Glentress, Mountain Biking, Sunday 22nd April 2012.

My first proper visit to Glentress today, and I can't believe I've never bothered to come before! The place is excellent. There's showers, a bike wash, shop, cafe and loads of parking. Okay it's a whole three quid, but that's all you need to pay if you forgo the bike wash (£1) and the showers (£1) but it seems daft not to use them. Myself and Ian basically rode the Blue route a couple of times (in fact we may have missed some bits it's that long) but it's just the right level of downhill and technicality for me.   

I have read that some think the new "Peel" cafe is a "monstrosity", although to me it fits well into the surrounds and is a great facility, along with the showers. Prices are what you would expect, and again you don't have to spend a fortune.

 

The place did get busy, but there was always space on the trails and there's a sociable feel to it all.
I can't wait to go back, and of course it's always more fun if there's a crowd of you racing down through the trees!

 

Mountain bike - Pentland Hills, 8th April 2012.

Myself, Ian and Bruce went for a wee spin in the Pentlands today, starting at Flotterstone and cycling past Glencourse Reservoir and up to the farmhouse and on up the Green Cleugh to Bavelaw Castle. From there it's downhill to Thriepmuir and Harlaw reservoirs, before passing the Rangers Hut and then up to the "hole in the wall" and back down to Glencorse and Flotterstone.    

Ian and Bruce at the hole in the wall.

Myself and Bruce.

Witches Trails - 1st May 2011

We gave ourselves the choice of Castle Ridge (and the walk in from the North Face car park!), or a "slightly" more leisurely day on the bikes around the Witches Trails area at the Nevis Range Ski Area.
We chose the bikes!
A bit dissapointed to find the maps they advertise are an A4 photocopy and £1 each. I thought they would have something more substantial and longer lasting!? 

Anyhow, we managed four circuits of the two blue routes and had most of the tracks to ourselves. Although the main forest tracks are not too difficult to find your way around, they could do with better signs or markers. In many places there were none which meant checking the map a few times for the first few runs. Still fantastic weather to finish a great weekend!  

Chris Boardman MTB Sport and views on a disappointing winter so far!

Well I finally got a new mountain bike after many months of deliberation! The Boardman range of mountain bikes have been getting good reviews so I finally took the plunge at the weekend. Hopefully this will make up for all the lost weekends due to bad weather, duff forecasts or lack of available climbing partners. Having only been out three times this winter (once was skiing at Glencoe) I'm starting to have second thoughts about winter walking and climbing. Along with the soaring cost of petrol, and the boredom of going solo (and the long drive there and back), it is becoming harder to get anything meaningful acheived.
With this in mind, at least getting out on the bike (again) will fulfill some need for the "great outdoors!"
Sadly I seem to have missed opportunities to tick off winter routes such as Sron na laraig, Curved Ridge, Castle Ridge, and a few of the lower grade gullies in Sneachda (Spiral, Crotched, The Runnel etc).
Winter isn't over yet though, and it is allegedly going to cool down again after this weekends mild temperatures and thaw!