Peebles and the Tweed Valley is home to the best mountain biking in the UK. With direct access to two of the 7stanes mountain biking trail networks – Glentress and Innerleithen – plus an incredible variety of “off the beaten track” routes.
The Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland has it’s home at Glentress, and “the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal” includes investment for a new, state-of-the-art, mountain biking innovation centre in Innerleithen.
7stanes mountain biking
Glentress
Glentress and Innerleithen are part of the world class 7stanes mountain biking network, and have a wide variety of trails to suit all ability levels. Exception terrain, which is predominantly well drained means that trails are generally ride-able all year round, and in most weather conditions.
Glentress is the more established of the two areas, and arguably favours more mixed abilities and Enduro riders.
Glentress is one of the most popular trail centres for a reason. It has a vast network of man-made trails to cater for all riders and all abilities – the trails are graded green, blue , red or black with marker posts guiding you round the forest. The visitor centre has a cafe, bike shop, bike hire and showers etc. No matter how many times you ride a trail at Glentress you cannot help grinning!
Innerleithen
Innerleithen is famous for it’s downhill trails which attract the expert adrenalin riders. There are some world leading downhill trails south of the river and on the more natural trails of “The Golfie”.
The Minch Moor red grade XC loop starts at Innerleithen trail centre car park, with a big single-track climb to the top of The Moor. Here stop and enjoy the 360 views over the Border Hills, and on a good day, to Arthurs Seat at Edinburgh. From Minch Moor it is a full on, long descent descent all the way to the River Tweed below – Enjoy!
There is a useful uplift service at Innerleithen, provided by Adrenalin Uplift, there are a variety of passes available, and they will ship you and your bike, both up the hill and along the valley to Glentress and back. Useful if your prefer to maximise time and energy for the downhill.
Off the beaten track
If the 7stanes is too busy for you, then get off the beaten track. The Scottish Borders, in UK terms, is an unspoiled wilderness. It is a sparsely populated area which is relatively undiscovered by tourists. There are good tracks and firm ground across most of the local hills. Whether you take marked trails such as the Southern Upland Way and the John Buchan Way, or you explore the growing network of Enduro and down hill trails built by local riders. Take a look at Cademuir, the Golfie!, Elibank and Yair Forest to name but a few. There is plenty in the Tweed Valley for riders of all abilities.
We will continue to document these routes in our blogs, please keep in touch.
Access to the 7stanes
The easiest way to access the 7stanes – Glentress and Innerleithen mountain bike networks – is via the Tweed Valley Railway Path, this path may also be used by walkers and horse riders so take care.
This Strava route and downloadable GPX file is a route to the Buzzards Nest car park which is an ideal starting point from which to access all grades of the Glentress trails. The route is 4.1 km from the centre of Peebles, and as the name suggests there is a 229m elevation gain.
From Peebles High Street, take the A72 towards Galashiels. Access the Tweed Valley Biking/Walking trail signposted with a left turn just before the A72 50mph speed limit sign.
Continue up taking the left hairpin below the Janet’s Brae down hill runs.
From Buzzards Nest you have all the options available for the Glentress mountain bike trails, whatever your level.
To access Innerleithen and other areas, head back onto the Tweed Valley Railway Path, either down Janet’s Brae or passed the Glentress Visitors Centre and the main car park.