Scotland's Newest Trails Will Blow Your Mind | Glentress MTB
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- čas přidán 6. 06. 2024
- Welcome to the brand new MTB trails at Glentress! The Glentress masterplan trails are here and they are amazing.
Glentress forest has about 4 decades worth of mountain bike trail history. It was made famous in the MTB world when the 7 Stanes Trail Centre was created. More recently it hosted the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.
The big news is that in 2023 Glentress has brand new MTB trails that will add a 17km route onto the existing trail network. The new trails at Glentress consist of blue, red and black taster routes. There are also blue, red and black main descents.
The new mountain biking trails offer a very different riding experience, with the introduction of big flow trails and sizeable jumps to progress on.
So what are you waiting for? Get yourself to Scotland's newest trails!
If you want to see specific trails then use the chapters below:
0:00 Welcome to the new trails at Glentress
0:48 Introduction
2:16 The new Blue Taster Trail
3:17 Meeting an MTB legend!
3:58 The Red Taster Trail
5:37 The Black Taster trail is quite gnarly!
8:03 The Main Red Descent is incredible!
10:51 The Main Blue Descent is FAST
13:04 The new Main Black Descent
15:20 The final Red Descent
17:31 The new Glentress trails are mega!
If you want to repeat this Glentress route you can follow my Strava: / strava
If you are new to my videos then expect to see high quality riding vlogs shot in the same style as McTrail Rider and BKXC. I try to travel to the best MTB locations in Scotland finding you the best mountain biking trails to ride, enjoy and explore.
The video was shot on a GoPro Hero 10 mounted on the chin of an Endura MT500 helmet using a Gnartec mount.
I am sponsored by Bird Cycleworks. They make incredible bikes at really competitive prices. check out their range of bikes and more at their website: www.bird.bike/
I am sponsored by Mudhugger. They make the best MTB mud protection out there! www.themudhugger.co.uk/
I am supported by Endura clothing. This is one of the most respected brands in the industry. To see why check out www.endurasport.com/
My bike is maintained by Bspoke Cycles Peebles. They offer insanely good service and I cannot recommend them enough. Check them out at bspokepeebles.co.uk/
#glentress #glentressmtb #mountainbiking - Sport
Some would argue that this is at least a decade too late........but we've got it now, and it looks awesome!!!
Excellent job in showcasing the work done by the trail builders Jamie👍🏻
You are gonna love it dude! Give me a shout when you can make it down. Would love to give you the tour 👌
@@streetpigeonmtb is it open now?
Edit! I see it’s Saturday 👍
@@McTrailRider Great weather for it opening too 🤣
Couldn’t agree more. There was a time I had ridden other trail centres and felt GT was resting on its laurels but this is going to make me put some miles on the van for sure.
Enjoy them when you get here 👌
New trails look awesome, great video and commentary showcasing them, great work Jamie.
Thanks Darren. It was a fun video to film and edit!
Brilliant🎉, just what was needed to showcase the new trails @streetpigeonmtb footage and review. Buzzing to get riding at the weekend.
Enjoy it matey!
Great video, thanks for sharing. Glentress was a favourite of mine, now looks even better!
Hope you get a chance to sample the new trails soon. I'm dying to get back but the weather is total pants 😩
New trails look fantastic. Can't wait to try them out. Great vid
I think you're going to love them!
Wowzer looks fantastic! Brilliant video and commentary, drone footage is amazing.
Thanks bud. I'm excited to get back 🤗
Great video dude, looking forward to getting back up north to try these out!
You'll love em. Glad you enjoyed the vid!
Looks absolutely mint there Jamie, great vid pal. Can't wait to get up and give them a bash.
Thanks man!
What a day mate! Can’t wait to come back in little less windy conditions 😁 Massive kudos to builders and all involved. And lastly, another quality video bud, thoroughly enjoyed waiting.
Cheers man. Let's get back soon 👍
Big jumps in the valley, awesome!
I know. My sentiments exactly!
All these new trails open, or soon to open, in Scotland. It's brilliant, long may it continue!
Agreed. It's a great time to be mountain biking in this country!
@@streetpigeonmtbSo glad I'm getting back into it after about 15 years off the bike, kind of gutted I put it off for so long as my prime years are now behind me.
