Creation of Free-Ride Style MTB Trail at Kinnoull Hill, Perth

With abundant trails and bike parks, Perth is a mountain biking hotspot for local visitors and tourists alike.

To the east of the city, riders have found a remarkable space for mountain biking in the majestic surroundings of Kinnoull Hill. Boasting spectacular views over the River Tay and dense, mature woodland to explore, the site became a popular location for setting up DIY trails.

Unfortunately, most of these trails were constructed by people who don’t know how they may affect other users and the environment. Therefore, Forestry and Land Scotland sought the services of CRC to construct a new ‘free-ride’ style trail on the hill so that mountain bikers can enjoy the area while being sensitive to the environment and other trail users.

Deploying our specialist plant and experienced staff, we constructed several large berms, normal and split-level tabletop jumps and drop-offs. The resulting new trail comprises a challenging Orange-graded route which allows for safe rider progression and distracts them from using some of the more dangerous DIY features.

During the project, we cleared a minimal amount of trees, and the site was closed to the public during construction to ensure everyone’s safety. All trail formation material was won from borrow pits, and the trail was capped with Type 1 and dust from a nearby limestone quarry.

Since launch, the trail has endured heavy use and normal wear & tear. To ensure the trail remains safe and enjoyable for all users, we revisited the site in late 2018 and 2021 to give the jump lips/landings and berms a fresh layer of compacted dust - a small maintenance task to be expected when trails are being used so frequently.