I don’t know Thornielee that well, went up today and the route to the top that I’ve always used is well and truly shut- signs and gates and just to remove any ambiguity they’ve dropped a bunch of trees on it. So fair enough, they don’t want us up there…

So we went back down the hill and up the fire road along to Helter Skelter (pushed up a bit and found a felled patch blocking what I think was the bottom of top dog?) So, that road gets you along to tarts, and stones and bones… But is there any (simple) way to get up to techno troot, or up to the top for peep show and all that? I think maybe you can follow the same fire road all the way to the edge of the forest then up, to get to the same path that links up all the western trails?

(and is there any other felling/forest ops/disruption up there? I don’t really want to invade the actual work area, that’s pretty cheeky even when they’re shut down)

I’ve no clue at all how to get to turbo ferret etc apart from the closed way…

We ended up riding helter skelter and some other stuff then nipped over to yair as my mate wasn’t digging it, but man, I love thornielee…

That’s all quite recent then, was ok a few weeks ago. there may be a way in to the back of the forest from Laidlawsteil farm or from the wee road up and over towards Stow into the side of the forest. I’ve looked at these on a map as a way of cycling over from Gala but have never actually explored them. Someone told me a while ago that it was only one side of the forest that is getting flattened, I have no idea if that is correct but it would be a shame to lose all those trails. I think they said the east side would be OK.
Probably the best way up to the trails would be to go along the bottom road to the west side of the forest and push up the clearfell/side of the wall. Again I have no idea how feasible this would be.

I’d leave it until they’re finished and the locals have had a sort out. Sounds like you know the place well enough, there aren’t a load of alternative cheeky routes to the trails.

They are thinning throughout the forest; it’s pretty clear its closed (red walking route in toto) and if you’ve ever seen a felling machine at work also pretty dangerous. Best to leave it be until they’ve finished and then we can see what’s left. I think, stress think, that most of the trails below the new rocky access track will be ok.

Yeah, we were there on a sunday so all closed down, I’m not going anywhere near working forestry ops, like they say if you can see it you’re too close.

But it was more about nibbling round the outside and avoiding the worksite entirely, if possible- the way we went in’d be too close really, I think it’s more or less the perimeter.

I’ve heard the whole wood is being felled.

I spoke to a guy at FCS about it and he said they are “landscaping” the outer ears of the forest and thining the rest..