@gary431 brilliant to have you back buddy. Try not to think about what could've been. Just enjoy the opportunity. So much riding to be had 👌
Looks mega! Thanks for the video
No problem at all 👍
Wow looks awesome cant wait to ride these new trails after seeing them for so long. have been riding some local trails at venlaw recently some nice new trails being built there also but huge well done and thanks to the trail builders that make this all possible 👍
Definitely. The trail builders have smashed it 👌
Looks epic!! Well done Jamie 🎉
Cheers Athena ❤️
This is mega, life's gotten in the way and I've not made time for my bike in about a year or so. These look just what I need to get backinto it! Thanks for makign the video.
Ah nice. I hope you get back on it buddy 👌
looks awesome, will keep them in mind if I ever get that far North! Great vid, looks like you loved it 😁
I did indeed. A great place 👌
Amazing!
Thanks for sharing, cannot wait to get north of the border 👌
You'll love it 😀
Really been looking forward to the new trails at Glentress being opened to the public, so much new choice of oh which one to start on 😂 Brilliant showcase of the new trails Jamie, makes me want to get to Glentress even more. There's been some amount of work across Scotland with trail building in the past year, new Laggan trails up North look good too, thanks for sharing! 😁🤙
My pleasure buddy 👌
WOW only watched half the videos but this looks amazing! I love how Scotland see real value in MTB and are always giving me a reason to head up north! Great video - can't wait to go and ride these!
Yeah, there has been some cool stuff happening in Scotland in 2023! Hope you make it soon 👌
@@streetpigeonmtb I managed to get up to Aberdeenshire in August and really enjoyed all the new bike parks that have popped up. Provided this is open to the public I think I’ll nip up in November. Thanks dude!
Great to see these trails are opening, spent too much time staring at them wondering when we're actually going to be able to ride lol. Looking forward to heading down on Saturday even more now. Great video man!
Thanks Gary. Have a great day Saturday... Might see you there!
Looks great. Definitely getting down for a visit soon!
Yeah, I think it's going to be quite busy for the next wee while!
Ahh jamie good to see you at the top of the red the other day you were filming.. what a fantastic vid yet again in challenging conditions, cant wait to get up there
Let me know what you think!
Looks insane up there!!!
It's really good man. I love how we have such a range of trails now. Saying that, I do need to get down to Wales. You guys have so much stuff now!
Lucky boy Jamie getting a wee preview looks awesom , cant wate to get down there .
Aye, it was super cool. A great place. Enjoy it when you get there 👍
Class video Jamie.
Cheers buddy. Appreciate that 👌
Nice one 🎉🎉🎉
Cheers Simon 🙌
These look so good. 🤙🏻
I've been there 4 times now 😆 Love em!
you really need to stop the whole average rider pish dude. You're much better than average.
He’s below average to be fair
@@Clarkyboy101 as much as I like winding up Jamie. If he is below average WTF does that make me 🤣
Agreed 👍🏻☺️
If the benchmark within the MTB community is his ‘average’ I might as well stay on Glentrools Blue route!!
@dkbt1 Ha ha. You just ride whatever you want buddy. All that matters is enjoying the trails on the bike 👌 Loving the new trails at Glentress. You enjoying them?
Looks awesome! Can’t wait to ride these! Really hope this is part of a continuous development of the Valley tho and not just a once in 40yr event.
Me too! 🙏
I guess I know where I'm riding this weekend. Hype!
Ha ha. The hype is real!
Ive been to Glentress numerous times, usually do a long weekend in the cabins there.
Im from Durham, England, Hamsterley is my closest bike spot. Which is canny but your local can get stale sometimes.
I cant wait to get back up there, me and a friend had 3 days at the start of september, we were drooling over these new routes.
I think we've all been staring at the trails hoping they would open. I definitely feel like they've been worth the wait. Hopefully they will make your next trip up a whole lot of fun 😁
Trails look great, will have to get down before the winter.
Yeah bud. Let's get a session planned 👍
think we are going this weekend looks mega the trail fairies have knocked it out the park
Hope you have a good one!
