Booked a hotel (Barony Castle in Eddleston) for a ridiculously cheap rate online in early January – £20 for a twin for two nights – can’t be bad.

Just had a look at the ‘trail conditions’ section of the GT website and saw this; “Glentress – updated 23rd February
Note: Offroad duathlon race at Glentress on Sun 1st March – no trails closed for this but please look out for racers on the trails and give way. Race HQ at Buzzards Nest car park – parking will be very busy as a result. Race starts at 12pm (continuing until ~3pm).”

Wouldn’t normally be too bothered but it’ll be my wife’s second outing on a bike for over a year, so I’m guessing she’ll be a bit tardy.

There’s also downhilling on at Inners, but I suppose the XC routes will be business as usual….

Bah! If it weren’t for bad luck…. Maybe I should just pack the D300, 70-200 VR and leave the bike at home 🙁

You are spot on there – it is a pish rant. As the thing says no trails are closed. The may even be quieter because folk think they are closed and stay away.

Go and explore some natural trails, and take the camera with you. Show us the photos next week

Enjoy Barony – it’s a crackin place to stay. There’s a Pool / Sauna / Jacuzzi to wind down in after a day’s riding.

Was there a few weeks back, but Mrs Cale put a kybosh on taking my bike.
I drove her up to the Buzzards nest anyway just to get a sniff of GT85 in my nostrils.

Forecast is reasonable, Pentlands may be an option for you.. also there is a good xc natural circuit between GT and Inners.

Dont get scared if Barony Castle is over run with ambulance crews and make sure you look at the map of Scotland relief thing, in a festival of concrete, in the grounds…..

I was up at GT just before the last duathlon. The route was well away from the majority of the bike trails.

hit inners, xc course, after reaching top of minch moor, do first section till path (where it enters new swoopy jumpy section). When you hit that path, turn right and follow trail across the hills. Loads of trails round there to do. Think its gonna be windy though 😥

i was at gt when the avalanch enduro was on..apart from a big telly in the buzzards nest car park you would not have known it was on.

Go do Innerleithen its miles better that GT anyways.

what smee said (washes hands). 🙂

Some good suggestions for alternatives, cheers. Aside from having to park just outside Edinburgh, sounds like we won’t know there’s a race on – especially as Mrs Removed will probably want to do the green route 🙁

Meeting a few folk for a proper run on Saturday though – can’t wait!!

Get the Mrs to do the Blue, Nice and open, smooth surface, and you can drop back and hit the jumps that bit harder whilst she can just roll them. It’s nice !

[excuse] I had to descend off the hill on the blue when I got really bad cramp and my seatpost was stuck down [/excuse]

I don’t need an excuse to ride that last blue descent, it’s a brilliantly fun bit of trail! Although I could use the missus as an excuse…

I’ll be there on Sunday, just hoping it’s not too busy but will aim to be there early just in case

Might see you there a11y – I’m on a brand spankin new Chris Bordman, and the wife’s on a black Carrera. We’ll be the ones causing a three mile tailback of ducathlon racers.

I’m not a fan of GT but my dude is wanting to go this weekend, now I have a great excuse to go elsewhere. Yippee!