TWEED VALLEY TRAIL ASSOCIATION

South of Edinburgh the Tweed Valley offers border trails like no other. But access rights in the Caberston forest are raising issues which cannot be ignored

- Sim Mainey

Much has been written about the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders. Even if you’ve not ridden there, names like Glentress, Peebles and Innerleithen will sound familiar. If you have ridden there you’ll know there’s a very good reason why so much has been written about this picturesque valley south of Edinburgh. The trails.

Simply put, they rank as some of the best in the country. Whether you’re a beginner looking for your first taste of off-road action or a seasoned pro after trails that double as top-flight race stages at the weekend, the Tweed Valley has something to offer. The sheer quality and quantity of riding is what makes it one of the UK’s most popular mountain bike destinations, and riders aren’t the only ones to benefit from the trails. We’ve written in previous issues about how the trails and the visitors they bring in have fostered a wave of regeneration to the towns that dot the Tweed valley. From the outside it seems like an unequivocal success story for both riders and for the community, but things — as ever — are a bit more complicated than that.

Glentress trail centre is the focal point for riding in the valley. A hugely successful operation overseen by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) it pulls in riders from all over the country with great trails backed up by all the infrastructure that makes riding at a trail centre accessible and fun. As good as Glentress is for many riders, especially those looking for bigger thrills than a trail centre can provide, the Tweed’s real appeal lies a little further down the valley in the hills that surround Innerleithen.