Innerleithen

miss notax

Hello

We're off to Scotland for a long weekend again next week (yay!) and are looking forward to riding some more of the 7 Stanes. I've been reading about Innerleithen and it sounds good, but a bit :shock:

I have ridden the red routes at Mabie, Dalbeattie before and whilst I walked a few bits I generally coped ok - how much harder is the red xc trail at Innerleithen? Much harder? And how about Glentress?

We are off on a big holiday 10 days afterwards so I don't want to push my luck :?

RichMTB

If you managed the Bad Step at Mabie Forest and rode all of the red at Dalbeattie then nothing will phase you on the red route at Glentress.

Innerleithen is a little bit tougher but on the hardest section - Caddon Bank you can bypass the three big drops.

My wife managed the majority of Innerleithen on her hardtail.

Of the two routes I prefer Innerleithen for a one trail blast but Glentress for a fulldays riding

miss notax

Cool, that's really helpful, thank you

No idea if I managed the bad step or not - I have an appalling memory! If it's really hard then probably no unless it was one my invincible days

couldashouldawoulda

You lucky sod!

Innerleithen XC red is great. There is the usual climb but even parts of this are interesting with step ups etc. The real challenge for me is the rollercoaster bit (Im afraid I dont know the proper name but you'll recognise it when youre on it!). There are some 3 foot drops - but all the tough ones have chicken runs. Sufaces are generally good - no real mud no matter what the rains being doing.

Glentresss is much 'bigger' - in terms of the breath of trails but does have the great Spooky Woods. It's also WAY busier but does have a cafe etc. If the bottom car park is full you can park in the buzzards nest car park and adjust your ride according.

Overall they are both great centres - I'd say Inners is more challenging. They're only a few miles apart so not much excuse for not going to both.

RichMTB

I actually think the pleasures of Spooky Wood are somewhat overrated, its some fairly wide singletrack with some jumps thrown in. The top section is good fun with the three big stony jumps and the bottom section is very fast, but the pretty crappy pedally bit in the middle spoils it.

If jumps are your bag then the freeride park is a lot more interesting. If you just like nice singletrack then any of the other red descents - Pennels Vennel, Super G, The Pie Run are all a bit more interesting. Don't know for how long though the trail builders seem to being going out of their way to sanitize the trail

Anonymous

couldashouldawoulda wrote:

Sufaces are generally good - no real mud no matter what the rains being doing.

That may be generally true, but when I was there, I ended up having to ride through a puddle that was deep enough to submerge my bottom bracket, and wheel hubs

robkillick

I rode Glentress and innerleithen back to back and found the red run at inner much more fun than glentress black run.Which i found not much reward for many miles climbing.But i didn't ride the red run at glentress which i was told is more fun.

RichMTB

With the exception of two final sections of really steep and tricky single track towards the end the Black at Glentress is more about fitness and endurance than technical ability, if it wasn't so bloody rough it would probably be better on a hardtail.

But yes IMHO the red is much more fun but the red at Inners is even better

Anonymous

Innerleithen Red is easily among my favourite XC trails of all time.

lexiekay

I rode both back in June and I really loved Innerleithen, specially the descent from Minch Moor, which i've since decided is my favourite bit of trail of all those i've done so far.
Did Glentress Red that afternoon, and liked that too, although it was really a bit too busy for my liking. I was riding on my own and loved the wilderness feel of Innerleithen.
Skills-wise, I dont think they were too challenging; I actually found Dalbeattie harder, but that might have been because it was the last of 7 trails that i rode in 4 days! Really, they're a quite different style - Dalbeattie is more what I would consider as "classic" xc, and pretty flat, whereas Innerleithen is more of a massive climb followed by an awesome descent. Maybe I just like going downhill as fast as possible!
Hmm I seem to have written quite a long post.... Basically, they're all great, I would say perhaps a bit harder than trails in Wales, but thats all down to personal judgement I guess. Just one last thing - if there's room in the car I'd love a return trip
lexie

Foll Zofalot

Just back from 3 days at Glentress and Innerleithen. I wasn't overlay impressed by the Red at GT, great views but the downhill just didn't do anything for me having said that I will go back, the drizzle didn't help either. I loved the skills park.
Inners however is a totally different story - it was AMAZING. The red is fantastic, yeah it's a bit of a climb but worth it. Once you set off from the top you ride 3 sections with different characters but all fantastic
Also give the Orange 'Make or Brake' a go for a laugh, it's sooo fast :shock:

Northwind

I think I prefer the red at Glentress to Innerleithen. There's more challenge at innerleithen but I didn't find it as much fun- probably because I didn't really feel I could let the limiters off, whereas at glentress everything's built to be approachable (that doesn't always mean easy- just that there's good sightlines on the features, no traps.) so you can have a play. It depends how you take your fun I suppose.

