Why mountain biking is good for the soul

Nature, fresh air, exercise, a chance to challenge yourself and a supportive community: when it comes to feeling good and self-care, mountain biking certainly has plenty of the boxes ticked. 

Luckily, Logan has some excellent biking paths for every rider, from beginner to advanced, something Waterford’s Emily Harman knows very well. 

She’s been a keen rider for 6 years, and says she started out looking to improve her fitness – then quickly fell in love. 

‘It’s a really fun hobby. For me, it is everything – being in nature, the variety of all the different tracks out there meaning every ride can be a bit different, being able to challenge yourself – I love it,’ she says. 

‘You can also go as part of a group, which I love doing, but then going for a ride by yourself is sometimes great too. All the tracks around Daisy Hill cater to that and you feel safe – and if you ever need anything other riders are always around, and I’ve only ever had positive interactions with them!’ 

Emily says the Daisy Hill tracks are her favourite, catering to beginner and intermediate riders with a range of scenic routes. Bike tracks in Cornubia offer an experience for the more advanced rider. 

‘There is so much variety in Logan,   so for someone who is a beginner and who thinks it might seem a bit daunting, I would really urge them to try it,’ Emily says. 

‘It is a super welcoming community at Daisy Hill. There are trails for all levels, and everyone is just giving it a go – from elite riders to mums and dads, kids, everyone is super friendly.’ 

She says she would especially love to see more girls and women take up mountain biking. 

‘There’s a lot more men than women that ride. It is growing, but I think with girls it is that fear of not knowing where to start’ she says. 

‘I think it is a feeling of intimidation, but it is not intimidating once you are there, and there is lots of room for progression.  

‘You get the endorphin rush and as you get faster, you get more of that adrenaline too. It is one of those sports where you can see yourself progressing with each ride.’ 

The mum-of-one says she paused while pregnant with her now 6-month-old, but was keen to ride again as soon as she could. 

‘I really missed it when I couldn’t do it and as soon as I had physio clearance I was straight back to it, when my baby was 7 weeks old,’ she says. 

‘Oh my goodness it felt so good – I had missed it tremendously and it was as good as I had expected it to be. As a mum, we need that bit of me time and I was able to get my adrenaline rush, be in nature, have that time to myself. 

‘I was intimidated myself at the beginning but there are stepping stones in place and a really supportive community. I really urge people to show up and ask.’ 

Find out more about Daisy Hill mountain biking trails and Cornubia trails.