[Closed] Glentress/tweed valley conditions

All closed, list on this page

https://dmbins.com/blog/storm-arwen-trail-update/

Thanks for that.
We’ll find something else to do!

Gypsy Glen is quite a nice ride.
I could possibly show you round that if you want?
Think you guided a ride that I was on in The Peak once many moons ago?
So don't mind returning the favour.

Those trails that are closed, are they managed by the Forestry Commission, or is it a private affair?
Do they accept help in clearing the trails?
i.e, could I go down on a Saturday, and clear a few trees with a chainsaw, obviously arranged in advance.

I think a lot of it needs more than a chainsaw - large swathes of the forest have fallen and will need big machinery to clear.

According to the webinar last week, many people are offering to help but the Forestry are still assessing to get an idea of what needs done...it is a vast mission (and I suspect one not as pressing as timber sales so I'm guessing that will be getting assessed as a priority).

Those trails that are closed, are they managed by the Forestry Commission, or is it a private affair?
Do they accept help in clearing the trails?
i.e, could I go down on a Saturday, and clear a few trees with a chainsaw, obviously arranged in advance.

Mostly FC land
Yes and no. The big stuff they will do themselves, the official groups like Trailfaries or TVTB will have to wait to get the all clear from FC once the machines have finished.
No harm in asking. There are also a few 'gorrila' (guerrilla? Never seem it written down) trail clearing groups around, have a look at the fallen trees thread or start your own maybe, but be careful, especially with chainsaws, fine line between between helpful and upsetting landowners.

Thanks for the offer Stu,
I think you were up with Sheldon and various others..
not sure what our plans are yet, but I’ll drop you a line if we need a guide!

It sounds like the area has been absolutely smashed and are going to take quite a bit of sorting.
Hopefully the process will begin soon enough.

It'd be good to return the favour. 👍

I missed the DMBinS webinar last night, was there any news?

Update coming tomorrow via FLS and DMBinS link above
Could be some short routes available for Xmas at GT
Kirry may be well into ‘22 according to the Breakpad post on Facebook.

I Rode the Golfie today, the climb to the reservoir was clear except a couple of easily passed trees on the new section near the top, NYNY had a few trees down in one section, which was actually quite a nice break, I’ve never done the 2nd half without rock solid calf’s and arms! 3G, and Flat White we’re completely clear, as was one of my favourite sections Avalanche.
Lots of tyre tracks about, but there is a sign saying closed and no emergency access available!

I don't want to seem judgemental but...

Avalanche is one of your favourites? You actual pervert, it's horrible!

Lots of tyre tracks about, but there is a sign saying closed and no emergency access available!

And yet you still rode. Well done you.

I thought the FLS forests are closed? Due to risk as not accessible by mountain rescue vehicles and forest clean up operations. Did I miss an announcement are they open again?

Well done Jimmy.
Not only riding where they are telling you not to but also posting on the internet that you have.

It also says no walkers, but plenty of those about, Strava shows it being ridden by multiple people daily for at least a week and a half, and the access the sign says is not clear is quite is quite obviously clear. But yes I disobeyed a sign, and rode at my own risk.

I Rode the Golfie today,

so you just ignore the fact the forests are closed to everyone.

But yes I disobeyed a sign, and rode at my own risk.

Swoon.

Ah the old "other people are being dicks so it is OK for me to be a dick" argument. As you were then. I shall continue to not be a dick, thanks.

Some good news for both Inners and Glentress:

https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/forest-parks/tweed-valley-forest-park/innerleithen

https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/forest-parks/tweed-valley-forest-park/glentress

Has anybody been around either yet? Is the uplift restarting?

Trails open at Glentress:
• Skills Area and Freeride Park
• Lower Green Route
• Upper Blue Route (with diversion)
• Red Route (with diversions)
• Tower Trail (walking trail)
Trails open at Innerleithen:
• Gold Run middle & lower DH
• Cresta Run middle & lower DH
• Matador middle & lower DH
• Angry Sheep & Green Wing trails
• Main Push Up Path (start to top road)

All other waymarked and unwaymarked trails at Glentress and Innerleithen remain closed due to storm damage unfortunately. We’ll be working hard though over the coming months to get more trails back open.
The forest roads are open at both forests.
At Glentress the forest drive, Falla Brae and Buzzards Nest car parks are back open to vehicles.

For an overview of what trails are available to ride at destinations across Scotland check out the excellent Storm Arwen update page by DMBinS at:
https://dmbins.com/blog/storm-arwen-trail-update/

TVTA have done inspections and some of the trails at golfie/Innerleithen are also open now

Info from TVTA

Reading between the lines a bit I guess the pushup to the top of inners dh is blocked? We cleared all of Matador and Cresta- in fact the tops were barely touched- but they say only the bottom and middle are open.

But yes I disobeyed a sign, and rode at my own risk.

Until you have an accident and you need air lifted out because there are no vehicle access for emergency services or mountain rescue.

Before you poo-poo this, I've had a few friends needing this exact thing in the past 12 months in the valley.

Please obey signs. The TVTA have, and continue to work hard on relations with FCS and the locals. Ignoring the signs entrenches the view that we're entitled and arrogant.

But yes I disobeyed a sign, and rode at my own risk.

If you really think it is your own risk then you are very, very silly.

