7 Stanes Trail Development Update

Some of you may have read recently that mountain biking in Scotland achieved Global Superstar status according to an International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) report. The 7 Stanes Team have continued their great work with many new trails planned, and development already taking place:

Kirroughtree

At Kirroughtree, five new sections in the blue & red routes will be open from Friday 26 May - a total of 2.3km of new singletrack. The red route remains the same length at 17km, with the blue extended to 10km.

Construction of the new sections of the black route is due to be completed by September 06.

Glentrool

A completely new 8.5km blue grade trail, of which 5.5km will be singletrack, is planned for Glentrool, making this site a great family friendly, touring & novice centre. The trail will run from the current Glentrool visitor centre and the new facilities are expected to be open by the end of November 2006.

The car park at the centre is due to be extended in 2007 to cater for the increase in people coming to ride.

Trail heads at both Glentrool and Kirroughtree will be put in place over the coming months, providing better information for riders.

Dalbeattie

The new skills area at Dalbeattie will be completed and available for riding by Friday 2nd June. The loop consists of green, blue, red, and black sections of trail, adding approximately 1.3km to the existing loops.

Glentress

Trail building is due to start at Glentress in August 2006. New additions will include green and blue grade sections of trail, with one of the blue trails being an entry-level freeride area.

Ae Forest

Most of the new build for Ae will take place in 2007 and will cover all grades of trail. This will include a skills area that will have a 4X course linked into the end of the 'Omega Man'.

Mabie

Three new sections of green and blue singletrack are planned for Mabie and are due for completion over Summer 2006. Two new sections of red-grade trail are planned for 2007.

Trail developments at Innerleithen and Newcastleton are still in the pre-planning stages.

www.7stanes.gov.uk