Are the Coolaney mountain bike trails open?
Coolaney sits by the Owenbeg River in south Sligo. For mountain biking, start from the signed Coillte trail centre on the wooded lower slopes of the Ox Mountains and choose a route graded for your experience.
Coillte lists the centre open with some sections closed while storm damage is cleared and repaired. Check the latest notice and trail map before setting out. Follow barriers and diversions, and keep off trails marked closed. Use the village’s public streets to reach the trail centre.
A national trail centre in the Ox Mountains
Coolaney is a mountain-bike trail centre run by Coillte on the wooded lower slopes of the Ox Mountains, a short way from the village. Forest-road climbs feed into tight, twisting singletrack, then fast descents and rocky, technical sections. The routes are waymarked in one direction, so you follow the arrows rather than picking your own line.
The centre grew out of a community effort. Coolaney Development Company and the North-West MTB Club worked with Sligo County Council to build it, funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Fáilte Ireland. What was a village of around 200 people in 2006 has pushed hard for visitors since, and the trail centre is the clearest result.
The trails and grades
Blue, red and black grades share the hillside. The blue route is the gentle option, a loop through forest and heathland at a relaxed pace. The red trails are the heart of the place, named routes including Baywatch, Buzzard Aldrin and Doomore, with views north over Ballysadare and Sligo bays on a clear day. The black routes are short and sharp, built for expert riders who want something genuinely technical. Lengths and the sections currently open are on Coillte’s trail map, so check it before you ride.
One honest word of warning. The upper slopes are exposed and can be very windy, and the grading is not for show – the reds are difficult and the blacks are expert-only. If you are new to off-road riding, start on the blue and build from there. Wear a helmet, and expect to share the forest roads with vehicles and walkers.
Getting there
Coolaney (Cúil Áine, ‘Áine’s corner’) sits in south Sligo at the foot of the Ox Mountains, with the Owenbeg river running through the middle of the village. It is about 18km by road from Sligo town, a short hop from Collooney and Ballysadare just to the north. A car is the practical way to get here. Check the Coillte page for current information on the trailhead before you set out.
Beyond the bike
If you would rather not ride, the Ladies Brae road climbs over the Ox Mountains on a stretch of the Sligo Way and gives wide views over the county. Nearby Union Wood, a Coillte forest on Union Rock, holds a patch of old oak woodland fenced off from deer. Follow the signs, use public roads and rights of way, and keep off private land.
Bikes and facilities
Bring your own bike if you can. The village has a shop and a pub or two for after your ride, and its Tidy Towns committee has long worked to keep the place well kept. Check the Coillte page for what is available at the trail centre, and arrange any bike hire in advance rather than turning up and hoping.
A final tip
Check the trail grades and the current closures before you set out and match the grades honestly to your ability – the reds and blacks are no place to learn. Wear a helmet whatever the grade, and if the wind is up on the tops, keep to the sheltered blue loop in the trees.