[Closed] Gletress Seven course

According to Hub site -

Cardie Hill climb (climb to Buzzards), Zoom or Bust, Blue return, and Blue Velvet will be used for the race so will be closed to general traffic-diversions will be in place. Trails all open Sunday as usual.

So if it's start/finish at the Hub assume it will go up the fire road at bottom of Spooky climb?

11k isn't that long - what is the Hub > Spooky bottom in height gain?

Lots of stuff you probably won't have ridden before plus some newly built - make sure you are there folks! 😀

I did get the 'inside info' but I forgetted it 🙄

wont be there cos of a dam wedding . Got 3 this month and 1 next month.

Do people not realise how important biking is to me. Have a wedding on a Thursday ( wait, training that night with the bunch), a wednesday for gods sake. GGrrrrrrrrrr

Going by my GPS plot from the weekend, somebody has taken the peak height instead of the total height climbed!
It should be nearer 250m.

If I was to describe the track, I'd say Pure evil brilliance.

It should be nearer 250m.

Yeah I did wonder, the whole of the red route has around 450m of climbing (There is a about 350m height difference between the Hub and the top of Spooky Wood) and its 18km, so the same amount of climbing in 11km would have meant for probably a lot of steep fire road.

Any way I'm looking forwaard to it. Hope there is some nice techy singletrack on the way down

If its finishing into the field at the bottom, I imagine it might take in some of the horsey trails below road up to buzzards plus a little bit of new stuff to link them. Sounds like a great course. Zoom or bust is ace although the roots might get a couple of victims in the wet.

I don't think I could handle anymore steep fireroad than what's already in the course!

There's nothing too techy, but plenty nadgery descents to keep you on your toes, combined with some classic flowy bits, and two major climbs which combine to make a brilliant loop.

Where's "Zoom or Bust"?

Up towards the black where the red and black split at the freeride area and zoom or bust is down on the left. Very easy to spot.

WTF is a nadgery descent?

Up towards the black where the red and black split at the freeride area and zoom or bust is down on the left. Very easy to spot.

Yep think I know what you are talking about now joins where the old green skill area used to be?

Nadgery = cornery and twisty with added roots.

Basically, it's a long hard technical route, especially when you go down "the growler".

So hels, how techy is "the growler"?

Are we talking "Pennels Vennel" or "The Bitch"?

It depends on the amount of rain, really, and personal preference. Some say it rides much better in the wet.

Is it all wheels on the ground stuff? Was hoping for some jumpy droppy bits.

Is it all wheels on the ground stuff? Was hoping for some jumpy droppy bits.

Me too, its the only thing I'm good at!

Shirley the dual slalom section towards the end will have a couple of jumps!

nadgery=the kind of thing you usually walk down.

Zoom or Bust used to be a lot more Nadgery, it's been sanitised a bit recently, some of the big up and over roots have been cut out (the horror !) But wide smooth hard pack with bermed corners, it is not.

And I am sure it will Rich, but don't call me Shirley...

please dont let there be any "fresh cut or new natural sections" or anything else that turns to mud then gravy after 5 drops of rain.A course that will last all day [s]if[/s] when it rains.

is it a figure of 8 circuit?

richmtb - Member

Is it all wheels on the ground stuff? Was hoping for some jumpy droppy bits.

Me too, its the only thing I'm good at!

Shirley the dual slalom section towards the end will have a couple of jumps!

Mr Gracie, how are you getting on?. Ain't seen you in a looonnggg time, need to get out soon, Greg here btw, remember?. I was out with you way back when. Used to ride with an angry ginger geordie!.

Surrounded By Zulus - Member

WTF is a nadgery descent?

When your balls drop.

Mr Gracie, how are you getting on?. Ain't seen you in a looonnggg time, need to get out soon, Greg here btw, remember?. I was out with you way back when. Used to ride with an angry ginger geordie!.

Hey Greg yeah I remember back in my dayglo Gary Fisher hardtail days!

Drop us a PM and we'll catch up are you coming to Glentress?

Yep think I know what you are talking about now joins where the old green skill area used to be?

That's the one.

Zoom or Bust?? Never knew there was a trail down that way - always that that was a little practice loop in there that brought you out at the top of Janet's(?) Brae/Buzzard's nest car park?

