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Glentress Mountain Bike Trails
Avg 4.69
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup
Number of Reviews (88)

*You can claim this trail if you are the trail owner

  • Information:
  • Type: Purpose Built Centre
  • Grades: Green,Blue,Red,Black,Orange,Accesible
  • Riding: Cross Country,Skills Area
  • Facilities: Car Park,Toilets,Visitors Centre,Cafe,Bike Wash,Bike Hire,Bike Shop,Showers,Uplift
  • Distance(s): Under 5km, 5-10km, 11-20km, 21- 30km
  • Country: Scotland
  • County: Borders
  • Website: Glentress
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Trail Network & Rider Segments

Trail network status from Trailforks and recent rider segments from Strava (see full mapped routes and details in the Tracks tab).

Trail Status

status via Trailforks.com

Tracks Nearby

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Description

Glentress mountain bike trail center is part of the 7stanes MTB network in the Scottish Borders. It consists of black, red, blue, and green trails as well an area of Green, Blue, Red and Black 'taster trails'.

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Skills Loop

  • The skills loop at Glentress lets you practice and develop your skills before heading out onto the trails. There are timber and rock features and obstacles. It has separate sections graded green, blue and red to aid skill progression across all technical levels. 

Skills Area

  • mini MTB zone
  • roller zone
  • cornering zone
  • drop and tech zones

Green routes

  • The Glentress green trails range from 3.5 to 4.5km in length. they cater for family and beginners. One starts from the Buzzards Nest car park and the other from the Glentress Peel visitors centre. 

Blue route 

  • The blue route at Glentress is made up of an 8km lower (recommended) and an 8km upper loop. You can do them separately or tie them together for the full 16km! Some of the best swooping and flowing sections are Electric Blue, Betty Blue, Blue Velvet and the latest Berm Baby Berm.

Red route

  • The 18km red trail at Glentress is the most popular of all the trails here. Some of the sections of note are Pennels Vennel which is a quick blast of single track, Spooky Wood with kickers, sweeping berms followed by small jumps and flowing tabletops, Super G section with berm after berm and jump after jump, Hit Squad section the most rooty, twisty, technical section of the trail, Pie Run and Magic Mushroom. Look out for the 298-meter red MTB descent called Mild Peril. Like all the trails at Glentress, it is constantly being developed and having sections added. 

Black Trail

  • The 29km black is graded black/severe. This is a challenging, long, and technical epic ride, taking in some of the remoter parts of Glentress Forest, and should only be attempted by experienced riders with expert technical skills.

Glentress Masterplan Trails

  • The Glentress Masterplan trails (Green, Blue, Red and Black Network trails) opened in October 2023 and link into the existing trail network and offer new descents ending just north of the Peel Tower. They can also be sessioned easily by a number of methods from joining the main trail network to using forest roads. The trails pass under the Multi-User Path and constitute 16km of new build.
  • Apple Peel | Green:  The new green graded trail runs along to the Peel building and is ideal for a gentle cruise or anyone starting out in mountain biking.
  • Turn and Burn | Blue: The new blue trail runs very near the Eshiels Burn, and features a considerable number of turns. This one is all about fun with big berms and easy jumps.
  • Smells Like Tweed Spirit | Red: Building on the pioneering Spooky Wood style with a mix of features.
  • Castle Black | Black: Most of our new trails run down the west side of Castle Hill. The new black trail has large jumps and fast for expert riders

Glentress Masterplan Taster Trails

  • Green, Blue, Red and Black Taster trails: These short stand-alone loops begin and end to the south of the Peel Tower and provide a way to sample each grade before committing to a network trail. The shared climb gradually change in difficulty from Green to Black grade as the climb goes on, before splitting at various points to separate Green, Blue, Red, and Black descents.
  • These trails do not link into the main trail network, but can be reached via a Multi-User Path, and can be sessioned easily. These trails also pass under the Multi-User Path.
  • Multi-user Trail: 2.2km Accessible path around Glentress. The Multi-user Trail connects the Glentress Gateway to the café, bike shop, skills area, taster trails and the start of all walking and mountain biking routes. Expect wide, firm gravel path with gentle slopes and various resting points. One section of minor road crossing with a fairly steep side slope. Moderate slope for access between Gateway and café/bike shop. Suitable for Adaptive bikes.

