A return to Glentress!

 We went for a cycle midweek to Glentress, on the fatbikes for a giggle and to see the new trails recently built, which we had a go on after a ride around the blue route...

It was a damp day and the rails were muddy in places, as expected after such a damp winter but we still had a good laugh!

Wee film, Songs by Phontaine

More soon...

Tweedsmuir Hills cycle...

A great days cycling around the Hills of Peebles, organised by Stuart, I gave Craig a lift down and we met up in the town along with Brian, Jason and Mark for what would be a cool but superb day up on the hills in winter sunshine the Larch and Beech trees golden brown in the low sun...

The ride started with a tough climb out the town onto Venlaw, this ride Stuart had planned a ride of approx 25 miles of proper old school cross country with 3000 feet of big climbs, superb views and fun descents with two options to finish back in Peebles depending on time of day, energy of the group and any breakdowns etc, always good to have a shorter option to end a big ride esp in winter...

First of the big sky views, looking NW across to the old Roman road  that leads to Romano Bridge and on to West Linton, the route followed on the Capital Trail as it returns to The Pentland Hills and home to Edinburgh...

South to the hills around Hundleshope  Heights and The Drove road west of Cardrona Forest...

Up past the old house at Shieldgreen, that would make a great Bothy, and into Glentress Forest...

We joined the black route and climbed up the old original black route climb now a shared path and rejoined the route up to the mast where a large group of riders had stopped for a breather, there was friend Donald out with the group and after a chat they continued on the Black route while we descended on forest tracks to leave the forest where we were met with superb views across to Leithen Hopes...

The grassy track descent down to the Whitehope Farm is superb and fast, my bike was flying with the 29+ wheels down here and the wide bars and forks  made the bike planted on the soft ruts in the grass, `this is what I bought this bike for` I said to myself as I descended off the brakes and grinning like a dafty while also trying to soak up the views...

Regrouped we took to the main road then rode down to Innerliethen and south of the town rode through Glen House estate and more climbing/ hike a bike up by Ochard Rig...

With 20 miles now ridden with a lot of climbing Stuart/we decided to take the shorter option and skip crossing to meet the Gypsy Glen Drove road and instead descended down through Cardrona Forest...

Winter has certainly arrived!, the temperature had plummeted with a real damp cold as we returned along the old railway path to Peebles and grabbing some hot food returned to the cars and enjoyed having the back of the van to sit it and east and reflect of a great days cycling, proper mountinbiking,

Here is some film from the route,
Song is `Cello Song` by Nick Drake...


Tweedsmuir Hills  XC cycle Nov 17 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

More soon...

Saturday Day Trip; Peebles, Gypsy Glen Drove Road and Glentress

Stuart organised a ride around Peebles on Saturday riding from Glentress.
I travelled down with Craig and we met Stuart, Brian, Donald, Callum and Gary for what turned out again as always with Stuart`s rides a great day, split between old school mountain biking out on the hills and then a play around Glentress in the afternoon, rounded off with fine chips in Peebles.

Up in the hills;
We rode a 16 mile loop from Cardrona Forest up onto the hills to join the historic old Drove road that descends to Gypsy Glen in Peebles.
Having not cycled for two weeks i was surprised that my fitness was better!, legs and lungs working well on the short steep climbs out Cardrona Forest and out on the hill. the weather was warm in the vally with a cool breeze making it perfect weather.  big sky views up on the hills and the usual adrenalin fuelled descent to Gypsy Glen...

Droving days;
The Old Drove Road to Gypsy Glen is very historic and the preserved walled Right of Way is one of the best examples of an interesting bit of Scottish history. The book `The Drove Roads of Scotland` by A.R.B Haldane is a fascinating read of the men who walked cattle from the Trysts of central Scotland to central England...

It is documented how the men worked their passage home by boats while their dogs walked back on their own accord stopping for food at the roadside Inns stopped at on their journey south, a fascinating story...
Pics of the Drove road south of Peebles leaving Gypsy Glen...

Today the sound of hooves are a distant memory... and we descended to only the noise of the westerly wind and Skylarks overhead...