When did that all change? (only been at GT once this year and it was an aborted trip due to a friend becoming unwell).

Loved the new blue sections though that we tried

Z'o'B -

Not all of it is in the GT7 course though...

zob is a little further along the forest road than the skills area. you pass a walkers path on the left and its a little further on. if you get to t black route single track you have gone too far. it hasn't really been sanitised, just had a bit of a tweak because it was so churned up in places. still plenty tricky when its a bit damp.

Sorry Steven - I beg to differ

I'm with Diane.

In fact, I remember well the first use of this in the SXC course a few years ago which was why it was built, and it was well tricky, big exposed droppy roots.

It has bedded in and widened of course, but some roots have been cut out and gravel thrown down. Rides much easier than it used to - and if anything I am less capable than I used to be.

these things will get easier when people ride round obstacles rather than over them which then means you have to go back and work on them. but i do know i haven't taken any big roots out and its not something we generally do. some of the changes were made if i remember correctly because it hadn't quite turned out the way Andy had wanted it to. he had wanted a more flowing trail iirmc. these things evolve, doesn't mean to say they have been sanitised. and I'm sure you are both better riders than you were which also makes things seem easier. its still great fun which is all that matters.

Perhaps the roots weren't really Big - they were just Far Away...

I agree with Diane and Hels.

ZoB is the only time I've ever walked away from a trailbuilding session.
I'd agree that it needed some tweakage, but what got done has taken away much of the technical aspect which made it a challenging trail to ride fast. I've only ridden it twice since, and it's no where near as interesting a trail to ride.

Yeah, have to say I agree with that too. It's "nicer" but it's definately not as interesting. I thought it needed a wee bit of drainage, maybe a bit of scraping, and some of the shortcuts sorted and that's it

Anyway... I missed all the building, I'm wondering how bad an idea it'll be to bring the rigid? Advantages- weighs nothing. Disadvantages- it's s**t.

Bring the rigid. it won't be as nice but it will be more interesting.

pmsl

stevenmenmuir - Member

it won't be as nice but it will be more interesting.

The same could also be said of the clap though.

The chat I'm getting is that the second climb will be a bit killer.

Descents look fun though.

Yes there is one, that much I remember - he he can't wait 😀

draw us a map 'Diane' ?

So who's riding and who's heckling? I'll be on my Singlespeed if I'm feeling good or my 456 in case it all goes Pete Tong.

I'm on a Fuel 9.8 - say hello as you whip past me uphill 😉

Probably going to head down and ride some bits of it tomorrow morning.

will do. give me a shout when you want past on the way down.

Weather forecast is looking reasonable - certainly better than 10UTB. 😕

I'll be pedalling slowly on my Anthem as a soloist this weekend. Thought about taking the rigid SS as a backup bike since I don't have any pit helpers, but I don't think I'll bother. This way I have any excuse for long stops between laps. 🙂

I'll be there on my BLT doing it in a Pair, hoping in vain that my average ability on the descents will some how compensate from my woeful lack of fitness on the climbs!

I'm riding in a pair so i can drink tea and eat cake between laps. moving on to beer as the day progresses and the laps slow.

I'll have you know TD I'm very good with maps 😉

29er or 26er? can't take both, edging towards the smaller wheels.

I'm riding in a pair so i can drink tea and eat cake between laps. moving on to beer as the day progresses and the laps slow

+1

Did 10UTB solo can't be bothered soloing again, planning a relaxed day 🙂

I did 10@kirr solo last year but been working more on my tea and cake eating this year. pop round for a brew and a slice. I'll be near a battered looking white van or on scrounge at the fairies ez up.

One of three heading up from Newcastle. We'll be wearing midaircrisis jerseys and doing it solo.

Not sure what to expect, I'm hoping for a respectable finish somewhere near the front but it'll be the longest race I've done since the Kielder 100... It might even be the longest ride!

in case everyone that knows me doesn't know i've got a bloody wedding so cant make this. Severly disappointed not only cos its the first one but also it would of been the closest event i've ever done to my front door.
* is it wrong to hope that the wedding gets postponed last minute?*

hmmm, MTB event or wedding. only one winner in my book. unless the wedding has a ride in it.

I (foolishly) suggested entering after last sundays ride, so I'm now doing it as a pair.

I'm not sure I can handle the second climb three or four times in the same day!

