Monday, 20 May 2024
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Glentress is rightly celebrated for some of the best mountain bike trails in the country, but that's just the beginning of the story.
Visit for walking, tree-top adventure and magnificent views of the Tweed Valley. Explore our Wildlife Room where you can watch our observation beehive, view our live osprey cams and learn more about other wildlife you may encounter in Glentress Forest. There's great coffee, food and cake in our buzzing café too.
Work is also underway on new trails and facilities as part of the Glentress Masterplan.
Works for the Glentress Masterplan will be taking place throughout 2024 and will cause some trail and facility disruption. Please follow all signage and instructions from staff while visiting the forest.
The Buzzard’s Nest car park, Freeride Area and Skills Area are permanently closed for Forest Holidays development works. Zoom or Bust and Ho Chi Zoom Link trails are also closed. No public vehicles will be allowed up the forest road beyond GoApe. Walkers, bikers and horse riders can still use the forest road as normal. Other designated trails nearby remain open (subject to existing diversions/closures).
All car parking is now in the main visitor hub area at the bottom of the hill. At the Visitor Centre - new trails including Taster trails are open and a new Skills Area will be opening in 2024.
The Janet's Brae road (linking Buzzard's Nest to Peebles) is closed Monday to Friday for tree felling operations until the end of April 2024 (open at weekends).
While works progress at Glentress, we ask all visitors to take care, follow all safety signage, and follow instructions from staff and contractors around the forest.
All trails are accessed by following the shared, Multi-user Trail first.
The Multi-user Trail is marked with a brown line on the map and trail distances below include this Multi-user Trail section.
All trails cross or include forest roads, look out for vehicles and other users.
Glentress walking trail route card (PDF)
Discover great views over the Tweed Valley on this 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.
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.
Stroll around the enchanted Glentress ponds, an oasis of ash, birch and pine that is home to herons, bats and red squirrels.
Firm gravel path with regular seats. Short moderate ramps with some loose stones.
Allow 1 hour
The ponds lie in a hollow where a grove of Douglas fir once stood. Some of the trees came down in a storm some 40 years ago, and the ponds are now a peaceful, sheltered corner of the forest.
Get a glimpse of our Iron Age past on this delightful high level promenade above the Tweed Valley, with spectacular views over Peebles to the Caddon Hills.
Mostly firm gravel surface. Some sections of uneven earth and grass with exposed tree roots. Long moderate slopes with some steeper sections.
Please note, when accessed from Glentress Gateway, you should allow for an extra 3 hours to complete this trail.
Allow 1½ hours from Buzzard’s Nest
Visit the fortified settlements at Janet's Brae and imagine how our ancestors would have lived in this area over 2000 years ago on this fascinating route through a beautiful and varied area of the forest.
Discover the charms of Glentress Burn, passing its serene ponds before winding through the magnificent Douglas firs above.
Numerous short steep slopes with some loose gravel. Some narrow and uneven earth sections with exposed tree roots and some narrow openings.
Allow 1 ½ hours
The Douglas fir trees on ‘Dougie Bank’, just above the ponds, are nearly 100 years old. Some of the trees from this part of the forest now sail the high seas as masts on tall ships. Douglas fir from Glentress has also been used to build the café and toilet block at Glentress Peel.
Explore the varied plantations of Glentress Forest, including characterful areas of Scots pine, Douglas fir and Norway spruce, and good views across the valley from the slopes of Cardie Hill.
Firm gravel and earth surface with loose and uneven sections. Long steep slopes for 400m. Includes some narrow openings and steps.
Allow 3 hours
Along the way you’ll find stories about the foresters who’ve built Glentress, including the ‘Lumberjills’ – women who worked here during World War II.
Climb to the top of Glentress Forest and pass the Iron Age settlement at Shieldgreen Tower. Magnificent views over Peebles and Soonhope Burn.
Rough earth and grass paths, often narrow. Several long and continuous steep slopes for over 500m. Some short muddy sections.
Please note, when accessed from Glentress Gateway, you should allow for an extra 3 hours to complete this trail.
Allow 6 hours from Buzzard's Nest
This trail takes you through remoter, mature woodland to some fine viewpoints to the north. You’ll often see buzzards and roe deer along the way.
Glentress is one of the world class 7stanes mountain bike venues. It features a wide range of trails for beginners and experts alike.
Glentress 7stanes route card (PDF)
You can get an idea of some of the trails on offer by watching the amazing video from Street Pigeon MTB below.
If you’d like to get involved in the mountain biking community, check out the Glentress Trailfairies.
All network trails are accessed by following the shared Multi-user Trail first, which is marked with a brown line on the map.
Grade - Green: Easy
Expect relatively flat, wide, and smooth trails. Gentle climbs, descents, rollers and berms, with easy to avoid features such as rocks and potholes. Surface might be loose, uneven or muddy at times.
An excellent introduction to mountain biking. The route heads out on the Multi-user Trail into the forest before passing through some of Glentress’s oldest, tallest and most magnificent trees. After The Admiral, return to the Glentress Gateway on the Multi-user Trail then Apple Peel to finish.
