Got a group of lads having an away weekend going to Innerleithen and Glentress. Just read, that a few sections on the Black at GT are closed for tree felling until end of September checked out the maps it would appear that the sections mentioned represent 75% of the whole black trail. Gutted. Never been riding in Scotland before, nor has most of the group, so really disappointed that we may miss out on one of the showpiece trail, or are the sections listed (from Soor plums to Mustard snake) not a big deal ? and are the tree felling operations relevant at the weekends ?

Isn’t the bit missed out almost all a (horrific) climb anyway?

No idea really, completely new to the place, only looking a the map it seems a heck of a big percentage of the black trail

follow the red up, up the spooky wood climb. When you get to the turn off for spooky wood (right off the fire road) just keep on the road. This takes you to the top (mast) of the black.
The black descent goes right off this road (when climbing) a bit before the top.

You will only miss out on a couple of small DH sections.
Most of the sections missed are climbs.

That’s missing a couple of nice descents- Britney and Mustard Snake. But, the best of the Black is from the Boundary Trail onwards IMO, we quite often ride up the posted diversion and join it there anyway.

You won’t lack for a good weekend’s riding at Glentress and Innerleithen even with a chunk of the black shut, tbh. How much riding are you wanting to do- is it 2 or 3 days? What sort of time in the saddle? You can add in bits of blue and unmapped trails at GT to bulk up any ride there. Innerleithen especially has more riding than you can hope to do in a weekend, if you’re willing to hit the downhill trails (all trailbikable) or if you want to do a wee bit more exploring and get onto the unmapped enduro stuff, which is harder than the trailcentre stuff but ace.

Great advice, coming up on Friday, but stoping off at AE or Mabie on the way, riding in the Glentress/Innerleithen on the way. Saturday and Sunday. All relatively fit lads, and technically competent. of similar ability throughout the group. All on 120 -150 mm trail bikes

northwind + 1.

don’t let it get ya down…sooooo much exploring to be had at both places. get a map, and remember that most (all?) of the off-pistey bits end or start on fireroads.

So will we not be missing any of the “iconic” sections of trails if we are forced to miss out the closed section then, if I understand the advice ?
Also is there any way of linking roads to the closed sections (a bit naughty I know) and riding just the downhill bits that we may be missing out on

Drats, me and a group are also off to GT/Inners for a weekend in a couple of weeks, shame about the big diversion 🙁

downthemiddle – Member

So will we not be missing any of the “iconic” sections of trails if we are forced to miss out the closed section then, if I understand the advice ?

Well, the grinding climb on the black is certainly iconic 😉 But nah, you aren’t missing anything especially standout, I like those 2 sections but they’re kind of standard issue trailcentre.

It’s the huge descent that starts where you join the black route that’s memorable. You aren’t missing out on anything apart from almost 10km that feels like it’s all uphill.

+1 for Northwind

There are loads of good options at both GT and Inners. At GT we usually take the route Northwind suggests, it misses out Spooky Wood, which is probably the best known bit of trail at GT, but not necessarily the best. I love the Boundary trail and Deliverance/Redemption.

At Inners there is a warren of trails down the main face of the hill ranging from Caddonbank which is the XC descent to full on downhill trails – maybe not the best option for your first time, the one with the biggest drops is call the Matador. We usually ride a selection of Make or Break, Cresta Run and Gold Run.

As for Ae vs Mabie. I’d go fpr Mabie nice flowing descents and the climbs aren’t too bad. Ae does have a new jump park section in it which is good fun though.

Have a great weekend.

I don’t think you’ll miss anything not riding at gt if you are looking for challenging riding – have a look on strava at innerleithen, the enduro trails are great and trying to find things for the first time is part of the fun (kind of). The DH trails can be ridden on an xc bike but aome bits can be hairy at my lack of skill level, so don’t blame me if you die.

Which of the DH trails at Innerleithen are more suitable for a trail bike?

I’ve heard Make or Brake is OK, whilst Matador is at the other end of the spectrum, is that right?

well they’ll have all been ridden on hardtails plenty times so its more the rider than what type of bike you have, but as I understand it the matador is the tougher end yes, I’ve not done most of it. to be honest I find it such confusing tangle of trails I can’t remember the names, and just know ‘routes what I can do without dying’.

Matador has the biggest features, 2 big drops, though they’re easily bypassed. Worth it for the top section, it’s ace, though it’s a fast descent so you do get to the bottom pretty fast (make sure you do the bus-stops on the big straight!) Make Or Brake starts well, then is just big jumps, then goes into Caddon Bank on the red. Gold and Cresta Run, I can never remember which is which but they’re both ace. The one on the right is more mellow IMO, and probably more fun in general, really nice rootsy fun. But there’s trails all over the place and it’s probably harder to stay on the “proper” trails than it is to find something cool and interesting!