As a trail builder and rider, these trails look sick. Well done guys, awesome job. If I may, 3 feartures that could still be added, a hip jump and bigger drop and really nice rocky tech section, but all in all, awesome work. Now go shred those trails🤘🤘🦾🦾
Cheers buddy! And thanks to you for your trail building service also 👏👌
i would love to try these one day. looks awesome.
Hope you make it one day 🤞
rode the new red trail twitcher and the new blue trail turn and burn and they are so fun the berms are really big and hold you very well love it
I know. Big berms are so much fun. The support is unreal 👌
Crikey, these look great ;) I prefer the more organic technical trails, but these will be an amazing addition to GT, looking forward to riding them. The trail fairies have done a brilliant job.
I'm with you Grant. My preference is definitely natural trails, but the way I see it is these trails add even more depth to everything we already have. I'm really looking forward to GT days where we run these trails as well as some of the off-piste stuff. We are going to be able to spend full days there now!
Are they accessed from the Buzzard's Nest carpark? Incredible footage of the new trails! We're 20 mins away from GT and choking to go :)
No, Buzzards is gone as a car park. If you look in the video description I've posted a Strava link. The map is probably easier than me explaining it. Check it out and let me know if you have and questions!
Looks awesome bro . The chaps made some superb trails bro that's 4 sure . Great vid dude. Ur no average rider btw. 🤗
Cheers brother. The builders have smashed it 👌
Decent nice one some new tracks, is there still a lot closed in the Tweed Valley?
Not at all mate. Loads to ride ❤️
Nice to see the corrugated steel tunnels the company I work for designed and built for the World Championship track.
Ah nice!
These look amazing. Was there back end of August, and was wanting to ride them. Now that they're are up and running, the maintenance on the original trails (green, blue, red & black) can be looked at, as I feel over the last few years they have been neglected
Any chance of being able to ride these trails on Friday 06th Oct !? or is offically not opend till Sat 7th? Looks great. love ow the 3 main one all converge through the tunnel section and end at same place.
Yeah, agree. The tunnels are really cool to look at and ride through. Official opening is Saturday 7th 👍
Well that's my summer trip 2024 sorted then....
Hell yeah! 🙌
Can't wait! How long was that ride roughly?
I think about 18km and 800m of climbing.
Nice edit
Sorry I couldn’t do the full ride the low loader was on it’s way to collect the diggers
Cheers for the trails man. They are great!
Looks great ! Maybe tarland will be a bit quieter now
Ha ha! Maybe! 😆
These bloody CZcamsrs, ruining our local trails - long live the independently purchased aether 9c
Great news for GT.
Do you if any of these will work with the uplift?
The top red might however it might actually be quicker to pedal!
Class video and class trails! Wish you'd look at the lens though man 😄
Cheers man! What do you mean about the lens though? 🤔
I have ocd so way more noticeable to me than anyone else! But I guess you have a screen you see yourself in which you look at and not into the camera lens? So it looks like you're talking to my ear 😄. 1st world problems. Safe riding man. See you out there. 🚲
@Martyboy84 Ah, I get you! You are spot on. On the good cam there is a foldable screen which is why you are noticing that. Someone has told me about that before but I always forget! Think I need to start hiding that screen 🙈
@streetpigeonmtb haha trade off for the quality content 👌
I don’t recognise any off it including the car park?is it at the same place as the old trail centre off glentress?
Yeah, it's all in the same place. Just head to GT as normal and follow the signs 👍
It’s not clear from the footage how the new trails are accessed from the existing trail network/car park. Is it just new beyond Buzzards Nest? Does it link up with Spooky Wood or is it an alternative route entirely? 🤔
As I mentioned in the video, there is a Strava link with a map of the route we rode. It should answer all your questions 👍
Picking up my first new bike in 26 years on Thursday, and heading here on Saturday...! I'll be the one with no idea. Anyone reading this, feel free to say hello and give me some pointers... ^_^
Enjoy it mate. Just take it easy and get used to it. Blue taster and main blue are great warm ups and you will smile down them all 😁
@@streetpigeonmtb Good advice, i'll take it! ^_^
Seeing this level of riding makes me wish I could jump a bike man. I just can’t wrap my head around how to do it
You'll get there buddy. Honestly, I feel the same. There's loads of jumps I can't do and I've go no style! Get yourself out with riders that are a bit better than you and keep practising. You've got this 💪
Looks class mate! But... was it windy? 🤣
😆 Yeah. It was. Not sure I mentioned it in the vlog though 🤔 😆
@@streetpigeonmtb 🤣🤣🤣
They look great for now. Do you know if there's a maintenance budget or a dedicated person looking after them?