A simple injury like a lower leg fracture will require a stretcher carry. It takes around 8 MRT members to carry a stretcher any sort of distance. SAS will usually be there as well with a crew of 2. Up until yesterday there would have also been a FLS escort to oversee trail navigation and risk. So straight off you have 11 other people you were placing at risk. Good work.

This is the first time FLS have ever shut all of the Tweed Valley forests, they were just asking you to be patient for a few weeks. That really should be too much to ask.

Reading between the lines a bit I guess the pushup to the top of inners dh is blocked?

It's completely ****ed above the upper bit of Brake or Make Middle. I was there (on foot) yesterday and gave up trying to use that route to reach the fire road where the middle starts

 

As good as trailforks is they do show a lot of permanently closed trails that are fine. For example we were down early morning after Arwen (The forests officially closed around 4pm that day ). Zorro , Trailfairy , Careless Whisper and thunderstruck were all fine. Jailbreak was knackered and sadly GT's masterpeice Hush Hush completely gone as was the start of Shane Macgowan. Some mates have ridden most of the above today again and Its the same the west side is pretty much untouched.
Still this isn't a dig if you'll pardon the pun , some brilliant work has been done by The FLS and Trail fairys. Arwen was 4 ago tonight and the following day It felt like being first on the scene in one of those disaster movies.

Any real life updates? Anyone been lately?

Latest info is Red open with diversions. But no info what/where the diversions are.

The GT Red diversions are up the fireroad from the Peel (bottom) carpark to the Buzzard's Nest Carpark. Then follow usual route until start of Falla Brae, where there is another short diversion.

FCS Website

If you really think it is your own risk then you are very, very silly.

A simple injury like a lower leg fracture will require a stretcher carry. It takes around 8 MRT members to carry a stretcher any sort of distance. SAS will usually be there as well with a crew of 2. Up until yesterday there would have also been a FLS escort to oversee trail navigation and risk. So straight off you have 11 other people you were placing at risk. Good work.

This is the first time FLS have ever shut all of the Tweed Valley forests, they were just asking you to be patient for a few weeks. That really should be too much to ask.

There's no ****ing way the SAS show up to help you if you've fallen off your bike.

Scottish Ambulance Service

Thanks @troutwrestler

Mainly all below the Buzzards Nest then.
I cycle there and cycle through Peebles and come out at Buzzards from the west on the Green past the skills loop so would miss it anyway

GT Red was almost entirely open today. Zoom or bust is apparently open but the rest was closed. Andy Barlow was there scouting some of the trails and when I saw him at the end he said everything he'd looked at that was off piste was shut.

Anyone been near Inners recently? Was toying with an uplift this weekend. The advice from TVTA etc is check out trail forks for info on what trails are open. Looking at that, it seems absolutely everything with the exception of Gold, Cresta and Matador is permanently closed on the DH side. Angry Sheep and Green Wing seem to be the only other two that have survived.

Tunnel, IXS, Luge, 39 Steps, Date Night, Deerhunter etc all appear to be lost?

Looking at Trailforks I get the impression that they've marked everything as permanently closed until it's checked. Once checked a comment is added and it's either marked as open or left as permanently closed until (if) it's cleared/rerouted. Some trails marked as permanently closed are being ridden though, and in times that look like the trail is clear. For example:

https://www.trailforks.com/trails/no-social--4/
https://www.strava.com/segments/7476587/leaderboard?date_range=this_year&filter=current_year

https://www.trailforks.com/trails/2nd-date/
https://www.strava.com/segments/15582405/leaderboard?date_range=this_year&filter=current_year

Golfie on Sunday was busier than I've ever seen, over 175 separately Strava logged riders on the fireroad climb alone.

Plenty of trails open.

You're correct about the uplift side. Basically 5 tracks open which wouldn't make an uplift worth it for me but your mileage may vary. If it were me I'd go to the golfie as plenty open. Boner, waterworld and big baw appear to be gone, possibly forever, which is nothing short of tragic but thankfully on the golf course side most have survived to the extent that with work they are opening up. As always, if people ride there a donation to Tweed Valley Trails Association is always welcome.

impatientbull
Full Member

Looking at Trailforks I get the impression that they’ve marked everything as permanently closed until it’s checked.

Yup, it absolutely definitely doens't mean "permanently closed", it's just the option that they've used for "closed for the time being".

You’re correct about the uplift side. Basically 5 tracks open which wouldn’t make an uplift worth it for me but your mileage may vary. If it were me I’d go to the golfie as plenty open. Boner, waterworld and big baw appear to be gone, possibly forever, which is nothing short of tragic but thankfully on the golf course side most have survived to the extent that with work they are opening up. As always, if people ride there a donation to Tweed Valley Trails Association is always welcome.

Inners is riding great and there are many more than 5 tracks open. Definitely worth the uplift, was rammed on Sunday.

As far as I'm aware they are the only ones formally open. You can risk others if you wish but I was up the golfie this morning and a huge tree had come down across the land rover track. There are a lot of trees that are precariously weakened in the whole valley and the forestry commission are clearing trails one by one to be certain they're properly safe to ride. Again, if you know better fire away.

I can assure you that there are many trails that are absolutely clear and safe despite what might be on Trailforks. These were ridden by the many, many people who were on the uplift over the weekend and the Adrenaline team will be only too happy to advise what has been cleared and what hasn't.

Re Golfie, NYNY, Repeat Offender, 3G, Trevor, Flat White, Rayling, RSC, Hangover, Spanner, Liver Damage and Greg Jollifes are all good to go.