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After a fun filled day at Glentress, we decided to see if we could find the nearby Innerleithen trail. It had looked exciting enough on videos watched, but wanted to satisfy our curiosities for ourselves.

We entered a car park, very different from Glentress...no trail centre, or even signs of much life. Just a burnt pay machine and an overturned portaloo. But we were confident. No really!!!

We kitted and made for the entrance to the trail. You can clearly see the various routes that can be taken in descent...By the look of them, it made us more than eager and less in awe of the steep climb we saw ahead of us, that meandered up the hillside, crossing over occasionally descent trails. Our ascent soon became a straight line stretching out before us.

STELL BURN CLIMB. This first technical section found us lifting the front wheel over cheeky little rock steps...we tried in vain not to create too much traction as it was rather wet and was difficult not to create too much wheel spin. I managed despite my earnest to fall off but was not alone as Tom was to have his turn in earth to body contact too. On leaving this section it was just a short cross over a fire road to the next in point.

TANIEL HILL was inside a dark wood. Single track that climbed and dropped, a few small rock slabs, just a few roots, but with quite a few puddles due to the amount of rain that had fallen. On exiting this small part of the ride, we were rather shocked and pleasantly surprised to find it dropped us in on a sharp, steep rocky chute that ended in a step up before making a choice of red or black. The red stayed on top of a quarry pit that looked down into the black option. This steep drop in was amazing, very steep, very fast with a lovely step up on the other side. I was surprised at how well I rode this part and actually managed to do the deed!!! Again, a choice of black or red...On sessioning, both were covered. The red being a flow of single track into a double with a huge drop. The black was a fast right hand berm, onto a wooden kicker. Probably about 5foot. A really fun part of the ride, that was taken full advantage of.

Onto a long slog of a fire road, right gear selected, we kicked back to enjoy the views and talk over the ride so far.

The next sections flowed into each other beginning with LEAD MINE CLIMB. This was through a dark damp forest section with rock steps and chokers just to add some spice to the climb. At points this became quite steep and boggy, but not so bad that it hindered our progress.

It was almost a relief to exit these cold woods in to the refreshing smells and clean air of MINCH MOOR despite still being a climb. We took a quick breather to take stock of the views as we had now climbed just short of the summit. We continued the ride with breath taking sights of the mountains far away and the carpet of heather surrounding us. It felt extremely remote at times as we found ourselves out in the middle of nowhere.

The summit reached at last. 567metres above sea level... With 360 degree panoramic views and an eerie stillness at this top most point, I felt very humble as both Tom and I added our token rock to the pile. We sat and reflected on the climb just done. The technical parts, the flow, the fun we had both had. So much in contrast to the one done the day before.

MINCH MOOR DESCENT. This begins on the other side of the mountain. The single track, wide and open, nothing to technical whilst out on the moor. The berms just small tasters for the stuff to come. We entered the line of evergreens and WOW!!! All change... Attack position, (wo)man and steed on the ready we were hit with some of the best ever single track, rock jumps, table tops, tight berms, you name it, everything to be wished for on a descent that was so fast and just so much fun...This ENDURO TRAIL was never ending... we wished. Grin factor off the scale! It ended in sweet, super fast, skinny single track, that clearly you had to keep your fingers away from brakes until the gate reached for maximum buzz. That worked!!!

Kick back on fire road once more, adrenalin pumping through our veins. Onwards and upwards. We were like two wee bairns that had eaten way too many Haribo, we incessantly gabbled to each other on what we had left behind us. Neither of which have recollection of the content of that conversation!

PLORA CRAIG was a section that had to be worked... lovely drop in onto single track, very reminiscent of the penultimate section of The Wall at Afan. It flowed with pump, but fast and enduring. There is a black option RAZOR ROCK, but we stuck to the red OH DEAR, which took us over small rock gardens at speed, which were a first for me with the speed we travelling at. But all good, it was the first time I had manuelled at this pace. Wicked!

Just to stop us being complacent, a small single track climb was to follow and with seat still down and legs nearly burning brightly, we had to stop to adjust before continuing our fire road link to the most talked about final descent.

CADON BANK!! Now I'm scared... I'll make no bones about the fact, that after reading the sign to walk before you descend; And of course I did; seeing how big the rock kickers were, I was in doubt of my ability to perform what this last part of the trail deserved. I only walked a little way down to take a look at the first few, wanting to save my little legs for the ride. Probably just as well. Tom had his look and tried hide the fact he was surprised how big they were, but ensured me I was more than capable and I certainly had the bike to get me down. He checked my 5 and handed it back to me. With a grin on his face and full confidence in the skills I had learnt in the past couple of years, he knew I was ready for this challenge. Deep breath, helmet tight and my usual final descent safety checks, I mounted and rumbled over the initial rock garden. The first kicker, a taster really after what had just been ridden went fine. I landed squarely and continued. The next felt more an inconvenience than a necessity to the ride, but was ok. The next, much higher, dropped deeply onto the trail below. Wow, that felt good. Despite my concentration I could feel my confidence grow as the next was taken and kickered off into an even deeper drop. A few more pedals in and the last was approaching fast. I entered lifted and crouched as I pushed my bike forward, I felt like I was in the air forever... That was fan-bloody-tastic! I can't believe that neither me or my bike didn't shatter into smithereens!! Highest thing I've ever dropped off of!! Chicken runs left, well for chickens on this occasion. Onto the right hand berm, with no time to exchange more than a woohoo before starting the rollercoater of the loch ness monster rollers. They were massive. The flow just didn't stop. Whoosh round to the left and into the wood, more small kickers and rocks with dips and jumps and just so much riding gusto to put in.  

My forearms were fully pumped by this point and I could feel the protection I was wearing getting more and more tight as the blood and adrenalin flowed through my veins.

It was all over too soon as the sight of the car park was in view. So with the last ounce of my energy I made my final jump and then rolled back to the car. We both had the same look of just sheer enjoyment and excitement on our faces. This 19.5k, 75% single track ride was more than we both anticipated. So much so we just had to do it again!!!

To date I think this is probably the best ride, covering all skills, and grin factor I have ever experienced. Really can't wait to return to Scotland and do again. Loved it!!!

Where next??!! Erm, here tomorrow pls?!!

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Comments (1)

tomtomks said:

	... just about the best ride i have ever had," awsome "! if you like your bike, take it there..
	report abuse vote down vote up

September 03, 2008
Votes: +1