Mabie forest lies just of the A710 around 6.5km south of Dumfries. The trailhead and bike hire are close by the parking facilities at Mabie House.
The Mabie trail head OS Grid Reference is: NX950709.
By bike
National Cycle Route 7 (NCR 7) runs through Dumfries town centre and joins the A710 around 7km from the trail head. There’s also the option of a slightly more circuitous route that minimises the amount of cycling on A roads. Take NCR 7 to Drumsleet then follow the A711 for around 1km before turning left onto the minor road that leads alongside Mabie Forest.
By car
Read our directions for getting to Mabie by car.
By public transport
By bus
There is no direct bus service to Mabie forest, however, there are regular buses to Dumfries from Stranraer, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Carlisle. Check with individual operators to see whether bikes can be carried.
For bus journey planning in Scotland see www.travelinescotland.com.
By train
The nearest station is at Dumfries, approximately 9km from the trail head. Regular direct daily trains to Dumfries travel from Carlisle, Newcastle and Glasgow. If travelling from Edinburgh, it is easier to travel to Carlisle then change rather than going via Glasgow.
Journey times are around 35 minutes from Carlisle, 1hr 45 mins to 2 hours from Glasgow and 2 hours direct from Newcastle (add half an hour if changing in Carlisle). From Edinburgh, journey times vary, but the shortest trip is just over 2 hours with a change in Carlisle.
Train connections are available from Stranraer and Troon, if arriving by Ferry from Northern Ireland. Journey time to Dumfries is around 3 hours from Stranraer and 1hr 30 minutes from Troon.
Trains to Dumfries are run by First Scotrail and Northern Rail. Bikes can be carried on these trains but space might be limited, or you might need to book. More information is at First Scotrail’s information for cyclists and National Rail Enquiries' general information about taking your bike on trains in Britain.
Virgin Trains provides an intercity service that runs through Carlisle for connections to Dumfries.
For further information on rail travel in Scotland and throughout GB see www.nationalrail.co.uk.
By ferry
From Northern Ireland, there are ferries to Stranraer from Belfast, and to Troon and Cairnryan from Larne. Train and bus connections to Dumfries are available from Stranraer, and a train connection to Dumfries is available from Troon. (See bus and train details above).
See www.stenaline.co.uk and www.poirishsea.com for more details.
By air
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Glasgow Prestwick. There are rail connections from Prestwick to Dumfries taking around 1hr 30 minutes (changing in Troon or Kilmarnock), and car hire is available at the airport. For more details of flights, see the Glasgow Prestwick airport website.
For public transport journey planning in Scotland see www.travelinescotland.com.
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that the details provided above are accurate, however, you should check times and services with individual service providers prior to travelling as changes may occur at short notice.