Hey mate. I'm afraid I don't know about that 👍
@@streetpigeonmtb hopefully they'd do better at maintaining them than they've traditionally done on official trails.
@jamesgrabowski6871 I really hope they keep on top of them bud 🙏
I'm speechless... These trails look amazing! Reminds me of DYFI bike park a bit, quite possibly putting Tarland to shame... Can't wait to get myself down there, looks soo fun! Great edit Jamie 👊🏻
Edit: Will they have an uplift?
Yeah, it's going to be another ace place to visit. Adrenalin do run an uplift service there but it's pretty easy to pedal 👍
Takes me 20mins to cycle there. I feel pretty lucky.
Swing by Peebles for a Forsyths sausage roll.
We are very lucky... Can I have a lasagne pie?! Enjoy the trails 🙌
@@streetpigeonmtb We are indeed. Of course. They are good too. Had the haggis bakes?
I was up Gypsy Glen last weekend. A lot steeper than I remembered as a kid lol. Was harder going than Cademuir hill.
@border304 aye, it is quite a climb. Haven't had a haggis bake either!
Pity they didnt build some more technical trails. Its all table tops and berms, gets a bit samey after a while and not much of a challenge. But wont stop me trying it all! Thanks for the vid
Loads of off piste tech trails at Glentress. You'll love them I'm sure 👌😁
I'm off to Glentress on Tuesday next week. Looking forward to it. Are the trails well marked etc.?
Hey mate. They are reasonably well marked, however I'd still take Trailforks or something as a back up. I'm really enjoying having these trails on my doorstep. They are a lot of fun!
Relatively easy to get to from the car park then? @@streetpigeonmtb
@dingbatbell01 yeah, very. 20 minutes maybe?
Okay so I was at Glentress yesterday and to be honest I was a bit disappointed with the new trails. They seem more like bmx tracks. Just my opinion.
@dingbatbell01 nothing wrong with having an opinion. I wouldn't describe them as bmx tracks though and there is no danger I would attempt to take a bmx down the black trails or Twitcher. They are flow trails for sure, and some folks ain't going to like flow trails. The good thing is, if it's natural riding you are after there are proper advanced enduro trails at Cademuir, Glentress, Innerleithen, The Golfie, Glenbenna, Thornielee and Yair. Get yourself to those off-piste trails if you haven't already. If you are wanting natural-tech, you will love em 👌
Another epic video. Question, Glentress or Tarland? 😳😁
Ooh.. Now you are asking the tricky questions!
So, for the purest flow trail experience it's Tarland. But for overall best location, it's Glentress.
I say Glentress as overall location because it has everything. Flow, XC and off-piste. However, for pure flow Tarland narrowly takes it as it just has more trail.
The bottom line is they are both excellent. Both have trails created by gifted trail builders. I just can't believe we have so many amazing options in Scotland now 👌 In other words, everyone's a winner 👍
@@streetpigeonmtb a good answer. Being from Greenock the trip to Tarland is a nightmare so GT more often will be a better option for me 😁
@jamesthompson7138 fair play! Yeah, Greenock to Tarland is a fair shift!!!
My apologies, my earlier comment was unfair and didn't appreciate all the hard work that has been put in creating the trails... I should simply have said it's not my cup of tea, sorry!
Hey, Andrew. No harm done. I removed the last comment, but only because I feel strongly that the builders have done some amazing work and I didn't want to take the shine off it.
There is no issue with it not being your cup of tea. At the end of the day we are entitled to our opinions and it's natural that we have different preferences. Personally I would choose fast tech if I had to choose one. However, for pure chill fun, I do love a bit of flow. Take care buddy 👍
Got a chance to get down today. Blacks, reds and blue taster and lower blue all fantastic. Upper blue is awful though, the kind of trail that caused my snobbery against blues before places like Tarland and Aberfeldy changed my mind.
