Tarland – Mountain Biking, History and Festivals

Tarland combines sporting experiences with distinctive traces of the past and an events calendar that makes the village interesting at different times of the year. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment in Tarland can plan their trip around whether mountain bike trails, historic sites, routes or local festivals should be the main focus.

Mountain bike trails for different levels

The Tarland Trails form a network of purpose-built mountain bike trails on the slopes of Pittenderich and in Drummy Woods. The trails in Drummy Woods are suitable for beginners through to riders with intermediate skills. Drummy Woods also has three mountain bike skill-trail runs and a pump track. This allows an active stay to be planned in different ways, without having to match all the trails to the same riding level.

The Pittenderich trails offer different features: wide bends, berms, jumps and technically demanding riding shape the experience. Anyone riding with varying levels of prior experience can take these differences into account when planning their day. The car parks for the Tarland Trails in Drummy Woods and at Pittenderich are open around the clock.

Another option is the 10 km-long Tarland Way, a cycling and walking route between Tarland and Aboyne. For travel planning that does not limit exercise exclusively to mountain bike trails, this fixed length provides a clear guide. The Corrachree circular route also leads via a turn-off to Knockargety Hill. An Iron Age fort is located there; Knockargety Hill is also a viewpoint.

Stones, churches and historic village scenes

The Tomnaverie Stone Circle is located nearby, a circle of recumbent stones that was built and used during the Bronze Age. From the site, Lochnagar is framed by the arrangement of the recumbent stones. The site therefore combines an archaeological feature with a specific landscape impression that you can include in an excursion around the area.

Tarland itself also has historic points of interest. Tarland Old Parish Church is a roofless church dated to 1762. Its churchyard lies on terraced, elevated ground above the main square. The bell tower with a so-called Birdcage Belfry has also been preserved. Anyone interested in church architecture and local history will find several distinct details here rather than just a single historic date.

Tarland Old Mill was formerly a village threshing mill with a drying kiln. Its roofline is an important element of Tarland’s historic streetscape. Originally, the mill was powered by water from the Whitely Burn. This history adds a former economic context to the visible architecture of the village.

Festivals with regional character

The Tarland Show takes place every year on the second Saturday in August. The event includes the Tarland Show Hill Race: the route starts at the showground, follows a marked route to the summit cairn on Pittenderich and returns along the same route. It is intended for experienced mountain bikers with at least an intermediate level of ability. The Cromar and District Horticultural and Industrial Society holds its annual Open Show on the second Saturday in August at MacRobert Hall in Tarland. There are classes for baked goods, preserves, honey, wine and rural crafts.

At the end of September, Tarland’s Food and Music Festival takes place at various venues in Tarland. The programme includes a morning market as well as various lunch and dinner options.

Tarland as a starting point for planning your trip

A holiday apartment in Tarland is particularly well suited to your plans if you would like to combine several of these themes: more demanding or beginner-friendly mountain bike options, a 10 km cycling and walking route, historic buildings and sites, as well as seasonal events. The facts do not point to one single correct type of trip. Instead, they help you choose your accommodation according to your preferred focus and put together excursions thoughtfully.

For more travel ideas, you can also explore Rosehearty, Gourdon, Strathdon, Pitmedden, New Deer, Fettercairn, Hatton of Fintray and Kirkton Of Skene: Rosehearty, Gourdon, Strathdon, Pitmedden, New Deer, Fettercairn, Hatton of Fintray and Kirkton Of Skene.

For the overall travel overview: Aberdeenshire.