Mine lasted about 10 years with no maintenance. Amazing for the price.

You need a good bike and proper kit. But your question is very general. What bike do you have now? The weather can be crap and the trails can be remote and mechanicals could strike so you need to be prepared. I rode McMoab at Kirroughtree (furthest point from the centre) on a Friday morning and it felt like I was the only person left on earth.

Spot on I think. The "damage the bikes do" is the main complaint I get. Generally every large group will have a variety of attitudes and that includes the walkers/horse riders as a small minority go out of their way to be impolite and obstructive. But then if I am out walking there with the GLW and the stormtroopers come charging past on a footpath I do get a bit "anti" myself (for about half a second anyway).

Based on my experience of 3 of them; Glentress has green and blue routes for beginners (some greens are even capable of taking pull along bikes for children according to their guide). Its hard for me to say whether the reds would be suitable, not for an absolute beginner certainly. Innerleithen does not have the same variety so perhaps not. Kirroughtree again has easier routes but not so extensive. So go to Glentress and have a great time! The riding there is superb.

OP here again; no one particular trail blockage was definitely felled by saw, not snow. The others were blocked with branches which, if due to snow, must have been gathered from distance (unless one particular heavy snowfall occurred just on that trail!). I haven't been back since but am due there on Sunday so will take camera. The trails haven't had anything artificial built on them.
Rob

Luckily I always find the the walkers, horse riders etc. quite friendly. My group always slow down and recite the "good mornings" but as with anything there are the few who are inconsiderate I suppose. I think its probably a concern about the state of the ground given the current gloopy conditions, the tyres can really rip it up. However, some of the blocking is quite dangerous as it hidden round corners etc.

Umm we know it as telegraphs car park, its the one on your right as you come into Holmbury south from Abinger Hammer. There are a network of trails descending into it from the south west (so south of the main fire road heading up and out). They are acutally blocked by felled trees which have been cut down and in some cases still attached to the stump by the bark.

No these are chainsaw cut and laid very neatly. Some examples are the steep roll in to Peaslake car park from the graveyard side and the trail leading down to Telegraphs car park from the south west. Of course these not possibly on the 'official' list of trails but are very popular nonetheless.

I've just this minute put on a pair (as I do every year when I finally relent to the conditions and take off my high rollers). They will inflate, trust me. It can be a pain. I don't use washing up liquid or anything, just good strong tyre leavers and well experienced thumbs.. My tip to get them to inflate is to hold on to the trye near the valve (where the problem usually is) and apply a little downward pressure. Hey presto the air can 'take hold' and start to seal the tyre up.
Good luck.