The chances are that if you live in Scotland and are into mountain biking you’ve probably heard of the Glentress trails. It’s a true gem amongst UK bike parks and it’s located in a beautiful area called Tweed Valley that is just a few minutes drive from Peebles and about 50 minutes from Edinburgh! As a little bonus there’s also Innerleithen just a few minutes away, which offers some serious downhill action (4 trails) and a cool red cross-country trail.
But let’s talk about the Glentress MTB park here! It offers 4 trails – green, blue, red and black. All of the are very easy to follow but expect diversions from time to time as some of the routes may be getting fixed. The green one is only 1.5km long and, essentially, it’s just a forest path. Most mountain bikers wouldn’t find it entertaining but it’s probably a good option for families with little kids. On the other hand, the blue trail already gives you little a taste of what is riding the Tweed Valley like. Again, I think it’s too easy for experienced riders but I sometimes do it as a warm up before taking on the red or black trail. Doing two Glentress trails in one day will make your legs ache! I highly recommend it if you’re after a good exercise!
And as you might have guessed, the red and black trails are where the proper fun starts for experienced MTB riders. When it comes to their difficulty, I don’t find the black trail much harder than the red one, however, the black one is about 10km longer. However, no matter which Glentress MTB trail you choose just bear in mind that all of them start with a long climb… The only exception is the green trail of course.
Glentress – Black Trail
Unsurprisingly, the black MTB trail is my favourite. It’s just a little bit harder than the red one but it gives much more action as it’s over 10km longer! I also like it because it’s usually more quiet than the rest of the trails and it takes you through a beautiful part of the Glentress Forest. Only positives…
Distance: approximately 28km
Glentress – Red Trail
The red route is also super fun and I sometimes combine it with some black trails to make it longer! There’s a really cool viewing and resting spot on top of Caresman Hill when you finish the initial and exactly where the fun begins. There’s also a cool free ride park just past Buzzard’s Nest (on about 4th km) where you can spend some time if you want to extend your riding.
Distance: approximately 18km
Glentress – Blue Trail
If you’re new to mountain biking then the blue trail is the right option for you. Not too long, not too difficult but still very enjoyable and with some stunning views of the valley. It’s split into an upper and lower loop – both can get quite busy during warm summer weekends. A few months back I did it with my friend who had just started with MTB and she promised to write a review of the trail for my blog. So watch this space! Hurry up, Gia…
Distance: approximately 16km
The Glentress MTB centre is definitely one of my favourites in Scotland. Let me know how you enjoyed the ride in the comments below! I always love to hear from you!
