spending some time in the area can anyone suggest some nice xc and if anyone knows anything about the st cuthberts way specifically if it’s possible in a day and if a cx bike would hack it.

Not sure about St Cuthberts Way but the 3 Brethren route to Minch moor is pretty muddy at the moment. If you’re over Peebles way, the Gypsy Glen route is pretty good, it’s natural so might be a muddy too. The link includes a climb up to Glentress, you can just miss this out and ride the road back to Innerleithen, if you want to miss it out. HTH

The Eildons and surrounding hills are wet, and muddy. The St Cuthberts Way comes past my front door, and yesterday a load of runners were doing some event, and it looked serious muddy.

As youngrob says, the Brethren and around was also muddy off-piste, at least yesterday when we were up.

I’d avoid Gypsy Glen too, as the feeders in will be pretty crap.

For a cx bike I’d look at the Southern Upland Way, but specifically from over Duns way across to Melrose via Lauder. Its pretty much all surfaced tracks and would really suit a cx bike.

Or just GT and Inners, which tbh is what we do when the natural stuff is crap.

Where, and how long, are you staying?

and bring lights, and join us Thu evening at GT 🙂

Cheers guys, checked out the eildons the other day and guessed the whole area would Need a good freeze or dry spell to make it work. Guess I’ll need to do a bit more exploring.
Nights at gt sound great but I’m in the area visiting a lady friend and don’t think our relationship is at the stage where I can bunk off to go out on the bike at night. I’ll give it a few weeks:)

Try Duchess Drive and up the Minch Moor road then back to Peel via the SUW etc. I have never seen that too wet to ride.

also try http://www.mtb-borders.com

SUW: Melrose to Blue Cairns to Lauder and up to Twin Law cairns and descend to Westruther would be nice on a cx bike, all signed 🙂

My brother in law just ran the St Cuthberts way in 2 days (fit bugger!) and reckoned not worth the bother on a bike with the styles and stairs… Holy Island is we have just found out off limits to bicycles on the surrounding sands with a SSSI (oops :lol:)