The Glentress Masterplan
The aim of the Glentress Masterplan is to deliver a future for the forest as a well-integrated, multi-user destination, which specialises in mountain biking and offers a world class visitor experience. It will create new recreation opportunities and holiday accommodation which will benefit the local community, visitors from around the world, local businesses, and support regional tourism.
As part of the Masterplan works, we’re creating 16km of new mountain bike trails including an easily accessed Skills Area, network and taster trails (see below for details), and expanded capacity car parking for our busier days. We’re also facilitating a new environmentally friendly holiday cabin development within the forest, which is being built and managed by Forest Holidays.
The developments will also make Glentress a more attractive venue for hosting events such as the UCI Cycling World Championships, which took place at Glentress in August 2023.
Construction is currently underway and expected to be completed by late 2024. This will have an impact on visits to Glentress until its completion. Be sure to check what is new in the forest before you visit.
The details
Multi-user path
Current status
Last updated 5 October 2023
The majority of this path is now complete and will be open to the public from 7 October. The remaining section will be completed December 2023.
Mountain Bike Trail construction
- Green, Blue, Red and Black network trails: These trails will link into the existing trail network and offer new descents ending just north of the Peel Tower. They can also be sessioned easily by several routes. The trails pass under the Multi-User Path.
- Green, Blue, Red and Black taster trails: These short stand-alone loops will begin and end at the south of the Peel Tower and provide a way to sample each grade before committing to a network trail. The shared climb will 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 directly link into the main trail network, but can be reached via the Multi-User Path, and can be completed quickly. These trails also pass under the Multi-User Path.
- Skills Loop: After the UCI Cycling World Championships are concluded in August 2023, our Masterplan work will re-commence to reduce the size of the start-finish area, and we will install short skills loops of various grades to the south-west.
Current status
Last updated 5 October 2023
The new network trails and taster trails will be open to the public to enjoy from 7 October.
In May and June we ran a poll to name the new trails with over 1,000 participants voting for names for the new Green, Blue, Red and Black network trails. The chosen names are:
- Apple Peel | Green: With a crisp surface as fresh as any Granny Smith, our 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, easy jumps and incredible views. Strap in for take off.
- Smells Like Tweed Spirit | Red: We’re confident our new red trail will become a must-ride trail at Glentress, building on the pioneering Spooky Wood style with a mix of features to keep you on your toes and put a smile on your face.
- Castle Black | Black: Most of our new trails run down the west side of Castle Hill, but that’s where the similarity ends. Our new black trail is a beast and like nothing else at Glentress. Enormous jumps and high speeds make this suitable for expert riders who love a bit of air time.
You can get an idea of what the new trails offer by watching the amazing video from Street Pigeon MTB below.
Buzzard’s Nest
Current status
Last updated 27 July 2023
Works on the Forest Holidays cabin complex is well underway. All trails at Buzzard's Nest are closed with diversions in place. See more on the impacts of this closure on our FAQ page, and latest forest closures and diversions on the main Glentress page.
Glentress Masterplan document
The full Masterplan is available on the Borders Council website.
Keep up to date
You'll find previous updates to the Masterplan on our blog, and on our social media channels.
We also have a Frequently Asked Questions webpage, where we aim to answer the most common questions we receive.
Glentress Masterplan: Frequently Asked Questions
Contact
For any queries regarding the Masterplan project please contact Forestry and Land Scotland South Region in the first instance.