Innerleithen & the Golfie

Fancy a step up from Glentress? Then the trails at Innerleithen and the Golfie will do very nicely. An official trail centre, Innerleithen itself is renowned for its four downhill trails, all of them rated orange-grade extreme, plus a lung-busting, red-graded XC trail which includes some tasty descents. There are also lots of unofficial enduro trails – Angry Sheep, Date Night and more – that are now as popular as any of the marked trails.

Adrenalin Uplift, which runs an uplift and shuttle service, operates a small cabin with basic facilities in the main car park. All other bases are covered in the town itself, with a bike shop, rentals and demos, pro guiding and coaching on offer from top-of-their-game local experts such as Ridelines and Tweed Valley Guides. There is also a selection of great cafes, pubs and plenty of accommodation options.

Just a short pedal away on the other side of town is the Golfie (or Caberston Forest to give it its official name). Home to some of the Tweed Valley’s trademark natural trails – some of them enough to scare the daylights out of even vastly experienced riders – the area is no longer something of a local secret thanks to the many race series that have come here in recent years. Parking facilities are limited by the trails themselves, so best bet is to set off from town and use the short road ride to the trail head as a warm-up.

And wherever you choose to ride, remember, this is tough terrain that will test even the very best. So read up and choose your trails wisely. Trailforks is a good first port of call for information on trails throughout the Tweed Valley. Look out too for Bike Valley Trails, a one-stop-shop for cyclists looking for road, gravel and MTB routes throughout the Tweed Valley. Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland has also produced an excellent Tweed Valley ride guide that is well worth a read.