Other’n the 2 big drops on matador I’ve done ’em all on my hardtail, it’s actually pretty fantastic- lots of the inners trails are better on a little bike than a downhill bike. (that might sound a wee bit willy-wavey, it’s not, I’m a decent enough rider but I’m no Richmtbguru… If I can do it then any decent rider can)

The other thing if you prefer something less downhilly is the enduro trails- and these are pretty easy to find in the main. Go right up to the top of the downhill trails, up to the start of Matador but just keep going, very soon on the right is a really obvious trail- go down that, Alistair Lees, bloomin ace. Crosses a fire road, look slightly left for the next section, ends up on the red route just before the quarry. Best trail in the forest IMO. And if you like that, carry on even further past matador in the heathery singletrack, down and back up the hill, eventually you’ll see another trail on the right which is also ace, comes out down on the red climb near the stell burn.

Neither is easy, but they’re less steep and fast than the dh trails… Can be treacherous in the wet though.

Cheers Northwind, some top info there 🙂

Yep Cheers, not sure about confidence finding off piste stuff. From North Wales we know the trail centres all over here, and all the off piste stuff however trying to explain some of it to first timers would be impossible, so I assume when the boots on the other foot It’d be similar.
But I am happier now that it seems that the closed bits do not necessarily represent the best pars of the trails

For the stuff I mentioned you can just follow the waymarking to the start of the Matador, it’s about 10 feet from there 😉 But yeah, know what you mean.

If you choose AE over Mabie then Glentress will seem even better when you get there!

(Don’t)

GT black is pretty dull anyway.

Yep Cheers, not sure about confidence finding off piste stuff. From North Wales we know the trail centres all over here, and all the off piste stuff however trying to explain some of it to first timers would be impossible, so I assume when the boots on the other foot It’d be similar.

Broon Troot is pretty easy to find and only a short detour off the black. Fun too (though pretty tricky).

Sorry for being dim, but am I taking from your post winch that you recommend Mabie over AE ? Not questioning that opinion as I have never done either. I perhaps in ignorance thought Mabie was a bit more sedate and beginner based than AE ? But am I simplifying things ?

miss the whole black section(expect the very last black option on way to bottom car park) at GT not worth it unless you like alot of cycling up! climb reward ratio very poor, do full red and berm baby berm + freeride park!,inners is great! caddon bank is just so much fun!

STOP AT AE!!!! great fun too the shredder is mental fun and turbine ally is good (ignore the sign that says small table tops ect… and everything can be rolled yeah at 3mph any sort of speed and your getting air!!! i almost crashed due to thinking i could roll it all lol)

I’m assuming you’re referring to this:

If you choose AE over Mabie then Glentress will seem even better when you get there!

(Don’t)

I’d bet at least a beer that he meant it tongue in cheek.

Ae is a good trail, maybe a bit of slog if you’ve not been warned in advance. If I had the choice, then Mabie is a better option for a first time visit.

Basically – go to Mabie.

And lastly, as said above the GT black diversions amount to exactly what a lot of (most?) folk do to reduce the climb on the the black. You do miss some good bits- but not the best.

And lastly, if you find the black “dull” – you’re going too slow!

what sort of riding you looking to do would be a better question do help people decide on which they should suggest

bump?

Well the group is fairly well matched on fitness and ability, long trails are not really a big deal (one of the guys recently did a double ironman!) we are all from North Wales, so are pretty well versed in the way of the rock based trail centre. With Coed Y Brenin being the favourite locally for us. However whilst that type of riding is what we do regularly a change is as good as a rest.
Coming from one of the premier mountain bike regions in the UK a lot of people ask why we want to travel so far for trail centres in another great region, but what we don’t have as much of in the UK is the length of singletrack and descents that I believe Scotland offers

Sorry I mean “what we don’t have as much of in WALES” not in the UK. Mistype, not trying to start a debate :\

In that case, defo do the black at GT.
From the very top is the best bit to the quarry, then short fireroad then down deliverance.
After that do the red do the red but make sure you divert and do berm baby berm at least once, it’s only a 5 min climb back up.

On the final descent make sure one time you do Falla Brae and the other do good game.

Sooooo much fun to be had at Innerleithen. There is loads of options, go a hunting and you’ll find the enduro race trails. They are superb. Go across the over side of the river from the 7Stanes Innerleithen and there is some bloody amazing single track over there. Steep, twisty, rooty fun.

Got a group of lads having an away weekend going to Innerleithen and Glentress. ………..Gutted……………. Never been riding in Scotland before, nor has most of the group, so really disappointed that we may miss out on one of the showpiece trail

FTFY*

I had this debate with someone who wanted to organise a trip to the Lakes to ride Whinlatter, Guisburn, etc.

*may not actualy be true, I’ve hardly ridden in Scotland and GT is a lot of fun, but I’d be supprised if it wasn’t.