Here is some film descending the historic old road once used to walk cattle from the Trysts in Scotland to England.  The walls are still there that stopped the cattle wandering.
Song is `Classic Girl` by Janes Addiction...

Gypsy Glen Drove Road Descent; 1st July 2017 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


Glentress;
Brian, Callum and Gary headed for home so the 4 of us went for a fun ride around the Blue route and added Spooky Woods descent (Red) to the loop for fun,

You never take many pictures at Trail centres as often not many views so as usual here just a few short films of some of the descents

Spooky Wood;
Always a hoot and bit of a giggle on Fatbikes!, here i am chasing Stuart down and we had a ball!

Glentress; Spooky Woods descent, 1st July 2017 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.



Berm Baby Berm;
Fun pumping the berms!

Glentress; Berm Baby Berm 1st July 2017 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.




Falla Brae onto  Done Good;
Down we go, following Donald...

Glentress; Falla Brae & Good Game 1st july 2017 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

Superb day riding old school historic routes with MTB trail Centre trails with good company...

More soon...

Saturday Cycle; Glentress

Craig suggested going down to Glentress on Saturday for a change of scenery. I could have rode my Surly KramPug with 29+ wheels,
but was keen to see how the Surly Wednesday rode on the jumps-the last time here was during the Capital Trail and the bike was laden with backpacking kit.

Jason and Stuart also came down for the day and after chatting to friends on the climb up we took a breather at the top of Spooky Wood and seen the only sunshine of the day!,

A couple of runs on the first two jumps and yeehaa!  the Wednesday with similar geometry as the Surly Krampus is really good in the air!...

A reminder to not go too daft today as been there a few times!

At `The Stane`...

I would not go back to riding trail centres again every week with all the driving and costs etc, but good fun say once a month or so, I don`t need a specific bike for riding here so seldom when the Wednesday with a fork fitted would be fine for the task...

Anyway here is a little bit film i shot,
Song is `Serial Thrilla` by The Prodigy...


Glentress Dec 16 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


More soon...

Peebles ride; Kailzie Hill Drove road and Glentress blue...

Saturday morning i picked up friend Craig with his pugsley and drove south to Peebles to meet Stuart and Brian at Glentress for a days cycling, Stuart`s friend Mark came along too, and Stuart led us from the forest via trails south to Cardrona Forest and we slowly climbed up through the trees...

Not cycled through Cardrona for years, My claim to fame is i won the `10 year old Medium class` South East Scottish Orienteering Championships here many moons ago!...

The weather was a bit overcast but the forecast was to brighten up...

A pic by Craig;

A pic by Craig;

Push up through the trees...

Then out onto the hill to join the Kailzie Drove road....

I rode down here last June on the inaugural The Capital Trail,  but it was misty and drizzle and i was very tired!...

The Cross Borders Drove Road is over 50 miles and can be traced from Harperrig in the Pentland Hills south to Hawick.  Here you can see the original walls that would have once lined most of the route as Cattle were moved south to market...

Up here is a fantastic place, look at that view!...

3 pics by Craig;

The route is used by walkers, cyclists and horse riders...

Kailzie Hill is one of the best parts to cycle, as it descends north down to Gypsy Glen..

4 pics by Craig;

Only 2 gates slow proceedings...

A pic by Craig;

You can read more about this classic Scottish trail Here

Gypsy Glen...

Tweed Vally Autumn gold...

Back to Glentress Centre, Mark headed home, and we headed up the hill to cycle a loop of the Blue route, adding a run down Spookywood on the Red route...

As planned we got to the top of Spookywoods just before sunset around 4.30pm...

And what a sunset!

4 pics by Craig;

It`s Halloween so got to do Spookywoods!

On with the lights and down we descended, i went ahead for some pics...

Down through the woods was an eerie mist  that drifted through, adding to the atmosphere.  a happy smiling bunch at the trail head...

This bike rips here on the blue route!, but i think i will eventually fit a front suspension fork to the Surly Krampus as it will make it more versatile for rougher trails...

We needed a wash, but that can wait until were home...

Bikes washed, then along to Peebles for fish and chips before the drive home...

More soon...