Do you mean the small connecting blue trail just below Twitcher? I genuinely think that is more of a connection rather than a trail. The main blue descent is awesome IMO. So flowy, so fast 👌
@streetpigeonmtb I think so, the section you ride that cuts off to the right from the main climb up and comes out at the bottom of twitcher.
My view may be clouded as it was the last run of the day when I was absolutely shattered. Though I did notice you mentioned it in the video, but kind of glossed over it with a few edited shots before starting the good bit of blue.
@Boxxerfan100 ah yeah. That's the one. I get you mate. I deffo feel like that's got a connection feel to it. I take it you rode the main blue descent? What did you reckon?
Can you ride the World Champs XCO course?
You can't I'm afraid 👍
Still don’t understand the whole ‘tucking ears in to the hat thing’!
Great video btw 🙏🏼
Keeps them from burning... And then it just becomes habit 👌
Are these trails actually finally open??
Hi. They open tomorrow, Saturday 7th October.
As much as I love a flow trail it seemed every trail centre was basically building the same thing and it was beginning to look like MTBing was becoming giant BMX with suspension. The techie trail centre trails that GT blew me away with back when they opened were going out of fashion which would be a shame as that is what the core of MTBing should be about - being able to ride wild trails and mountains. So glad that the black looks like it’s blending techie and flow. A very exciting marriage!!!!
Deffo. And I can live with more flow as we have an abundance of natural and tech 👌
Is there a new map? These trials are open Friday 6th?
They open 7th. A new map is available, just not sure where 👍
ah they said 'by time you watch this it will be open'. @@streetpigeonmtb
Definitely the 7th 👍
when is it open plz??? last I heard it was not this year... Obvs... it's now any day!!! EDIT... sorry just seen, 7th October. My bad.
Hope you make it!
@@streetpigeonmtb yep... just sorting our Englandshire halfterm dates... I willl be there :)
@weekendbikingwarrior360 nice!
When is opening day, Jamie?
7th
Website says 7th October!
@DrFaroon yup, Saturday 👍
GT finally getting into the 21st century. Just need Nevis Range to catch up now and re-do their blue mess.
I'm quite keen to head back to the Fort Bill Blue and see if they've made any changes 🤔
Not to sound like a whinging jerk as the work that has gone into this is clearly exceptional and the quality is outstanding, but man you might as well take a Bmx, there are so many trail centres creating this kind of trail and for people (myself included) that like steep technical trails it becomes so boring once you’ve ridden it a handful of times, there’s nothing remotely challenging about it.
I'd have to disagree. In the Tweed Valley we literally have nothing but natural technical and steep technical riding. The last thing we needed was more of this. In fact, what would be the point? We have more natural trails than you can ride in a day.
The only thing we don't have is flow trails and jumps. This facility finally provides that. It now means we all have the opportunity to become riders skilled in every aspect of riding, not just technical riding.
It's great for the average punter but even better for the many young riders wishing to progress in the sport 👍
Finally, to say there is nothing remotely challenging about it is quite unfair. Maybe if you are a brilliant rider that's a valid comment. But for someone like me (an experienced rider) there is so much challenge. There are many jumps on there that I cannot clear. Once I learn to clear them all I'll then have the challenge of learning to ride them with style. That's a couple of years of learning right there.
@@streetpigeonmtbyeh I agree. Loads of tech in the tweed valley. Did the golfie this year and I’d definitely describe that as tech.
As for easy, that depends how fast you want to go 😂
These look good but scotland still has a real shortage of big jumps. The stuff here and at glenlivet and tarland is a start, but to allow our riders to really progress further, we need some really proper jump lines, so that riders can get experience on jumps of 40, 50, 60 feet and learn how they work. Otherwise our riders end up going international to places like chatel, whistler etc. and get absolutely fucked when they have no idea what to do in the air. It would also open scotland to freeride disciplines, which are currently basically non existent.
Hey Ben. I agree with you completely. It's complex though. In my opinion, no one is going to build that stuff on public land because they are scared of the liability. So you are looking to private enterprise. However, private bike parks aren't going to work in Scotland because of the outdoor access code - you can't charge people to ride on land that they are allowed to ride on anyways? You can get a SOAC exemption but that isn't necessarily straightforward. So in a weird way, our amazing access laws are reducing the chance of this stuff ever getting built. However, I wouldn't want to lose our access rights! It's a complex one!
