Now I’ve ridden the black at Glentress (a few years ago) and liked it.

I love the red at Glentress- from the picnic table downwards 😀

Never ridden Inners though, should I? Is it like an exposed-moor ride?

Or mixed like Glentress?

Should I?

Inners is by far the better trail centre of the two.

Its a far more technical trail, i like it alot but i took a couple of mates there last year and i think they found it a bit tough (not as enjoyable). The descent is amazing though 😆

Do both.

I thought that, difficult as technically I’m seeing friends in Edinburgh and it’ll be a big chunk of Sat with me ‘AWOL’ 8)

Have they changed the Glentress black? I liked from Deliverance onwards.

<controversy mode> Glentress red is way better than Innerleithen red. It’s far more varied, and has more interesting features, more options, and a better climb. Innerleithen’s black is interesting but the rest of the red is just speed and an occasional simple jump or step, plus the bigger features at the top of caddon bank. The more i ride it the more I’m surprised at how little there is to it.

Not to say innerleithen red isn’t also good. Which is why you should do it, as you’ve not done it before. Some is open moor, some is in forest. If you’re reasonably fit you could do innerleithen red + abbreviated glentress red quite easily in a day.

Innerleithen really comes into its own once you learn the hill a bit more and start on the DH trails.

Glentress was interesting on the way up exciting on the way down inners was tedious and cold on the way up and very exciting and frankly terrifying on the way down. They are close to each other and you can do one in the afternoon and one in the morning .

Give Innerleithen a go. At least that way you’ll be able to make an informed decision next time you have the opportunity. Lots of the locals rate Inners as better than GT – though I suspect a lot of that is just because it’s less fashionable.

It’s pretty much all uphill, then all downhill, so be prepared for a bit of grinding it out at first.

If you’ve already done GT, I’d give Innerleithen a go. Only the top part of it is exposed moorland, the rest is mainly in the trees.

Inners is awesome, the DH tracks are good, but if your only on a hardtail then make sure you do “Make or Break” followed by the Caddon Bank descent. well good fun.

Inners is awesome, what more can you say!

druidh – Member
Give Innerleithen a go. At least that way you’ll be able to make an informed decision next time you have the opportunity. Lots of the locals rate Inners as better than GT – though I suspect a lot of that is just because it’s less fashionable.

It’s pretty much all uphill, then all downhill, so be prepared for a bit of grinding it out at first.
+1
The climb out of the car park onto Minch Moor kills my auld back and from then on I cannot enjoy the rest 🙁
Therefore imo it is the worst of the lot and I just do not go there 🙄
Reckon the locals prefer it due to “local/cheeky” trails, same as I prefer Mabie & Dalbeattie to GT/Inners.

druidh – Member
Give Innerleithen a go. At least that way you’ll be able to make an informed decision next time you have the opportunity. Lots of the locals rate Inners as better than GT – though I suspect a lot of that is just because it’s less fashionable.

It’s pretty much all uphill, then all downhill, so be prepared for a bit of grinding it out at first.
+1
The climb out of the car park onto Minch Moor kills my auld back and from then on I cannot enjoy the rest 🙁
Therefore imo it is the worst of the lot and I just do not go there 🙄
Reckon the locals prefer it due to “local/cheeky” trails, same as I prefer Mabie & Dalbeattie to GT/Inners.

Well I made it up the climb without too many issues but for me it is maybe the fact that the climb starts from the car park and your legs do not get a chance to warm up. However, it is only the very first part of the climb that is steep, the rest can be a nicely paced ascent to the top.

I am not a downhiller, and therefore I absolutely loved the first half of the descent. However, you then start seeing all these signs saying “skids are for kids”. Well I was on my brakes for pretty much the whole of Caddon Bank, and even then I was worried I would get some accidental air time. It’s a pretty hairy descent, but if you like that kind of thing a very amazing piece of trail indeed and one that gives the rider rich rewards for making it to the top.

I went in the summer, and the views at the top of the moor were just amazing.

Both are good but i’d recommend giving inners a go if you havent done it before. I’d also recommend the blue at glentress, dont discount it because it is “just” a blue, it is great fun too.

Inners a million times better, basicaly its to the top of minch moor then its 95% downhill all the way.
There is a bit of aclimb to the top, but it is easy and not boring at all, very varied in terrain, open moorland, wooded section, rocky section, fireroad section, it will take you around 40 yo 50 mins to reach the top then around the same to finish with 3 amazing jumps and then the rollercoaster all the way back to the carpark

Northwind – Member
If you’re reasonably fit you could do innerleithen red + abbreviated glentress red quite easily in a day.

And if you’re more than reasonably fit you could do Innerleithen Red, the Gypsy Glen, Glentress Black down to Deliverance, then back to Innerleithen by the back road to Traquair.

A big day out, but a great ride nonetheless. I’d perhaps do Innerleithen Red last in case you’re broken by that point.

There’s so much more to Inners than the Red. I would recommend exploring a bit more some of the downhill trails. Like ‘davidtaylforth’ said ‘make or brake’ is really good fun (a bit like Spooky Wood descent but with bigger jumps (?) ) that you can ride on a XC bike. As everyone here mentioned the climb is a bit long but totally worth it. If Caddon Bank’s too big for you, there’s a way to skip it-technical and fun- before caddon bank there’s a wall on the right-hand side, just ride along it, into the trees, you’ll join the trail later on 😀 ohhh, how I miss Inners….

Inners by a mile for me, although I push up the first bit cos its a pig straight out of the car park.