more stats
3,701 ft
Distance
22 ft
Climb
-176 ft
Descent
00:08:11
Avg time
-154 ft
Altitude change
487 ft
Altitude min
641 ft
Altitude max
641 ft
Altitude start
489 ft
Altitude end
-4.2%
Grade
-29.9%
Grade max
15.8%
Grade min
325 ft
Distance climb
2,582 ft
Distance down
794 ft
Distance flat
00:08:11
Avg time

The Elf Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
  • Riding Area
    Balquhidder
    Strathyre
  • Difficulty Rating
    Red Rate
  • Local Popularity
    40 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 35 in E-Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #122673 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #85662 in E-Biking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Sometimes hard to follow
  • Season
    Jan-Dec
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Berm
  • Year Opened
    2017
  • Land Owner
    Forestry And Land Scotland

The Elf is a woodland footpath shared with walkers that serves nicely as a X-Country loop or warm-up trail ride before going up to the downhill singletrack trails on the north side of Balquhidder.
The Elf itself is a rolling singletrack that has an overall fall but has within it, both up and downhill sections. It is about 1.1k long which when combined with the uphill access using the B road climb up Glen Buckie makes a full loop of circa 1.7km - well suited to a short XC loop
On the Elf there are only a couple of slightly technical parts which would be approximately "red grade". Works ok in the wet since recent improvements.

source: Balquhidder MTB Trails
Access Info

With Parking at Balquhidder Hall or the Kirk ride south up Glen Buckie and stop 30 metres before the cattle grid. The start of the trail is on your left.

This trail is unsanctioned.

Trail Supporters
  • past supporters

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 2 rides
  • 21 miles avg distance
All
  • 8 rides
  • Last: Sep 13, 2026
update trails status or condition

The Elf Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jan 19, 2025 @ 4:00am
Jan 19, 2025
 Fallen tree. Streams crossings. Trail lost in middle.
Nov 28, 2024 @ 11:43am
Nov 28, 2024
Apr 1, 2023 @ 3:07am
Apr 1, 2023
May 27, 2019 @ 2:36am
May 27, 2019
Dec 26, 2018 @ 2:26am
Dec 26, 2018
 reporter some minor mud patches
more »
Status:
on Jan 19, 2025
Avg: 3.98 (1 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to the-elf trailhead (56.344660, -4.370920)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      No photos have been added for The Elf yet, add a photo.

      Videos

      1 more »
      Hot weather Mountain bike fail - The elf
      mtb
      11:40 | 503 | Dec 18, 2020 , Strathyre
      4.0 ★★★★★
      1 Ratings
      5 ★
      4 ★ 100%
      3 ★
      2 ★
      1 ★

      3 Reviews & Comments

      callandersxp
      Not rideable. The trail is blocked by a fallen tree, streams, and then vanishes amidst a bunch of wandering footpaths. I teetered along the side of a steep loose hill holding my bike. Completely sketch. A walker told me that nobody rides this — for good reason!
      SingleTrackSeeker
      A great trail ! Really flowy and feels very natural.
      Nmealey
      I'm new to this mountain biking malarkey, but found this trail to be very narrow. It was so narrow in places with embeded rocks that my crank got dented and several times and my handle bars were too wide to fit between trees. Once i'm more experienced I'll have another go and see if I'm better.

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is The Elf located?
      The Elf is located in Balquhidder, Strathyre, United Kingdom. It is part of the Balquhidder trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 56.34466, -4.37092.
      ▼ How hard is The Elf?
      The Elf is rated as Red difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 4.2%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for The Elf?
      The Elf has 22 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 176 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 487 ft to 641 ft.
      ▼ Is The Elf a point to point trail?
      The Elf is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is The Elf?
      The Elf is 3,701 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on The Elf?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on The Elf. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride The Elf?
      The Elf is best visited during: Jan-Dec.
      ▼ How do I access The Elf? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to The Elf are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride The Elf?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 10 minutes to ride The Elf. The trail is 3,701 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is The Elf?
      The Elf is a moderately popular trail. There have been 60 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 63 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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