Innerleithen or Glentress for 7stanes virgin

J@mesC

As per title really, not ridden any of 7stanes before and should get a chance to get up that way later on next week. Fancying starting with the Glentress red but open to local knowledge & advice

Not concerned about which is more technical or whether I'd be up to it, just which is a better ride and which flows better

MickTup

Done both twice and Glentress red is the best.

nick1962

I did Innerleithen as my first Stane and really enjoyed it.It's all up then all down and if you're not that fit you may find it a bit of a slog but TBH the ascent is all doable in your middle ring but use your granny ring if you need to, that's what it's there for. Pace your self and don't let the first 10 minutes of the ascent put you off as it eases off after the initial climb.The descent is great and really flows with no real drops or tricky obstacles until you get to Caddon bank at the very end.Just take the chicken runs round those 3 big drops and roll any others if unsure. Innerleithen is quieter too which is why I did it first.I didn't want to show myself up in front of loads of people!
That said I would also recommend GT first as it has lots of smaller sections of all grades that generate the grin factor and you can do them in their own right and repeat if you want to.Plus the cafe and skills area,hence the reason why it's busier with bikers of all levels. If you accept that there will be people fitter and quicker than you,lots of kid who can do jumps and drops that make your eyes water and lots of bling bikes that you can only ever dream of owning then you will be fine.MTB ers are a friendly lot anyway.GT is obvioulsy quieter in the week and I have only ever seen a handful of people out on the trails even though the car park looks packed.Even at weekends when it's busier I have never really encountered any MTB traffic out on the trails worth mentioning
While you're up here why not do both lots of people do?

J@mesC

Cheers!

Will be up with work and to see folks so will have limited time, so unlikely to be able to ride both. Not daunted by a decent climb but reckon GT might be the one this time.

Anonymous

GT is a better quick blast, but Inners is immense, and probably the best overall of the two.

CFS

GT Red is pretty good. I liked the Magic Mushroom section the best. Spooky Wood is OK.

Don't dismiss the GT Blue stuff. I reckon the Electric Blue section is better than the Red Falla Brae descent from the same area near the freeride park.

MarkLG

If you've only got time to do one ride up there I'd go for the Inners XC loop taking in the black options.

fatwomble

Personally I prefer Glentress. It's also nice to be able to get a cup of tea and a jacket potato after at the Hub.

gonga

If you could only do one I'd do glentress,but inners is superb!

Anonymous

Aye, food afterwards at Glentress is good!
One thing I was surprised by though, is that for such a popular place, the cafe at Glentress seems rather small.
It wasn't particularly busy when we were there, in fact, it was pretty empty. But the cafe was still just about coping.

Broonster

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Aye, food afterwards at Glentress is good!
One thing I was surprised by though, is that for such a popular place, the cafe at Glentress seems rather small.
It wasn't particularly busy when we were there, in fact, it was pretty empty. But the cafe was still just about coping.

All about to change very soon though, when the new visitor centre opens up. It'll have new facilities inclucing a bigger, better cafe, bike wash, showers/changing room, bike shop etc.

GT will get even better!

Anonymous

I was quite impressed with the shop, great range of useful clothing when we were there. Slightly less enthused about their parts stock, but still, not a bad shop at all. (The one in Coed y Brenin was dire last time I checked)

The cafe was the weakest thing there, really, and even then, it wasn't too bad.

Llandegla's still got to be one of the best cafes/shops/facilities. Trouble is, it's run by a bunch of muppets who lock the car park at 6pm, and threaten to have you clamped if you park outside the carpark.

booldawg

What length is the GT Red? Also how good are the hire bikes? I'm going up at the end of August to visit the in-laws in Dunfermline, be absolutely criminal not to drive the 50 miles down to Peebles and visit Glentress, especially as I'm about 450 miles away down here.

I was planning on riding the Blue to warm up and then do the Red.

Anonymous

Hire bikes in the Hub (Glentress bike shop) are ACE!
I'm guessing it's best to phone to book one in advance though.

J@mesC

Looking at the forecast, it's going to be a wet old week - does that have a bearing on recommendations i.e. does one dry out better than the other?? Forecast for Friday (when I was planing on going) is looking rubbish!!!

Anonymous

It's Scotland, of course the weather's rubbish. What were you expecting exactly?

J@mesC

I thought the sun always shone in God's own country?

Anonymous

J@mesC wrote:

I thought the sun always shone in God's own country?

It does, yes, but what's that got to do with Scotland?

Omar Little

J@mesC wrote:

Looking at the forecast, it's going to be a wet old week - does that have a bearing on recommendations i.e. does one dry out better than the other?? Forecast for Friday (when I was planing on going) is looking rubbish!!!

Both hold up pretty good to rain (compared to 'natural' riding anyway) but Glentress is probably a bit better - there is more shelter as much of it is in the trees whereas Innerleithan is a bit more exposed up on minch moore. Although i've never actually ridden Inners in the rain so im just assuming it would be 'worse'

(plus Glentress has the showers, bike wash etc)

Anonymous

Inners in torrential rain bad enough to cause the worst flooding in years, and a gale force wind, was EPIC