[Closed] Glentress Off-Piste Shenanigans...

the first rule of cheeky trail is.....

Hundreds of people rode it at Tweedlove last year, it's not exactly secret......

were some of the sections not "race only" though?

Ho Chi Minh is out of action due to fallen trees. Can't see the video in work but I'm assuming it's Ho Chi Minh into Janet's Brae?

Having just got back from a few days at GT I suspect you might get 'harvested' on those bits 😉

From memory, then end of S3 is the start of the fireroad climb to the buzzards nest that was used at the start to get to S1??

when you turn off the main ho-chi min until top of zoom or bust has been harvested so doesn't really exist anymore. and ho chi min itself is impassable from fallen trees

the first rule of cheeky trail is.....

There isn't, but you still don't want mincers going down 'adjusting' the trail to make it easier

Have you checked out Strava to see if there is a matching segment?

to answer the initial question, from the bottom of the stage, turn left on the tarmac path for ~300m then turn left and go up, up, up. Eventually you will end up at the buzzards nest

Which bit of the video is it? There was one bit that was cut in just for the race, tbf it's not brilliant, just a fireroad avoider but it does add a wee bit of variety- mild steepness with straggly roots. But tbh I'm not sure if that's the bit you're meaning.

I'd say the bit they cut is thoroughly non existent due to tree felling and yeah the walkers path/ho chi is fubar at the moment too.

There isn't, but you still don't want mincers going down 'adjusting' the trail to make it easier

zoom or bust has some spectacular strava straight lines cutting the corners on it now!

I had a look on Strava to no avail- dosent look like its been added as a segment. Northwind-the bit I was meaning was from spooky wood down across the first fireroad and across into another natural-ish looking singletrack section that ended close to Ho Chi Minh. TBH if fallen trees have buggered that whole side of the hill then I'll give it a miss. Are there any other off-piste bits worth exploring?

Ah is that bit logged out? I knew the road was closed for forestry but didn't know where they were cutting.

Zoom or Bust- this despite us spending half a day blocking and reshaping lines, folks went straight back in and dragged off stacks of interlocked brash and branch, that's pretty hard work- not just one dick, and not just thoughtlessly doing it but planning ahead and knowing full well it'd been intentionally blocked off. Shitebags. Some day we'll build that completely straight line all the way from spooky woods to the car park- add in a few incredibly easy features so people can ride around them too.

Thats a bitch. I can imagine the amount of work/dedication that goes into maintaining a place like GT. Northwind, would you recommend any non-waymarked bits that would be worth looking into? Cheers

zoom or bust has some spectacular strava straight lines cutting the corners on it now!

Broon Troot too 🙁

I remember the first time I ever did Secrets and Lies and into Broon Troot. I got about half way and had fallen off 32 times, yeah that's right I even countd and still remember the number. I even ripped my lycra 🙂 I carried my bike down the rest because I was so beat up. Next opportunity I was right back there trying to get better, it was an integral part in getting me so sadly addicted.

I will be back there again some time! Enjoy the trails guys, look after them.

Ah is that bit logged out? I knew the road was closed for forestry but didn't know where they were cutting.

Zoom or Bust- this despite us spending half a day blocking and reshaping lines, folks went straight back in and dragged off stacks of interlocked brash and branch, that's pretty hard work- not just one dick, and not just thoughtlessly doing it but planning ahead and knowing full well it'd been intentionally blocked off. Shitebags. Some day we'll build that completely straight line all the way from spooky woods to the car park- add in a few incredibly easy features so people can ride around them too.

I'm not entirely sure which bit is being discussed, but that bit to the right of the start of the black singletrack climb has been thinned and I'm pretty sure that is where that section they cut is/was.

I also put a pile of branches back over the shortcut on that awkward flat rooty corner on zoom that looked like it had been removed, so someone is certainly keen on the shortcut route by the sounds of it! Needs a wall building...

doug_basqueMTB.com - Member

I remember the first time I ever did Secrets and Lies and into Broon Troot. I got about half way and had fallen off 32 times, yeah that's right I even countd and still remember the number.

ChrisL of this parish kindly suggested one day, "Let's go and do this secret trail". I think I might have done inners red at the time and GT black but nothing harder, and obviously a Scandal with smallblocks is the ideal tool. Turns out it's quite a hard trail to walk down! But like you, got a good look and rode as much as I could and thought "I fancy this, let's come back later when I can ride a bike"

I like the summer days when everyone else is covered in dust, and you pop out off secrets and lies onto the blue looking like Swamp Thing.

bigjim - Member

I also put a pile of branches back over the shortcut on that awkward flat rooty corner on zoom that looked like it had been removed

Cheers for that! Needs spike traps.

That last section us great for getting the mud of your tyres and all over you.

I love it when it is frozen solid, that's the only time it has anything resembling grip! I rode them in April or something with all the snow, hoping it would be like that but it was the wrong type of snow 🙂

Like you love doing that wee blue section and being covered in filth and everyone wondering what the hell you have been up to!

That was such a great day last year, can't wait for this years.

I rode S&L once when it was frozen, much easier but for the wood work which was liking riding on icy/snowy Toblerone.

Looking back, discovering broon troot by having to race it in the first POC enduro was probably a good incentive to get down it. Can't believe chris ball did it in 1:30 or something daft, I was closer to 4 I think.

Is zoom or bust still rideable? Or is it blocked by trees?

it's cleared but still some damage from lifted roots. all good fun though.

Is that the section that was called Deer Dodger? If so it's history as the FCS has logged all the trees in that section of Glentress. It's getting to be less a forest with every passing year with the number of sections that are being logged. And some nice sections disappearing as well as a result.

Such is the fate of every commercial forestry plantation!

Is secrets and lies ok, rideable and intact? I've never done it but might blat around that way tomorrow en route to Brown Trout etc 🙂 I know how to get to it but just haven't had a chance before.

it's very muddy but fine. there is a tree down over the lower section though.