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Glentress update - 31st July to 18th August 2023

With the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championship XC events just a week away, Glentress is undergoing a huge transformation. The venue build, site dressing and preparations near completion and from Monday 31st July to 18th August, there will be access disruption and trail closures to allow this historic event to take place. Find out more.

Electric Blue Bridge

If you have visited Glentress recently you will have noticed the major event preparation and available car parking spaces gradually diminishing as event vehicles and infrastructure for the event village began to occupy the site.

PLEASE NOTE - From Monday 31th July to 18th August - ALL car parks will be closed to the public. Visitors can access the site through the main entrance by bike or on foot - but only until close of play on 3rd August.

From 4th August there will be no access though main entrance by bike or on foot. This will allow for the final infrastructure to be installed for the event. Riders can still access the wider trail network from Peebles via Janet's Brae, or Soonhope or from Innerleithen from Dunslair heights.

During this period, the toilets, showers, Wild Watch Centre, Gateway Building and Osprey Viewing areas will all be closed. The café and bike shop will remain open.

Riders are encouraged to park in Peebles or Innerleithen. Park and ride sites will be in operation during the event for spectators. See Glentress Spectator Guide.

What trails are open or closed?

On Sunday the 6th August, please note ALL walking and mountain bike trails, including unwaymarked trails, are closed for the UCI Cycling World Championships MTB Cross Country Marathon.

  • Lower Green - Fully closed from Monday 31 July to end of Friday 18 August for the event.
  • Upper Green - Trail is closed due to storm damage.
  • Blue - Diversions in place from Monday 31 July to end of Friday 18 August: start/finish of Blue Route (from trailhead to post 4) closed for UCI Cycling World Championships. Rest of Route open with 2 minor diversions
  • Red - Diversions in place from Monday 31 July to end of Friday 18 August: start/finish of Red Route (from trailhead to post 4) closed for UCI Cycling World Championships. Rest of Route open with 3 diversions. Until end of Friday 25 August the Red/Black Route is closed at post 32 on Falla Brae with a diversion onto the Blue Route. Falla Brae is closed beyond this point for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships (XCO course prep/event/post event works).
  • Black - Diversions in place from Monday 31 July to end of Friday 18 August: start/finish of the Black Route (from trailhead to post 4) closed for UCI Cycling World Championships. Rest of Route open with several diversions.

For further details see Forestry and Scotland Glentress Page.

Fire Road Team

Post event?

From 12 August, ESO will immediately begin the removal of event infrastructure to allow the re-opening of the car park spaces, with access beginning to return from 18 August.

After The Championships end in August 2023, work will start on phase III of the Glentress Masterplan, which will include the construction of 56 environmentally sensitive forest holidays cabins, the construction of a new MTB skills park, removing temporary UCI event specific trails and features, and installing short skills loops of various grades to the south-west of the site.

Further reading

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