We’re off for our annual trip to the Peebles Hydro for the first weekend in November and I’m trying to think up some target for a days riding. I was vaguely wondering if it’s possible to do all the routes there in a day? I seem to remember there is a black and red which together must be about 60km. I’ve also done a green there which was pretty short. My guess is that there is a blue as well. I’ll have a wee google.

Or is it best to try for Glentress (back and red) and Innerliethen?

All the marked stuff at Glentress? Easily.

I’d have a crack at it all. early start and do the black before lunch then red and blue in the afternoon. It’ll most likely fk you up though. I’d be sensible and do the best bits of it all instead of going mental…

Looks like two greens totaling 8km
Blue 16km
Red 18km
Black 29km, hmmm I thought it was longer.

71km

Might need to get myself along to mtbbatteries first. It’ll be dark by around 4pm in November in Southern Scotland?

Here’s a good target for a days riding at GT – see if you can find 10 unwaymarked paths. Doable but you’ll need to do a fair bit of exploring.

It’ll be dark about 5pm but earlier than that in the trees.

see if you can find 10 unwaymarked paths

I know there’s more to riding than trail centres but given how little time I have it’s just so much easier to get a decent mileage in by following the signs. If I had more time then I’d explore more…

honest

Yep, it’s doable. I’ve done it a few times. I’ve done black Hub to Hub, then red but skipped Falla Brae at the end (as it is a repeat of the Black finish), then a full blue to finish. Doing that is about 55k I think; took me about 5 hours including a quick pitstop at the Hub. You could slot the Buzzard’s Nest Green in there too; the one from the Peel is a repeat of other stuff you will do anyway.

Adding Innerleithen Red plus the ~10k each way on the road would probably be beyond me in winter.

It would be properly dark about 4 but it gets very dark under the thick canopy on overcast days a lot earlier than that.

I’d ride up Janet’s Brae and run Red from Buzzards. Brunch at Peel cafe and then Black. Back to the cafe and finish with Blue.

Depends on the weather though, and bring lights just in case.

http://tweedlove.com/onthehillside/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/POC_KQOTH2.pdf
http://tweedlove.com/

I take it that since you have stayed at the hydro before, that you use Jenny’s Brae to enter the forest, also the tweedlove enduro has some downhills to return to the Hydro.

You can ride the red, black blue and Innerleithen red in a day but it is a long one – about 60miles IIRC – 6 hours for me but I did the black in under 2 hours as I was racing fit.

Doing the black then red is a good option or if you look at the maps you can do a hybrid of the black red and blue with only a few climbs repeated.

Because it is all so compact you can just start to head back to the car if you fall behind schedule, you’re never that far from the cafe.

Gypsy glen in the morning. GT black in the afternoon, would be a good day.

Going to be all down to fitness tbh. I reckon I could do all the marked trails at GT in a day, but it wouldn’t be my choice- I’d sooner do the black and red maybe, or red with benefits, and just put that much more energy into it- a few sections need to be charged at to really work IMO.

But you might be miles stronger than me, who knows.

Jenny’s brae. Need tolook into that.
Just realised there are a few other sides to the challenge. I’m on dinner b&b in the hotel so I can’t set off too early and need to allow 3 hours for dinner.
And I need to leave time to take the weans swimming in the afternoon. Hmmm starting to remember why I only managed red and black last year.

Take lights and head back for an hour at night?

Jenny’s brae. Need tolook into that.

Its next to the Hydro, you can’t miss it really – save’s messing with your car.

Alternatively, cancel the booking at the Hydro, get booked into a nice hotel and ride for as long as you want!

I was up Gypsy Glen a pied at the weekend, can’t say I’d fancy it on a bike at the moment. Very damp. I got lost in a big mud patch, nearly had to call the Mountain Rescue to pull me out. Just don’t.

P.S and it’s Janet’s Brae Lane, on the maps I believe. Not sure who this Jenny bint is, she must be from Walkerburn.