We’ve just got back from a manic weekend at the Red Bull Foxhunt (full road trip story to come) and we were simply blown away by the quality of riding on offer in Northern Ireland.

Going from having zero trail centres to 5 within the space of a year and a half is no mean feat, and with the Red Bull Foxhunt in its fourth year, the small province has solidified its reputation as the perfect getaway for mountain bikers.

Here are the trail centres we reckon you should be checking out:

Rostrevor Mountain Bike Trails

If Rostrevor sounds familiar, there’s a good reason for it. Loic Bruni, Gee Atherton and local legend Colin Ross all recently descended on the trails outside the small town of Rostrevor for the epic Red Bull Foxhunt.

If you’re a gravity rider, this is the place to head but in addition to the two purpose built DH trails there – one of which recently underwent an upgrade – Rostrevor features 27km of epic XC red trails and a leg burning 19km of black trails.

Home to stunning views above Carlingford Lough (and with Jaime Lannister as a fan no less), Rostrevor MTB trails has everything you could want from a great long day on the bike.

There’s also plenty of accommodation nearby, including superb Glamping Pods from East Coast Adventure and the Mountains of Mournes Cottages at Hanna’s Close

Davagh Forest Mountain Bike Trails

Located amidst the rugged Sperrins mountain range, Davagh Forest Mountain Bike Trails features some of Northern Ireland’s most epic features.

Points such as Boundary Rock and Eagles Rock test the skill levels of even the most proficient riders, and the 16km of red trails provides some of the best riding anywhere in the country.

One favourite with the locals is the Stream Trail; be sure to hook up your Strava and test your pace going down this super flowy section.

There are plenty of great spots to stay nearby too, including An Creagan and Cobblers Cottage. The Shepherd’s Rest is also perfectly located for an apres-ride pint as well.

Castlewellan Mountain Bike Trails

One of the most popular locations in Northern Ireland, Castlewellan is home to some of the most amazing scenery the Mournes has to offer.

As well as boasting 19km of red trails that provide a whole spectrum of great sights (before leading to an extremely enjoyable descent off Slievenaslat mountain) it also has two great black options.

Need more convincing? Check out our recent trails video “Ride North” featuring Enduro World Series U21 Champion Killian Callaghan and Foxhunt winner rider Kelan Grant let loose on all three trails!

All the trails in Northern Ireland are easy to get to and, better still, extremely close to each other. Whether you’re coming to them from the Republic of Ireland or Great Britain, we promise you’ll not be disappointed!

For more information on any of the trails here, visit MountainBikeNI.com