# Anyone from Scotland???



## BillT (Dec 24, 2003)

I'm visiting Scotland from July 18 - July 21 and I found a place called Glentress Forest that looked like a good place to ride (and it had some decent bike rentals). I was wondering if anyone rides there and can tell me how it is.

Thanks,

BillT


----------



## Giallograle (Sep 20, 2004)

Good... also Drumlanrig http://www.buccleuch.com/pages/content.asp?PageID=144 which features Riks Bike Shed as well as a castle and tearooms - and the rest of the Seven Stanes, esp Kirroughtree, Mabie and Dalbeattie.


----------



## TonyJ (Feb 11, 2004)

Go to www.7stanes.gov.uk and you'll get all the info you need. Scotland got an "A" from IMBA for mountain bike trails and if you visit any of these locations you'll see why


----------



## TonyJ (Feb 11, 2004)

Go to www.7stanes.gov.uk and you'll get all the info you need. Scotland got an "A" from IMBA for mountain bike trails and if you visit any of these locations you'll see why.
Glentress has a new trail they're calling the UK's jump academy (a la "A-Line") but I've yet to ride it. Sounds good though.


----------



## m_c (Mar 27, 2005)

As others have said, you want to check out the 7stanes.
The 7Stanes have something to suit every style off rider.

Glentress is part off the Tweed Valley Stane, and I reguarly ride there (it's only 35miles from my house). GT benefits from the fact it is the busiest stane, and has some excellent facilities.
Great mix off tracks at GT, varies from the fast swoopy blue graded (easy) trail, to the red (moderate) trail, which includes a superb bermy jump section (Spooky Wood Decent), along with plenty singletrack. And finally, there's the Helly Hansen V-Trail (black graded - hard), which includes plenty singletrack, killer climbs, rock features, and even some north shore (EWOK village).
And to go with the main trails, there is also a skills loop, which is ideal for wasting some time. They've been adding alot to the skills loop recently, so there's now 1foot plus drops to practise wheelie drops, rock steps, smaller drops, couple bits north shore, a see-saw, rock gardens, moguls and a couple jumps. It's really a MTBer's play ground.
The other part off Tweed Valley is Innerleithen. Well known for it's downhill tracks (currently 2 I think with plans for a third), it is also becoming legendary for it's Traquair XC course. With Caddon Bank and Plora Craig, it's not for the faint hearted. Plora Craig features endless rock features, and takes alot off skill and stamina to clear. Then when you get to Caddon Bank, there are The Three Drops (the sign says look before riding for a reason_. First is a gentle foot(ish) drop to a gentle slope, second is a bit bigger with a bit steeper landing, and the last is just scary (at least to a hardtail rider like me!!). If you look at the Traquair XC page on the 7stanes website, that's the last one.

Mabie is a North Sore Riders dream. It is home to The Kona Dark Side. The first double black graded trail off the 7stanes. I have never been to the dark side yet, but from the photos I've seen, I should really go.
Mabie is also home to the Pheonix Trail (red grade), which is a nice bermy singletrack trail with a few wood and rock features thrown in to challenge the more daring riders.

Dalbeattie (another stane I've yet to visit) is home to The Slab. A granite slab which has injured many a biker, in there attempts to ride down it. Continuing the granite theme, Dalbeattie has quite a few smaller granite slabs, and rock features.

Newcastleton is short and nothing outstanding, but I believe the trail builders are working on extending the trails.

Kirroughtree. It's the best. Have ridden there once, and grinned for over a week afterwards  . The trailbuilders behind Kirroughtree are genuises. Fast flowing singletrack, with lots of rock, and it just flows. There's a surprise around every corner, but provided you keep going, you won't have any problems. And the show piece is McMoab. A huge are of granite just meant for playing on (there is a trail around it marked by arrows painted on the granite).

The other 2 stanes, Ae and Glentrool don't have any official XC trails yet. Work has begun at Ae, and there is already a downhill course there. I've not heard anything about Glentrool recently though.

Outwith the 7stanes, there's Drumlanrig as mentioned, which consists off 2 XC trails. The trails are very natural, taking you through both commercial pine forests, and Native woodlands. Most of the trails rely on the natural landscape for a base, with only a handful off sections being surfaced, so contain a lot of random positioned rocks and lots off tree roots.

There are also other projects which are on going (Carron Valley and Blairadam to name 2), although good fun, aren't outstanding.

If you want to travel further north, there are other purpose built MTB trails. I've yet to venture further north, but I know there's Fort William (Wolftrax??), which held the World Cup last year and again this year, and Laggan.

I'll try and find some links for the various trails and post them later on.
Where you ride, and how much you ride will depend entirely on how fit you are and your style off riding.


----------



## m_c (Mar 27, 2005)

As promised here's some links to pictures and videos.
I can't seem to find any galleries off Dalbeattie (just think off riding over lots of granite) or Innerleithen (just think about suicidal drops), but here's the rest I've found so far.

Glentress Skills Loop (drops) 
Various Glentress

My Mabie Pics 
More Mabie 
Mabie Dark Side

My Kirroughtree Pics 
Kirroughtree

Various videos can be found on here

If you have any questions just ask, and I'll do my best to answer.


----------



## donboyfisher (Jul 20, 2004)

m_c sums up it all very nicely.

Glentress is a hoot to go round. I have to travel about 2 hours to get there, so the first time i dragged my mates along and we jumped in at the deep end and did the V-Trail. My pals were unfit ( i wasn't ) and one of them had a full rigid. At the end of the day we all thoroughly had a good time.

Glentress would be a must see I would say, there is a ton of things to do and you can also hire a bike if you need to aswell.


----------



## Jezmree (May 4, 2005)

*Accommodation when you get here*

Hey. if you need to find bike-friendly accom when you get here, there is a new support service. Go to www.mb7.com. Its free as well.


----------



## BillT (Dec 24, 2003)

Thanks for all the great info, but my trip was last year  I had a great time and loved Scotland but didn't get a chance to bike at all. My wife has a ton of family in Arbroath (I believe that is how it is spelled) so we plan on going back in a year or so and I will try then to sneak away and do a day or so of biking. Which if the Stanes is closest to Arbroath?


----------

