Glentress weekend oct07
Friday Oct 12th saw the annual Woollybacks Glentress weekend away. We all met at charnock Richard services for a 8am cannonball run upto Scotland. Setting off in convoy contacting people who were running abit late it looked at times like wacky races going up the M6. Hitting the Lake District and visibility from rain and fog was down to zero, was this a sign the weekend held in store for us. I certainly hoped not and luckily it was the last time we saw rain all weekend.
First port of call was Moffat jnc 15, M74 for the customary fry up breakfast at the café there. As there were only a couple of people who had done the weekend before they knew what had to be done. You see little did the rest of us know that the café is only small so as Jnc 15 turn off approached a few cars took off to get to the café first and get a seat. I later learnt from one veteran of this rat race that when you see the signs for Jnc 15 it was ‘everyman for himself’. Luckily for us newbies there was plenty of room. After a very pleasant breakfast we left Moffat heading cross country to Peebles and Glentress. These roads were amazing, maintaining a 50-60mph all the way through.
We hit the Glentress Hotel and booked in, throwing ours bags into the rooms. I was sharing with 2 others and was last one up there, yep I got the top bunk. All 15 stone on a couple of wooden slats, I really felt sorry for Roger on the bottom bunk.
Bags in room then straight back into cars for the 5 mile trip to Innerleithen.
Innerleithen
Arriving at the car park the weekend was about to start, bikes out, kit on and pads. After the customary group photo shot we started climbing. The climbs are not that steep but just go on for ever, a couple of rock step ups keep things interesting and claimed a few teeth off my big chainring.
After a while we hit the old quarry a short steep down leading to a double on the up. As in true Woollyback style the first ones down stopped to heckle the others following. This is when the fist satck happened. Si B went for the double but hit the second front wheel first, at speed. Big crash. He escaped with a few grazes after abit of egging on wouldn’t go back to try again, he wasn’t falling for that one. Gazza went back for a 2nd go to prove to all of us that Turners could fly. Well done that man.See Here
More climbing up to the top trig point then some sweeping downhill, really nice stuff, past the crop circles and whoops he did it again, Si forgot to go around the corner and crashed. Hopefully Ian T has it on camera and will appear on youtube, we’ll see.
Onto the rock gardens which claimed a few , nothing serious though. At the other end a bit of a wait as there were a few mechanicals. A few went on to do a loop that Kiwi’s mate knew and we met up at the top of the last downhill.
After a bit of a play on the 3 drop offs, I think there was only Gazza and Si who went for the big one at the end. I was right behind Gazza but chickened out of the drop off. We hit the hairpin we the trail turned into a fast section a whoops, Gazza was going for it opening a gap between us when something didn’t seem right as he went over the last one. I saw Gazza’s bike upright in a tree and him on the other side down the side of the trail. After a minute or so he actually answered me, knocked himself out we think although he had actually missed the tree with himself. He got up, no blood, checked his bike, all ok. Then whooping with joy how great this place is took off again storming down the hill. The rest of the downhill is just fantastic. Worth going back just for this bit.
Everyone down in one piece all with their own stories we packed up back to the hotel.
After bikes stored away, showers and getting changed we hit the hotel bar until we sat for the meal there. Really excellent food and well looked after by the staff.
Glentress black Saturday
The Glentress trails start literally round the corner from the hotel. We started the climb to the freeride area. Phil T managed to snap his seat post there but managed to have enough post left to carry on for the day.
About an hour into the climb my freehub finally let go so that was ride over for me, back down to the hotel and into Innerleithen to get it sorted.
Carl and Gazza went on the ride earlier than the rest of us cause they had to get back home later that day. They had a fantastic day on the black route, clearing stuff that in previous years had evaded them and although missing out on the Sunday ride felt the trip was well worth it.
I will let someone else fill in the Black route review as I was crying back at the hotel with a broken bike.
That night after the meal some stayed at the hotel and a handful of us went into Peebles, a great night watching England beat France with the majority of the Scots in the pub cheering on France the banter was great with a good atmosphere.
Glentress red Sunday
Starting with a good breakfast at the hotel and with a few of us having sore heads from the previous night, one didn’t even make it to the breakfast table. We set off again up the long road upto the freeride area and continuing onto the red. At the beginning of the trail head, cams were switched on and Roger opted to follow Dan. A couple of minutes later coming into a dip, Dan was found on the floor trying to sit up but a little concust. A cracked helmet, a marked tree and Dan explaining that he came off quite a way up the hill and landed here. Another contender for the stack of the year. Ok to carry on we made it to the top and the beginning off the downhill. Just then Phil T rear swing arm snapped,(Here) not completely but he couldn’t ride the bike. Out came a 6” adjustable spanner to splint the break and some bandage(electrical insulation tape and gaffa tape) he was able to ride back down. We continued having a few goes on the three jumps, getting photos and head cam footage before flying down round the lovely berms, over the little jumps. Arms starting to tire getting quicker and quicker. I was following Jamo for the first bit and the speed he went round the berms just opened up gaps between us, no matter how much I tried to catch up on the straights he just opened up the gap on the next berm. Absolutely knackered going full tilt, big smiles on everyones faces, this is what its all about.
A few cheeky bits thrown in by Kiwi we all got down to the hub for post rides drinks and cake.
The whole weekend was a fantastic experience, the weather couldn’t have been better, the Glentress Hotel comes highly recommended, good prices, fantastic food, bike storage.
Would like to thank all those who went which made it such a good weekend, the knowledge, experience, banter is second to none and experience gained by us newbies.
Thanks
Ian P
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