We hope you've had a fantastic year of riding and enjoyed the many improvements made throughout the 7stanes... here's hoping for an even better 2008!
In this edition you'll find details of the Ae 7stanes Centre, Stepping Stanes and the latest trail building news.
Trail News
Work continues on new sections of singletrack at Innerleithen and Newcastleton. These are nearing completion and are looking pretty tasty.
The 1400m section at Innerleithen will be fast and furious with jumps, cheeky rock features and big sweeping corners.
At Newcastleton, the Caddrouns Blue Route will be transformed with a new 2km long singletrack descent back towards the trail head, making over 50% of the route of singletrack!
Both sections should be open by early 2008 - we'll let you know on the trail conditions pages as soon as they are open and ready to ride.
Mabie Skills Park, including Mini-X, will have its Northshore line open for Christmas. 121m of sheer fear!
Ae
For all those who?ve been asking the question and wanting to ride the new sections, the Ae Red and downhill won?t be open until March. Please stay off the uncompleted sections in the wet winter weather as it makes for a lot more work for the trailbuilders.
The 13.5 km Ae blue will be fully waymarked and open before Christmas? Check the website for details.
Trail heads
The first of the new 7stanes trail heads is due to be installed at Innerleithen. The trail heads will be a mixture of features, made of various materials, to reflect the character of the local trails and are intended to give a greater sense of 'setting off' on your bike ride.
With each trail head being unique and having the name of the stane somewhere in the design, we hope riders will be encouraged to take a photographic record of their travels on each of the 7stanes across the south of Scotland.
Signage
The Key Information Points and the Skills Areas are being upgraded and improved, and the Forestry Commission Scotland " ladder boards" are being updated to announce more clearly your arrival and direct you around the car parks. Watch out for new trail centre banners, way markers and road signs in due course.
Ae 7stanes Centre
Work is cracking on with the new showers, toilets, café and shop at Ae and it is hoped that everything will be open for Easter weekend 2008.
The preferred operators for the café and shop - Niall Mclean and Rob Gray from 'Get Amongst It Limited' - are working up their menus and bike stock plans as we write, to be sure they get off to a flying start for the new riding season at Ae.
Stepping Stanes
Stepping Stanes is a new Go Ride club for Dumfries and Galloway, which is intended to encourage more young people into cycling and mountain biking.
There was a good turn out at the Gatehouse event on Sunday 18th November with about thirty of the country's top cyclocross racers in attendance. There was also great support from the mountain bike-friendly Murray Arms Hotel, Stepping Stanes, the Scottish Cycling Union and Scottish Cycling who provided dedicated coaching for the under 12's.
More details on the
Biking Heaven website.
www.7stanes.gov.uk
