for those non mountainbikers reading trail centres are specific offroad cycling centres with purpose built manmade all weather tracks only open to cyclists and are usually loops of various lenghts and degrees of difficulty...from easy green to blue then longer red and black routes... trails are signed and numbered and have a specific name (spooky woods, pie run etc...) and theres escape routes- signs leading back to the shop and carpark if you`ve had enough...there is also many natural trails between the official trails so all routes can be mixed up...
most centres are on forestry commission woodland and have climbs followed by descents..
with no other traffic,one way direction,and purpose built there probably the safest place to ride fast...glentress is regaurded as the biggest and most popular centre of the 7 stanes centres in the south of scotland...and being all weather means trails are built on top of existing ground and drained so ridable all year round except deep snow/slush like this winter with the unusual snowfall...there is a big popularity with trail centres as they are ideal for folk who just want to drive, get in a 2-4 hour ride, then eat and go home- not everyone likes having to plan routes and sometimes ending up hiking along/up an unridable hillside that looked promising on a map beforehand,(though i do like it...as long as im outside...)also they save damage done to sensitive areas which can get overused in wet weather, i hear this alot about the pentland hills near edinburgh...
there is also other centres across the rest of scotland similar to GT with a similar set up...laggan wolf tracks and nevis range and my favpourite in the highlands is the highland wildcat trails at golspie... it has a long climb thats technical in places but a great 25 minute descent...
here at GT the red route is swoopy and bermed with table top type jumps you can jump or roll...while the longer black route is a bit more natural in places and provides more of a cardio workout...most folk wear knee and elbow armour if they like to get some airtime on the jumps of the freeride park and red route...
but armour isnt nessecery if you keep your wheels on the ground and either is an expensive bike...a good thing about cycling is you can do it to suit your budget...and cycling is a great leveller... and unlike many hobbies there is little snobbery and most folk are real friendly and helpfull if you need advice on getting started...
along the road is innerliethen centre which has a cracking more technical xc route with a long climb followed by amazing descents... i prefer innerliethen but GT has more of a social feel to it and a good place to meet up with friends and chat while riding..up and down hills!...
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with the cafe which does top grub and a friendly bike shop...
here are some films of some descents at GT last saturday...
camera was set a bit low today as giro helmet was moving with the bumps and the squeaky noise is 3M snap velcro! so in future will use the jump lid which has the proper camera mount fitted with counter wieght and is more steady...
spooky woods descent...(red xc route)
GLENTRESS, spooky woods descent... from coastkid71 on Vimeo.
super G & hit squad hill...(red xc route)...bit mud on lense so did not upload to vimeo or youtube,but gives an idea of the trail...
click on thumbnail to watch...
double X & the bitch...(black xc route)
pie run & magic mushroom...(red xc route) uploaded to vimeo...
GLENTRESS, pie run & magic mushroom...(red route) from coastkid71 on Vimeo.
zoom or bust...(near trailpark)
GLENTRESS, zoom or bust.... from coastkid71 on Vimeo.
freeride...(red freeride)
a fun day...time for a new full suspension bike i thinks......
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