Glentress | The Hub in the Forest | Tweed Valley

The Glentress Red Route is a ‘greatest hits’ compilation of all that’s best about mountain biking in Scotland. It includes big climbs and technical downhill sections, as well as the legendary Spooky Wood fun park.

From the Hub car park the forest road takes you uphill to the first singletrack section, which starts just past the Red Squirrel car park. This ‘uphill diversion’ is a good warm-up that cuts out some of the forest road before rejoining it for the climb up to the Buzzard’s Nest car park.

Pennel's Vennel

From the Buzzard’s Nest car park, follow the forest road as signposted (shared with the Black Route) and take a right at the next junction. The road curls round to the mouth of the first singletrack descent: Pennel’s Vennel.

This is steep in places, with bermed corners and a loose, rocky surface. It’s a technical introduction to the trail. As soon as the descent finishes, you start to climb, ascending round hairpins to a picnic area.

After the picnic area, the forest road climbs and curls to the bottom of another singletrack climb, offering spectacular views across the valley. A great stretch of uphill singletrack follows, with sharp corners, steep, loose stones and a series of switchbacks to negotiate on the way to another forest road, high above the Tweed Valley.

Follow the road and then turn right onto the short section of singletrack that leads to the entrance to the Spooky Wood descent.

Spooky Wood

This is a stunning 1.5km-long singletrack descent. It starts with three steep, rocky drop-offs and then flows and flows, thanks to its twelve 180-degree bermed bends, 18 jumps and 17 tabletops. At the end of the trail, there’s just time to gather breath crossing the forest road before you enter the Super G, where more singletrack leads to Hit Squad Hill.

Hit Squad Hill, The Matrix and The Pie Run

Classic Glentress downhill follows: the trail is steep, rocky and twisting through the big dipper style Hit Squad Hill. At the bottom, follow the forest road, climbing past the viewpoint on your right and up towards The Matrix, with its mogul-style features. After Lombard Street, a steady forest road descent will bring you to the top of the Magic Mushroom.

To climb or not to climb?

If you want to cut out The Matrix and, in particular, the climb up to it, you can opt for the Pie Run. The trail weaves tightly through the trees, with exposed roots providing an additional challenge, especially when it’s wet. At the end of the trail, cross the forest road and head directly to Magic Mushroom.

Magic Mushroom

Here there are more tree roots to negotiate, as well as hump back bridges and some North Shore timber trail. Continue on to Sair Fecht: two brief, steep uphill sections that take you back on to the forest road.

Once onto the road, you can follow it back up towards the Buzzard’s Nest car park, or turn left down Falla Brae for the final, fast and thrilling singletrack descent back to the Hub car park.