Where to go in Scotland

Yukon Lad

Am going to scotland for a few days to go biking but don't know where to go, has to be within half hours drive of dumfriesse and be a XC trail centre with varying difficulties.

Currently on my list is Peebles, Kirroughtree and Drunlanrigg but i know that there are many more places to look at. Are there any i should add to my list, any i should take off and will i need any protective gear, need it to have red graded routes as well as anything else, black is no go

Thanks, Yukon Lad

woodywmb

This book has all the answers:

https://shop.bike-fax.com/catalog/produ ... ucts_id=34

It's £17 but there is nothing else like it as far as MTB info goes.

Mrs Toast

We went to Glentress (near Peebles) for our honeymoon, and it's very good, voted best UK trail centre by a couple of magazines. It's got green, blue and red routes , so there's something for all levels of ability. Parts of the blue route have two options, which is normally a blue-graded obstacle to the right, and a red-graded obstacle to the left. The red route also has optional black-graded obstacles.

The routes are all split into sections, so you can make your own route if there's certain sections you want to give a miss, change the length, etc. There's also a freeride park, and a skills area where you can practice northshores, skinnies, rockery, step ups, etc. The café is also really good! :P

Innerleithen is also near by, which is mainly known for the black-graded downhill course, but it also has a XC course - I think this used to be black graded, but I've been told it's now been regraded red with black options.

turbodog

Pentlands loop is good...check it out

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/routes/ ... dloop.html

dave_hill

Ae, Mabie and Dalbeattie are all excellent too. Plus if you're heading into the Borders, check out the Jedforest trails and why not pop over the border to Keilder for the Deadwater Trail, and also the 7 Stanes centre at Newcastleton?

Yukon Lad

Sounds good, probably have to cut it down to three or four because i don't want to go for too long.

Thanks for all the help, Yukon Lad

switchback18

dave_hill wrote:

Ae, Mabie and Dalbeattie are all excellent too. Plus if you're heading into the Borders, check out the Jedforest trails and why not pop over the border to Keilder for the Deadwater Trail, and also the 7 Stanes centre at Newcastleton?

Last time I rode Newcastleton, it was a bit disappointing, but not a waste of time. Kirroughtree is amazing, Dalbeattie is very different, but also real good. I like Ae - again, different character - lots of jumps & berms. Mabie is good, but compared to the first 3 it always feels to me like there's more uphill than downhill.

Yukon Lad

currently on shortlist is Kirroughtree, Glentress, Innerleithen and Peebles

Thanks for all the help, looks to be a promising few days judging by the videos i've seen of glentress and places

Thanks, Yukon Lad

cakesie

switchback18 wrote:

dave_hill wrote:

Ae, Mabie and Dalbeattie are all excellent too. Plus if you're heading into the Borders, check out the Jedforest trails and why not pop over the border to Keilder for the Deadwater Trail, and also the 7 Stanes centre at Newcastleton?

Last time I rode Newcastleton, it was a bit disappointing, but not a waste of time. Kirroughtree is amazing, Dalbeattie is very different, but also real good. I like Ae - again, different character - lots of jumps & berms. Mabie is good, but compared to the first 3 it always feels to me like there's more uphill than downhill.

I went Newcstleton last week on thesumise that with it being part of 7Stanes it would be good. I was very disappointed. The orange section was OK, just a little slippy but the rest of the red trail was pants. It just had no charachter at all. I mean, who puts table tops and small jumps immediately after uphill sections? :roll: I was glad to come home and go back to Whinlatter!

Yukon Lad

am going to glentress tomorrow, do i need any armour or anything and if i do can i rent it out because i don't have any at the moment, am taking a puncture repair kit, basic first aid, pump and stuff but will i need anything else such as armour.

Many thanks, Yukon Lad

woodywmb

Don't worry the ambulance parks at the bottom of the trails and the air ambulance hovers at the top.

Yukon Lad

thanks, lot of confidence that gives me. In regard to the fact i'd like to finish in one peice

Thanks, Yukon Lad

MikeT

I'll be heading to glentress on thursday or friday, forecast looks good for the end of the week.

Yukon Lad

ye, saw the same don't know when i'm going. Might go to kirroughtree first, don't know. Just see where the decent weather takes me

Yukon Lad

Mrs Toast

Woodywmb wrote:

Don't worry the ambulance parks at the bottom of the trails and the air ambulance hovers at the top.

Heh, when we went, we saw an ambulance pulling in as we were leaving, then on our third day there, Mr Toast decided to have a go on the Freeride park.

"Be careful," I said.

"There's nothing to worry about," he said. Then an ambulance pulled onto the Buzzard's Nest, to retrieve a chap who had broken his leg on the freeride park...

Basically, make sure that your bike is in fully working order, and know your limits! I was too much of a pansy to go on the red route, but Mr Toast (and most people in general) did it fine without armour.

schmako

Make sure you don't faceplant the box at GT either, seen a guy on a rental Kona cinder cone do that and it was well harsh! I never usually wear my armour at GT, inners on the otherhand, I don't go near the place without it.

Yukon Lad

yep, am mainly going for the XC and maybe mess around on the skills bit to learn, might have a look at the freeride park just for the experience but have never done freeride before so probably not

Thanks, Yukon Lad

schmako

Blue fr is a nice warm up before you tackle the red jumps. There isn't anything too severe there though!

Yukon Lad

wil defo have a look at blue, red maybe. Freeride looks fun if a bit difficult.

Thanks, Yukon Lad