Glentress Mountain Biking 2023

Full members: Jared Kitchen, Emily Thompson, Gowry Sisupalan, Helen Boothman

Prospective Members: Andy Lole, Rik Legge and Rob Legge

Despite forcasts holding up as the meet approached, the weather turned on the day the meet began. The typical scottish driech descended, however, the wind and rain didn't matter that much; we were mountain biking! 

Arriving on Friday afternoon, Emily and Jared met with Gowry and went for a quick ride on the Glentress blue trail. The pace was comfortable, and despite the rain it was good to chat and catch up. Emily and Gowry were happy to swoop along groomed trail, while broke off for some knarlier fun on the harder red trial. Rik had arrived earlier and ridden deep into the forest to explore the hidden off-piste trails. He had the forsight to check the forcast and had brought his waterproofs. Emily, Gowry and especially Jared had not, and became rather wet and muddy. A lesson that saw Jared in the shop buying shorts two days later... 

After cleaning up a bit, Emily, Jared and Gowry headed into Peebles for a few pints and a pub tea. Rik met with his brother Rob and hung out on the campsite. Later that evening Helen and Andy arrived and settled into their van for the night.

Saturday was greeted with more of the wet stuff, but with an imporving forcast, Jared, Rik, Rob and Andy headed for a day of downhill trails at Innerleithan. Gowry had opted for a morning run and casual XC jaunt around Glentress. Emily and Helen, both suffering from injuries opted for some village pottering, tea drinking with the obligatory cake. The day ended with a group tea at the pub, some local beers and good chat. It was a nice evening. 

The group met fro breakfast on Sunday before setting of on their final forays in the forest. Rik and Rob opted for uplift into the forest to explore the knarlier off-piste trials. Jared and Andy had decided to ride the Glentress black trail; a mighty 30km route with paradoxically, a lot more up-hill than down. Andy had hired a rather disapointing ebike that only just made it round on a full battery! But then Jareds leg power was just about up by then anyway so it probably worked out about right...

Glentress mountain biking

Glentress is a world class mountain biking centre in the Tweed valley near Edinburgh. It’s part of the 7stanes mountain biking circuit, it has more than 73km of waymarked mtb trials. The centre is popular and was given 3/3 by mountain biker UK magazine at every level of ability. It is also very close to Innerleithen, another 7stanes trial centre, and is home to lots of hiking and hillwalking too.

The club will visit Glentress on the weekend of the 15^th-17^th September 2023. We will be staying at Glentress forest lodges which has camping, glamping and van pitches. The campsite is adjacent to the trial centre and the plan is to ride out from the campsite every day and go mountain biking!

For more information please visit:

https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/forest-parks/tweed-valley-forest-park/glentress

https://www.glentressforestlodges.co.uk/

or contact the meat leader

jaredjameskitchen@gmail.com