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Other thing is I really don't know why people talk about uplift at the golfy, it just doesn't make much sense to me. It has a great network of basically unsuitable trails (I love 'em but they barely cope with the traffic they get now) and not much else except the road. So building a bikepark style facility there would inevitably screw up what already exists and the only real benefit it'd get is the name association.
It's out of the tweed floodplane at least but there's got to be more suitable hills?
If they couldn't get the money over 10 years ago I can't see how they're going to get it now.
I'd be surprised if there is a chairlift built. If there is any uplift, I'd expect it to be vehicle based. That said a chairlift doesn't need to be expensive. Both Glencoe and Glenshee have put in new (second hand) chailifts reccently for presumably well under 1m! They do have the skills and experience to install it themselves and utilities on site already. If you want a fancy new detachable brand new chairlift then yes its probably 5m+. A lot of the cash will go on the building in Innerleithen I imagine. Wouldn't surprise me if it turns into a non uplift 'bike-park'.
I think it'll be a positive thing though. Everyone likes to moan about change. They moaned when the hub went and they moaned when the uplift changed to adrenalin and let's be honest things have in the end improved on both of those fronts. More facilities can only help keep the Tweed Valley at the front of UK biking which in itself will lead to more trails and facilities in future.
Where though? The location will (has?) reach saturation point and then where will everyone go?
Better to share this around and get multiple areas as centres of excellence and cater for more people than trying to drive everyone to a single place...
As a Borderer I am all for investment. Maybe spend the 19 mil on trail maintenance.
I don't get the idea of an uplift at the golfie, it doesn't really suit the "atmosphere" of the place and I think it would spoil what is already a great riding location with great trails. All golfie needs is a new climb up to the reservoir but I think thats already in progress for the Ews I believe?
If it was up to me, the chairlift would be built over at the traqiar dh side. But I would be putting the chairlift all the way to the summit of minch moor.
If built properly, you could make some new trails with seriously long descents (minch moor descent on current red xc route as a good example) and also allow for the construction of a flagship Dh race track that is fast and flowy at the top, then steep and techy where it joins onto the current dh stuff.
If done properly it would probably be up to the job of hosting a wc dh race and would bring in more tourism than is already there.
Obviously never going to happen. And I don't think ft bill would be too happy about it. But one can only dream...
Not too sure it would work at the Golfie. Where would you park? On the 9th green? It should go over the Traquair side, much more scope for new trails as mentioned above.
The plan, as told at the meeting in Innerleithen a couple of years ago, was that the golf course clubhouse would be flattened and the area would be used as a car park. The clubhouse would then move to the bottom chairlift station and share facilities with hikers and bikers. This would allow for a better cafe and better facilities compared to what the golf club currently has. The top station would be near the NYNY, Lone wolf, Waterworld junction.
There would also be 4-5 bike park style trails built. these would be on both sides of the hill. IIRC the current trails would be somewhat affected by this.
What ever happens it will take awhile.
Its taken ages to get this far.
The Forestry got £11 million for works at Glentress how long ago was that?
No sign of anything happening.
Seems to be have been forgotten.
So potentially £30 million of spending for Mtb in the area still....
Some good points reading the posts above.
I think a vehicle style Uplift is probably a logical option.
Spend the money on the trails, the vehicle Uplift is flexible and can expand to other trails and forests down the Valley.
Yes more blue and more red trails to increase and maintain the existing trails to handle the traffic must be a high priority.
Its a great step forward, let's hope the cash is spent more wisely than at Glentress. The Hub was the best and in such a great location too.
So many happy memories at that place.
No real memories of the current cafe set up. Just so sad, it could be so much better.
Thinking about this It's a strange one , I ride the Golfie way more than the Traquair DH side. Thats not to say I dont like the other side , IXS and the Deer Hunter are immense. Its just that after doing a few uplifts the Inners climb seems a total ball ache because once you have been up it in 15 minutes in a rattly van you never want to do it again. At the Golfie you just get used to (for me) going to the top twice then trying to pack in as much as you can on the lower section.
What I have noticed is that every trail south of flat white that gets ridden a lot cant handle the traffic. Right Side clyde and the new trail Hangover are a mud bath whilst Ray ling and 2nd base are in pretty good shape. If it does end up a Van uplift the trails pop over the fire roads quite a bit so id imagine thats another obstacle.
With regards to the DH side the last uplift I did back in august the lower trails were all blown out and in some state , It was a case of doing Cresta every run as it was the easiest. Is Adrenaline not obliged to do trail repairs .? Cant be that hard to either do it on non uplift days or offer some sort of incentive to others in return for uplift days.
aggs
Full MemberThe Forestry got £11 million for works at Glentress how long ago was that?
No sign of anything happening.
Seems to be have been forgotten.
I think you might be speaking of the cabin development and the connected funds for new/replacement trails? I'm a bit out of touch on what's happening with the cabins, haven't seen any sign of progress since the frog survey thing
that the golf course clubhouse would be flattened and the area would be used as a car park. The clubhouse would then move to the bottom chairlift station and share facilities with hikers and bikers.
Ha ha yeah right 😁
this £19m does NOT include money for a chairlift from my reading.
Can anyone on here explain who DmBins are? Who MTBCOS are? and if they have any relation to TVTA? and anyone others I've missed. I find it quite hard to follow all of the updates as I've no idea whose official (whatever that means). Cheers.
TVTA is the trail association for the Tweed Valley - an independent group who are trying to be the ones to contact if you want any work done or any events or anything related to Tweed Valley that can help MTB. It was initially set up to ensure trails that were popping up around the Tweed Valley could be 'managed' in relation to the FC trail networks, it has then progressed and grown from that to encompass far more. They manage the trailbuilding/maintenance for many of the trails across the Tweed Valley now - they do good stuff.
The above is a very loose idea of what a Trail Association does, it can do far more or it can do an absolute minimum but that is generally what it covers. Many areas have a trail association, but the Tweed Valley one is the most popular and well known one.
DMBinS - is a bit of a weird one (and I'm no doubt just posting up my opinion of them) - seems to be keen to help develop mountain biking in Scotland, but seems to only be doing stuff in Tweed Valley. Was set up many moons ago and had representation from many big groups, they seem to do stuff and promote stuff, but the actual on-the-ground stuff all seems to be Tweed Valley based (which is why I've said it is a weird one). I also don't know who is all part of it now.
MTBCOS - I can't remember what that was set up for or what it does...
DMBinS, is essentially a quango. Their purpose is to promote and develop mountainbiking within Scotland. Although being based at Glentress, they do have a few reps around the country.
The most major things they have acheived, is the guide/framework for managing wild trails, and assisted various trail associations in getting funding. They have also promoted mountain biking at various events.
The MTBCoS, is where DMBinS is based. It's used for things like talk nights, training centre, and product development/feedback evenings. Basically they have (or at least used to until Covid struck!) guest speakers, anybody can rent it out, and for product innovation.
I know people who've contacted/used them, but the consensus is if there's nothing in it for them, they'll not be interested.
Essentially with the new centre at Innerleithen, DMBinS want a bigger office they can share with Edinburgh/Napier Unis, as the cube on the hill isn't quite glitzy enough.
Essentially with the new centre at Innerleithen, DMBinS want a bigger office they can share with Edinburgh/Napier Unis, as the cube on the hill isn’t quite glitzy enough.
Sounds like a great use of many million £s.
I think DMBinS were as much use as a handbrake on a Canoe , when a friend was trying to save carberry from being bulldozed. He had hoped they could intervene with the Duke of Buccleugh but seemed to speed up the demise.