Off-Piste

    • Like most trail centres in the UK as riders skills progress and communities mature there is a network of unsanctioned off-piste trails in the region. These are unofficial. Ride at your own risk.

Volunteer Community

Other Stuff

    • Buzzard's Nest Freeride Bike Park closed permanently in Spring 2023 as part of the Glentress Masterplan but 16km of new trails were built as part of the Masterplan project which opened in October 2023 and built by On Track.

Share

    • If you have ridden any of the mountain bike trails at Glentress then please share your experience with us and the community by posting pictures, videos, and reviews to the listing.
Julmulvan:
Avg 4.81
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Love love this place and can't get enough of it.

What do you like?

Excellent variety of trails from green through to black. Spooky woods and magic mushroom are some of the best I've tried. This place is always busy regardless of what day you go although weekends are very busy regardless of weather. Trails are generally in good condition and regularly looked after and maintained or repaired. One of the best trail centres you can visit. Skills park is excellent and great variety in there.

What could be improved?

You need to be willing to put in some decent climbing or take breaks/ walk some of the climbs. The downhill trails are definitely worth it though. Park at the buzzards nest car park if you can manage without the facilities at the trailhead. You can cycle down and back up after lunch.

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

16/11/2013 - about 12 years ago

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Alibobness:
Avg 4.79
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Top quality fun but still room for more

What do you like?

Great facilities! Loads of different trails to choose from! With Inners so close by you can easily spend 3-4 days happily riding

What could be improved?

Only downside is how damaged the trails can be from all the traffic that comes through it!

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

15/11/2013 - about 12 years ago

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Ian Ravey:
Avg 4.73
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Excellent trail center but wold like to see further trail development!

What do you like?

Very varied trail network catering for all types and levels of rider (particularity good for the developing/intermediate rider) Well designed climbs that reward effort and perseverance, not just technical skill Traffic free cycle path (well, almost!) connecting to Inners (which is great if you have a DH bias!) Trailhead Facilities

What could be improved?

Parking cost (or how the costs are structured!) Needs development and (in some cases) trail maintenance..... Can be a victim of its own success and be a little on the busy side at weekends (although the black is pretty much empty at most times of the day/week)

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

15/11/2013 - about 12 years ago

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1
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niallWallace:
Avg 5.00
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Mix and Match

What do you like?

By far the most complete trail centre in Scotland, although you have to understand what each trail is to get the most out of it. Upper sections of the black are a Rough remote XC ride, once you've passed the start of Zoom or Bust chances of seeing anyone else are low until you get to the Matrix where you rejoin the Red. The lower sections of the Black are tech loaded descents, and of course if that's not enough there's some "secret" trails around too. The Red trail is where the full on fun is, although you can add more by mixing in a loop of the upper section of the Blue to get even more grins in, and then choose your descent, the Red/Black, teccy descent or for maximum grins, hit Good Game and the Admiral, before climbing back up to the middle car park to get the last wee bit of Red/Black in.

What could be improved?

start of the lower Blue is a bit rough for a Blue graded trail, not a problem if you're on a full sus, but a back rattler on a race XC bike. Being the most popular trail centre probably due to proximity to Edinburgh you get a bit more traffic than is comfortable at times.

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

14/11/2013 - about 12 years ago

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1
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Craig:
Avg 5.00
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Clasic trails.

What do you like?

Excellent trails, friendly folk.

What could be improved?

The Hub. R.I.P.

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

14/11/2013 - about 12 years ago

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0
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Mandy:
Avg 5.00
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Glentress - Perfection!

What do you like?

Excellent trails and facilities.

What could be improved?

None

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

14/11/2013 - about 12 years ago

Was this review helpful to you?

0
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