@@streetpigeonmtb yes totally, i see the issue. I think it needs some organisation, like developing mountain biking in scotland, to somehow lobby these rules to gain permission for something like this. Im not sure how the fort bill world cup dh track works, but it is an example of where a large magnitude trail has been allowed to exist. Maybe it would need the promise of big mountain bike events being held on the track - clearly we see what the government and tourism boards will do to accommodate cycling after how much effort went into hosting the uci champs.
@@streetpigeonmtb there are other arguments too, such as the lesser need for illegally built jump tracks, like the mast in inverness, once a proper track has been built, where the jumps of that size are much safer.
We need uplifts
I'm not a fan personally. Maybe somewhere with a big pedal like the top of the Golfie, but for wee hills like this I like to pedal it 👌
Hmmm, looks like a lot of "kicker" type jumps, not really my bag to be honest...... At least some dev has gone into the daddy of trail centres though!!
Get yourself here mate 👌 Honestly, I wouldn't describe them as kicker style jumps as the take offs aren't particularly steep. I found them pretty nice (well apart from the 40mph wind gusts 🙈). Deffo worth a visit imo.
You know the name of these trails yet Jamie??
Yeah. If you head to trailforks it'll make sense. Trails have temporary signage up as well 👌
@@streetpigeonmtb aw perfect, thanks for that I’m up on Friday. I’ve watched this video at least 10times so I’m excited now haha
Ha ha. Thanks mate. That's much appreciated! I went back today and had a blast. It was a load of fun 👌
Did anyone else wish they'd fix up the original trails. They used to be something worth going to.
Yeah. That would have been the dream to have the originals spruced up as well.
Shame the black is basically a red. Need more trails for advanced riders
Just head down to one of the other woods in the valley as the area is hardly short of much more difficult trails.
I would agree. I actually welcome the fact we have flow now. We have so much natural tech that this stuff is really good 👍
As a rider since the 80's I have mixed feelings about places like this, yes it's great to have somewhere to go but I can't help but feel it's all a bit... False for want of a better word, The Carlsberg Classic at Avimore, races at Peebles we did where just "There's the countryside, now ride it".
That's progress I guess, but I'm out...
At least it's Scotland. We have boundless amounts of natural riding available 👍
@@streetpigeonmtb Yes, Scotland is an amazing place. At least you've got the freedom to roam. Down here you can't wander off a footpath without "Get oorf moi land" ..
@Cobwobbler that's brutal. Yeah, lucky up here and too easy to take it for granted 🙈
Give it a week they’ll be covered in brake bumps 😂
Hope not 🤞
Is it just me or are those banal looking? Ride by numbers. Where are rhe rooty messy rocky tricky bits? Meh.
I think it's just you buddy 😆 Jokes aside, the messy, rocky, rooty bits are every other trail in the valley. So if it's that you are looking for you have Cademuir, Glentress off-piste, Innerleithen, The Golfie, Thornielee and Yair. You could ride those type of trails all week and still not get to them all. These trails now offer another dimension to an already impressive trail network 🙌
Average rider! I don’t think so …
Thank you... Felt humbled by the fast folks! Such amazing riders 👌
Do they allow super slow moving grandpas on the course or is there a minimum speed limit ? 😂
They allow everyone because each person has just as much right as everyone else to ride there 😁
yes it does . my reaction time at 80 years old is much slower than you young smart asses .
yes, at 80years old , my brain does have a "speed limit " . age is known to decrease reaction time considerably . however comprehension/knowledge of this fact is retained even in advanced aging . we oldsters understand our bodily limits unlike the younger brains of today that have difficulty absorbing and comprehending new knowledge resulting from a decreased storage capacity of a considerably smaller cerebral cortex . this short attention span condition is often replaced by feeble attempts at truculent retorts . this condition is also known as smartasspunkitis .
fret not though, it can be remedied via a surgical punkectamy
@siriosstar4789 thanks for sharing this wisdom in a nuanced and balanced manner 😁
If they did you wouldn't be allowed to ride it.
I smashed it on my sting r, ripped up a line for you amateurs to follow
Thanks man. You sound like a rad dude 👌 I'll keep an eye out for the line you ripped. What would we do without trail heroes like you? Rip safe brother ❤️