Grade - Green: Easy
Expect relatively flat, wide, and smooth trails. Gentle climbs, descents, rollers and berms, with easy to avoid features such as rocks and potholes. Surface might be loose, uneven or muddy at times.
A fabulous trail that provides stunning views of Peebles, the Tweed Valley and the surrounding hills. This purpose-built singletrack route starts from Buzzard's Nest, which is sign-posted from the forest entrance. It’s a fair old pedal up from the bottom of the forest (only 2km but lots of climbing) but the views are totally worth it!
Grade – Blue: Moderate
Expect a mixture of climbs and descents with moderate gradients, technical features like tree roots and rock steps; jumps and berms. Rollable features at controlled speed. Variable surfaces.
The Blue Route is big fun for all – from novices taking the next step up from green routes to experienced riders. This route can be split into various loops.
Start at the trailhead at Glentress Gateway and climb as far as the Buzzard’s Nest. Then either descend the bottom loop or continue to include the upper loop too. So many highlights, including Berm Baby Berm, Blue Velvet and Good Game. Add on the new descents – Harry’s Blue and Turn and Burn – for a thrilling flow trail finish. If you’ve got a mixed ability party, this is a great choice for the whole team.
Short diversion at the exit of Cardie Hill Climb (post 10 to post 11) to bypass around the Forest Holidays construction site at Buzzard's Nest.
Grade – Red: Difficult Expect a mixture of steep climbs, descents and / or avoidable features. Larger jumps, berms and rollable features at controlled speed. Technical features such as tree roots, drop-offs and large rocks. Very variable surfaces.
This world famous route is for experienced riders and it's sure to put a huge grin on your face. It has everything - big climbs, fabulous views, fast flowing descents and a fantastic blend of trail styles.
There are various options to finish: choose The Pie Run (shortcut) or Matrix and Lombard Street for the classic, more natural feeling Red Route return via Magic Mushroom and Falla Brae. Or choose Twitcher and Smells Like Tweed Spirit for an incredible bike park style flow trail finale.
Grade – Black: Severe
Expect a long and steep climbs, descents, and jumps. Numerous hazards including drop-offs and severe features. Rapid rate of surface change. Commitment required.
A long, technical ride for expert riders that takes you into the wilds of Glentress with epic climbs and thrilling descents. Return via the more natural Double X, Head Over Heels and Wormhole trails to link up with the end of the classic Red Route or via Twitcher and Castle Black for a thrilling, full on bike park style flow trail finish.
Develop your skills on our Taster Trails before heading out on the main mountain bike routes. There are Blue (Moderate) Red (Difficult) and Black (Severe) graded Taster Trails. You can find them at the far end of the Multi-user Trail loop, to the east of the Gateway building.
Blue, Red and Black Taster descents through and below the tunnels are now back open.
For a day to remember, try the tree-top course at Go Ape. Climb rope ladders up into the branches and experience the thrills of trekking from tree to tree, 40 feet above the forest floor! There’s a really long zip wire to finish, whizzing high over the ponds in the valley.
Since the 1990s, ospreys have been coming to the Tweed Valley to breed. The Tweed Valley Osprey Project works to make sure they’re protected and can find good places to nest. In the Tweed Valley Wild Watch centre view a summary of the 2019 nest footage through a short presentation video created by one of the volunteers. Follow the Project's Facebook page at:www.facebook.com/tweedvalleyospreyproject
Phytophthora Ramorum, a disease that kills larch trees, has reached nearby Innerleithen’s Traquair Forest. Please help slow the spread of the disease by making sure your bikes, shoes, kit, dogs, horses, buggies etc., are all clean before visiting the Glentress and other forests. Our bikewash in the Peel car park is £1 (accepts coins only) - please help by cleaning your bike after your ride (and before, if required). Thank you. #keepitclean
Our bee observation area is now closed for the season. Check back for updates.
Dogs are welcome in the visitor centre and café. There's water and sheltered tie-up points outside the café.
An Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) car parking system is now in place at Glentress.
When you enter our car park, the camera will read your vehicle registration number and the entry barrier will raise to let you through.
The charges to park at Glentress are:
The first 30 minutes of parking are free – and the exit barrier will raise automatically for you if you have stayed for less than 30 minutes.
If you are an annual parking pass holder, the exit barriers will raise automatically for you.
If you have stayed longer than 30 minutes, and are not an annual parking pass holder, please pay by card before you leave at any of the pay machines located in the car parks and outside the Gateway building. Please leave within 20 minutes of paying.
If the exit barrier does not raise, please press the ‘help’ button and someone will assist you.
Blue Badge holders park for free. You can either:
Glentress Blue Badge registration form
Available in advance by downloading the application form and emailing to the Regional Office. Please read our Annual Pass terms and conditions (PDF) before applying.
Valid at Glentress (all sites), Cardrona and Innerleithen.
Valid at all Forestry and Land Scotland car parks except Tentsmuir.
The turn-off for Glentress is well signposted on the north side of the A72 between Peebles and Innerleithen.
EH45 8NB is the nearest postcode.
Have a question or suggestion for improvement?
Beautiful views of Tweed Valley and 2000 years of history
Climb through rolling hillside forest for glorious valley views
A forested climb to the site of an Iron Age hill fort