Omega Man descent where you'll take in a series of berms, tabletops, jumps, double jumps and some drop offs! If that doesn't sound exciting enough there is a black option for you to slip onto and some big logs await you at the bottom of the trail if you want a final test of skill, nerve and determination! Don't worry if your not a speed freak or endurance athlete this course can be ridden by anyone who is a competant mountain biker and it's a great course to build your skills on.

The new Orange rated skills route is open at Ae!! Known as The Shredder this gives you the chance to experience the thrill of the ride on the new freeride style route. It's not quite as full on as the Ae downhill course but it's fast, furious, flowing and superb fun. The course is 1 km in length and finishes above the Omega man so you can combine these for a great ride! The road gap gives it a bit of an edge! Get on it and improve your riding skills! The route is now officially open so if you enjoy or want to experience a bit of freeride action then get yourself onto the Shredder!!

Capping it all, Ae Forest has it's own 1.6 km competition Downhill track. This course is for the experienced or truly mental riders out there! The Ae Downhill course is regularly used for national competitions and amongst it sections is the 22ft Coffin jump. The name says it all, beware this is not one for the inexperienced riders.

The choice on offer now for mountain bikers at Ae is exceptional and there really is something for everyone. If you've not experienced Ae for a while or haven't been at all then you really should get yourself along and sample the new routes and facilities.

Ae Forest is not just for the bikers though. Ae has beautiful woodland walking, horse riding, and fishing to offer. For further info on these facilities contact the Forestry Commission's Recreation Ranger on 01387 860247.

For currrent trail conditions click here to go to the 7 Stanes website.

Please click on the link for the downloadable Trail Map.