TweedLove hq is getting quite a few queries about entry on the day - probably cos the forecast is looking alright now ; ). Anyway, entries are possible on the day as we've got an extra stash of timing chips - you need to get there for about 8am, and remember there's no credit card facility for race entry. Course all looking good!

Second climb is definitely a killer.

Descents are awesome!

Where is this second climb ???

Killer how? Steep/long/tech?

So I take the first climb is the red / blue climb up to Buzzards Nest?

I'm not worried about killer climbs.

Walking up them gives me a rest from pedalling!

Guessing the second climb is from the bottom of Pennels up the blue, then right at the fireroad, left onto the Spooky Wood climb. SXC did it one year, lots of people hated it. I loved it.

dammit I've never ridden zoom or bust! such a lemming, just follow the main routes.

Zoom of Bust is good, but I have a feeling the section before will have people wetting themselves in excitement if they've never ridden it before. (assuming my guess on the climb is correct)

Sorry Dougal, I don't think your guess on the climb is correct - not far off though.

2nd climb is long, unrelenting fire road.

I could also be wrong so don't take this as gospel. I hope it is the course though the new sections cut are awesome. We'll find out tomorrow either way!

Does anyone know if it's a Le Mans style start or some kind of procession?

long, unrelenting fire road.

Oh bloody hell. 😥

@chrisdb - Boo! Look forward anyways.

Hopefully at the start they just stick everyone up the fireroad on the first lap, otherwise it'll be pandemonium if you're not in the first couple of riders.

My legs hurt. Fun day out though. Anyone know if the results are up anywhere?

Cheers to the organisers.

Would also be keen to see some results soon.

Excellent event. Course was spot on, marshals were great, and the little details made all the difference. Liked the signs round the course and the free bike wash was very handy. I don't think I saw a grumpy face all day, despite the rain. Only thing it was missing was better info on lap times.

Was indeed a good day. I'm absolutley ****ed now, but am struggling to think of any bits I didn't like, which I'm kinda worried about given how torturous those climbs were :-/

Had a chat with a few riders on the way around the course (I was one of those with one of those subtle trailfairy tops on!), and was good to hear lots of positive comments about all the singletrack.

Asked tonight about results, and they think it'll probably take a couple days before they're up on the website.
I know our pair finished 12th overall, but the screen got turned of before I could find out how we done in senior.

gravel thrown down

Hardcore hasn't been added to any bit of Zoom or Bust that was originally built without it. The upper section got hard cored because all the roots on it were standing clear of the mineral soil by several inches. The only materials used on the older part are what was in the ground there already.

I think that on balance I would have liked the twitchy bits that got smoothed out of Zoom or Bust to have stayed. However that wasn't possible. Too many riders were straightlining those bits and if the fairies had not done anything to them they'd have gone away anyway, only in a messy, wide and crap way.

I found the wet and the cold today a bit too demoralising to have fully enjoyed the riding but that was beyond the organisers' control. Everything under their control seemed damn good. I don't quite understand why I feel as tired now after my pitiful lap count today as I have after events where I've managed twice as many laps that were longer laps too.

I got some nice comments when I was wearing my Trailfairies jersey too. 🙂

Course great, well done to all. Weather sh!te. As has been said it would have been good to see a timing screen. More grumpy competitors on the course than other events I have done and not many people saying pass on your left or right, just saying pass or excuse me, which isn't that helpful. I also heard one marshall saying to someone in front of me that was walking a section, "you can't be that bad" which whilst probably intended as a joke seemed to have an understandable negative effect. Other marshalls great and up for some banter. Will prob be back next year and do the mtb and road rides.
Well done to all organisers and trail fairies.

Good day despite the weather. Big word of thanks to the various organisers who were still working at 9pm last night and out again at 8am this morning to do the last of the clearing up. There is a huge amount of work goes into putting on one of these events and a lot of people gave up a lot of their own time to do it so it's nice to see people appreciative of this. 😀

Cracking day out. Weather - well hey ho. Course was fabby, found some of the natural stuff challenging but that's just my own abiity talking. Great fun.
Overtaking manners generally good which helps make the dsy at these kind of things.

Top job from all the builders, organisers, sponsors. Trailfairies for course stuff, I assume The Hub had a part to play in organising ... roll on next year.