What is the Tweed Valley Forest Park and why should you visit?

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The Tweed Valley Forest Park is one of the premier mountain bike destinations in Scotland. The Tweed Valley is renowned throughout the UK, Europe, and beyond for the quality, design, and the sheer number of dedicated mountain bike trails and also the passion for the sport that winds through every fibre of the Valley.

We were delighted to be able to make this suite of films with Scotty, to showcase the spectacular riding across Scotland. In this film, we focus on the breadth of riding available across the Tweed Valley- have a watch and read on for more inspiration!

Tweed Valley Highlights

Glentress - 7Stanes Trail

The jewel in the crown of the Forestry and Land Scotland managed trail centres - it is the busiest (& buzziest) trail centre in the UK.

Born out of the passion of the folks that built the initial incarnation of the trail centre it has grown to be loved by many. Fair to say Glentress is a mountain biking Mecca!

With 71kms of purpose-built man-made trails, weaving their way through stunning forests. With many more kilometres of natural trails scattered throughout the forest, it is fast becoming a draw for the more experienced rider too. You will never be short of trail choices-no matter how many times you visit. Throw in a trailhead featuring a cafe and the excellent Alpine Bikes Shop that offers everything you need for your ride including the hire of bikes and e-bikes.

Trails for all levels of riders to enjoy

Innerleithen - Traquair Forest 7Stanes Trail

Situated just a few miles from Glentress, Innerleithen is suited to the more experienced rider. The DH trails littering the hill, are regarded as some of the best in the UK and beyond. The challenging XC route is not for the faint-hearted either! It includes a leg-burning climb with awesome views at the top a reward for your efforts and grin-inducing singletrack descents with optional black graded features. And, if you know where to look, you'll find some of the best natural hand-built trails you'll ever be lucky enough to ride.

The trails drop steeply through the forest from the summit of Plora Rig back to the base where you can hit the trails again and again if you have booked a space with the onsite uplift service, Adrenalin Uplift.

Pre or post-ride you'll want to visit the small town of Innerleithen as it is fast becoming a hub of mountain bike businesses. With 4 bike shops on its small high street offering hire bikes, guided rides and tuition as well as kit, muddy biker friendly cafes, its most definitely work a visit.

Scotty Laughland

Innerleithen – Caberston Forest (AKA The Golfie)

On the north side of Town is Caberston Forest, the legendary off-piste trails found here are aimed at very experienced riders. Some of these trails are now officially managed by the Tweed Valley Trails Association who are adopting more trails each year in the area. They lead dig days, that anyone can join, regularly through the year giving locals and visitors alike a chance to learn how the trails get built and maintained in the area.

Pre or post-ride you'll want to visit the small town of Innerleithen, it is fast becoming a hub of mountain bike businesses. With four bike shops on its small high street offering hire bikes, guided rides, and tuition as well as kit, muddy biker friendly cafe's, it is most definitely worth a visit.

Scotty Laughland

Yair Forest, Cademuir Forest and Other Natural Trails

The Southern Upland way links Yair Forest to Innerleithen and offers bike-friendly ridge top riding. It is a classic ride and links into the many technical off-piste and wild trails hidden within Yair forest that many riders might remember from the infamous Selkirk mountain bike marathon events.

Other forests to explore by bike include Cademuir near Peebles that is a local riding spot offering some short trails for those staying in the town. Gypsy Glen is the local classic MTB ride and offers great ridge top riding straight into Peebles. Best left for drier weather this natural ride takes you out into remote hills.

Southern Upland Way in full bloom

Tweed Valley Gravel

The Tweed Valley has endless miles of gravel trails and all the main Tweed Valley Forest Parks can be linked up to form an epic gravel ride. The options are truly endless but a locals favourite takes in the Bowbeat Windfarm tracks near Glentress which offers views as far as the Forth of Firth and even Edinburgh’s Arthurs Seat.

Stunning gravel rides

Inspiration for your Tweed Valley Trip

To minimise our environmental impact we are promoting riders to visit our key destinations and stay for as long as possible.

We hope that riders will consider their impact - travel as sustainably as they can, eat and drink local, give back to the trails they ride, and ride responsibly - considering their impact on other users, mountain rescue teams, landowners/managers, and the environment.

For for further local knowledge, information and great advice look no further than this one-stop shop, GO TWEED VALLEY.

Train: You can access the Tweed Valley Forest Park via the ScotRail service to Edinburgh. Trains have limited availability for bike storage and we recommend (attempting) book your bike onto the train in advance of travelling. If you are unable to book your bike on the train, and although it is not guaranteed, we do find the train guard's and staff generally take a reasonable approach to taking your bike on a train. If there is no space then please be polite and considerate towards all staff (we know you will but just in case). You can then hop onto one of the bike busses and head to the trails!

Bus: There are frequent bike busses that run from Edinburgh to the Tweed Valley, further information can be found at Borders Buses.

Car: We recognise that a car, or van, is a really flexible and handy option for mountain biking trips. Covid considerations/restrictions should be taken into account, however, when possible we would recommend sharing lifts and minimising any unnecessary journeys. Where possible, park up and ride from your accommodation.

Hotels: There is a fantastic selection of hotels in the Tweed Valley. Please consider booking with Expedia through this link and 5% of your booking will go to the Tweed Valley Trails Association to help them maintain and develop the trail network you will be riding during your stay.

Camping and Bunkhouses: The Valley has many accommodation options to suit all budgets and need for adventure. Check out Go Tweed Valley for a great rundown of all that is on offer.

You may also, under Scottish Outdoor Access Code, choose to 'wild' camp - especially if you want a bikepacking adventure. Please be aware that you only have this right if you are a responsible camper - click away for more details on what that means in practice from our friends at Nature Scot.

Self-catering: There are plenty of self-catering options too. So if you are looking for a quiet secluded getaway for two or a large property for a gathering of friends - check out our friends at Go Tweed Valley for some fantastic options.

The incredible network of trails across the Tweed Valley are managed and maintained by many different landowners. The trails of Glentress and Innerleithen are maintained by Forestry and Land Scotland and the volunteer group Glentress Trailfaries, and there are a growing number of natural, enduro trails across the valley that have now been adopted by the Tweed Valley Trails Association.

Food: The Tweed Valley has a variety of excellent local suppliers and taste experiences from first-class choclatiers, award-wining butchers and exquisite dining options jostle between bike-friendly cafes and bars.

Drink: The Tweed Valley is full of microbreweries producing delicious craft beers. The oldest of which is the Traquair Brewery, dating back to the 1700's! The relative newcomers to the scene being, Freewheelin Brewery, Tempest Brewery and Born in The Borders. There are also artisan gin distilleries,1881 at Peebles Hydro and Meldon, by Tweed Valley Distilling Co. Be sure to sample in local bars and restaurants - Scotland has amazing local produce that should be sampled and enjoyed (responsibly).

The Tweed Valley Forest Park is a haven for all outdoor enthusiasts, and many routes are not specific bike trails so are shared by others, so bear this in mind - be prepared to share the experience with others you meet whether they be hillwalkers, climbers, dog walkers, horse riders or families. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code gives us great access to the outdoors in Scotland if we do so, responsibly.

Trail Maps & Apps For Destination

To help you plan your visit to the Tweed Valley we have collated the official trail centre maps and rider-driven apps which can help you discover the best trails across the area.

Rider populated apps are a great way to discover new trails however they may not be up to date with trail conditions and we recommend doing further research before you ride.

Please ride responsibly on all trails - follow our Do The Ride Thing guidance.