As far as hardness, innerleithen red used to be called the hardest red in the country. It's not any more now that Nevis Red is open, but it's still pretty tough. Not so much in technical terms as in commitment/balls, it's not technically hard. Glentress red is, by scottish standards, pretty easy, though some people say it's tough by welsh/english standards, I don't know.

Both ace though, and well worth the ride.

miss notax

Wow, thanks everyone!

I think we have a cunning plan for the trip now - 4 days taking in Whinlatter, Glentress, Innerleithen, Newcastleton and Dalbeattie. We'll probably stick to the red xc routes - I like flowy singletrack and fast downhill sections - but am not really into big jumps etc

Can't wait!!! And then we're back for 10 days and off to Sri Lanka and the Maldives for 2 weeks (the other reason for not going too much out of my comfort zone 8) )!!!

Cheers guys

rudedog

miss notax wrote:

Wow, thanks everyone!

I think we have a cunning plan for the trip now - 4 days taking in Whinlatter, Glentress, Innerleithen, Newcastleton and Dalbeattie. We'll probably stick to the red xc routes - I like flowy singletrack and fast downhill sections - but am not really into big jumps etc

Can't wait!!! And then we're back for 10 days and off to Sri Lanka and the Maldives for 2 weeks (the other reason for not going too much out of my comfort zone 8) )!!!

Cheers guys

If your going to Dalbeattie it would be a crime not to visit Kirroughtree as its only 40mins away by car and is arguably one of the best of the 7 Stanes.

Foll Zofalot

If your going to Dalbeattie it would be a crime not to visit Kirroughtree as its only 40mins away by car and is arguably one of the best of the 7 Stanes.

A crime indeed, Kirry is amazing. The best in my humble opinion.

miss notax

Hmmm, ok, will bear that in mind.... I think we might be giving Mabie and Dalbeattie a miss now, and instead riding some trails that we havn't tried before (because we're a bit sad and like ticking them off the list to see which ones we like best :oops: )!

What do people think of Newcastleton? We're thinking of trying that after Glentress / Innerleithen.

trailpuppet

Some pics from Kirry last weekend;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonralli ... 336609883/
I am the one in the vid throwing my bike about.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gingerfox/ ... 343310503/

Don`t know where you are coming from but Kirry, Drumlanrig, GT, Inners, Whinlatter would be a good trip.
http://cycling.visitscotland.com/mounta ... drumlanrig
Throw in Dalbeattie, Mabie, Ae or Kieder if you have time.

bungalistic

Newcastleton is a very short route and can be ridden in an hour or even less depending on fitness. It is quite clsoe to Keilder though so my advice would be go do Keilder first then if you have time and energy pop round to Newc for a quick extra ride.

My views on Glentress vs Innerleithen have been said before but i'll happily repeat them now after a recent trip to Glentress.

Inners is better, pure and simple, the route is harder for sure but much more rewarding, and I could happily run Make or Brake all day it's just that good.

Glentress red is pretty easy, and I actually enjoyed it much more on my last visit. Spooky woods needs work done to it as it loses flow very quickly and that's annoying. The next few sections after that are great fun though, starts off with some fast and loose singletrack before hitting some sweet fast wooded sections.

trailpuppet

As I said above it all depends on where you are coming from and how fit(?)you are.

Some info on timings if you get to Dumfries say;

Dumfries to Kirroughtree = 1hr(beware speed trap vans on A75)

Dumfries to GT = 1.1/2hr with Inners 20mins down the road.

Dumfries to Drum = best part of 3/4hr. From there take Dalveen pass Rd over to M74/M6.

Dumfries to Whinlatter = 1./2hr.

Dumfries to Mabie/Dalbeattie/Ae = 1/2hr or so.

Dumfries to Keilder/Newc = 1./12-2hrs cross country.

