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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.
Paul:
Avg 5.00
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

glentress

What do you like?

The variety of trails which accomodates all skill levels, pushing you to progress and enhance your ability. Keeps you smiling all the way.

What could be improved?

How busy it gets at weekends! Although this is a credit to the facility as it shows it is a top class mtb centre

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

27/10/2014 - over 11 years ago

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nrbowie:
Avg 3.80
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Glentress

Been riding here since 1994 and it has just got better and better but could be becoming a victim of its own success at the weekends.

What do you like?

- variety of trails, something for everyone.

What could be improved?

- new cafe is soul less and sterile, shop not that great, many trails need maintenance, keep encountering walkers on the mtb trails plus mtbers stopping on the trails, parking at the w/e can be an issue, ticket machines don't always work, it's too far away!

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

27/10/2014 - over 11 years ago

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0
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Paul Trail:
Avg 4.79
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

Glentress

What do you like?

I've ridden here since 2006 and I haven't looked back since! I look to ride here a few times a month as I only live a 30 min drive away. Whilst I loved the 'Hub' and still miss it I do believe it was getting too busy at times with the influx of new riders. The new facilities are great. I thoroughly enjoy the fact that you can ride a mix of Trail grades or stick to one grade. To sum it up I just love it!

What could be improved?

There can be some large puddles on sections of the black run. Car park can be busy however it's not a issue for me as I'm normally there first thing in the morning.

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

26/10/2014 - over 11 years ago

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0
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cotic2014:
Avg 4.77
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

one of the best

What do you like?

Has to be one of the best places I have ever rode. Even found some sneaky off piste by accident that was one of the most fun steep single track descents ever! Facilities are 2nd to none.

What could be improved?

Only thing I can see being a problem is how busy it may get on a weekend. However, we went during the week, so no worries there.

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

21/10/2014 - over 11 years ago

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0
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Alisdair Clarke:
Avg 4.50
Grin Factor
Trail Variety
Skills
Trail Quality
General Setup

What do you like?

Fantastic facilities and trails. Never get bored of glentress and spookywood.Great mix of jumps berms and fast sections

What could be improved?

2hr drive from where i live

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

16/10/2014 - over 11 years ago

Was this review helpful to you?

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

fantastic Glentress trails

What do you like?

Excellent trails. Great variety of features. Tea and cakes at the cafe.

What could be improved?

None apart from not being able to go there every weekend

Would you recommend?

*Yes*

Date written:

15/10/2014 - over 11 years ago

Was this review helpful to you?

0
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