With only a few days I think I would stick to the Dumfries area and do Whinlatter on the way up or down otherwise there is too much time in the car vs riding :?

Northwind

bungalistic wrote:

Spooky woods needs work done to it as it loses flow very quickly and that's annoying.

Hmm. Maybe you need to know the trail to get it to flow or something, to me it's as flowy as a... Um... Tap? You can carry a ridiculous amount of speed down it if you're hitting the berms well, which I usually don't but when it happens it's like being a scalextric car.

rudedog

Northwind wrote:

bungalistic wrote:

Spooky woods needs work done to it as it loses flow very quickly and that's annoying.

Hmm. Maybe you need to know the trail to get it to flow or something, to me it's as flowy as a... Um... Tap? You can carry a ridiculous amount of speed down it if you're hitting the berms well, which I usually don't but when it happens it's like being a scalextric car.

The Talnotry hill section of the black at Kirroughtree is like this, its almost like your on a rollercoaster and is the highlight of the trail imo. Just a shame you have to go up heartbreak hill first to get to the top :P

bungalistic

Northwind wrote:

Hmm. Maybe you need to know the trail to get it to flow or something, to me it's as flowy as a... Um... Tap? You can carry a ridiculous amount of speed down it if you're hitting the berms well, which I usually don't but when it happens it's like being a scalextric car.

Hmm yes and no, there is a section in the middle where there are a few jumps that just seem to stop the flow. As you say if it was my local trail i'd probably adapt and learn the section and be able to keep better speed and more flow. It was certainly better last time I was there but still seemed to be missing that little bit of something to make it 'special'

rudedog wrote:

The Talnotry hill section of the black at Kirroughtree is like this, its almost like your on a rollercoaster and is the highlight of the trail imo. Just a shame you have to go up heartbreak hill first to get to the top :P

There are some super flowy bits at Kirroughtree, no pedalling needed just pump up and through the turns and into the dips, so fast so flowy so nice.

Steve_F

bungalistic wrote:

Northwind wrote:

Hmm. Maybe you need to know the trail to get it to flow or something, to me it's as flowy as a... Um... Tap? You can carry a ridiculous amount of speed down it if you're hitting the berms well, which I usually don't but when it happens it's like being a scalextric car.

Hmm yes and no, there is a section in the middle where there are a few jumps that just seem to stop the flow. As you say if it was my local trail i'd probably adapt and learn the section and be able to keep better speed and more flow. It was certainly better last time I was there but still seemed to be missing that little bit of something to make it 'special'

rudedog wrote:

The Talnotry hill section of the black at Kirroughtree is like this, its almost like your on a rollercoaster and is the highlight of the trail imo. Just a shame you have to go up heartbreak hill first to get to the top :P

I was wondering about your comments about Spookies too!!

Do you mean the section with the bombholes? I don't think I've ridden anything more flowy in this country but it is my local!

Completely agree about ktree my plan next time I go is to start at heartbreak hill to get it done and out the way!
There are some super flowy bits at Kirroughtree, no pedalling needed just pump up and through the turns and into the dips, so fast so flowy so nice.

fatwomble

Sarah

Enjoy Innerleithen snd Glentrass, I ride Glentress every year and did Innerleithen a couple of years ago.

You should enjoy both.

Ghengis

I was at Glentress on wednesday and it was terrific! The weather was a bit damp but the trails are so good there was nothing to worry about other than a few puddles. we did a lap of the red route before lunch - about 2 1/4 hours. Headed out on the red again in the afternoon. Did the route round to the bottom of Spooky Woods and then joined onto the Blue. I have to say that I enjoy the end of the blue route equally as much as the red and it shouldn't be under estimated as it's very good. There is currently a slight diversion near the end of both routes but this is nothing much and the new bit looks like it will be fun when it is reopened. I have no knowledge of the other Stanes (yet) but the two trips I've had to Glentress have been fantastic and I can't wait until I get to go back.

ariteofpassage

Have to agree with the above post, Glentress red is great but don't under estimate the blue, some of it I enjoyed more than the red. Innerleithen is also great, enjoy it!

Northwind

Yeah, the blue above the car park isn't very good I think but from the buzzard's nest down it's ace. When we do the red we climb back up to the car park and do electric blue back down, well worth the climb, then sometimes Good Game instead of Falla Brae as it's also ace. Then yo can climb back up a bit and do the tail of falla brae as well.