Glentress Forest is located near
Peebles
Peebles ( gd, Na Pùballan) is a town in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was historically a royal burgh and the county town of Peeblesshire. According to the 2011 census, the population was 8,376 and the estimated population in June 2018 wa ...
in the
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders ( sco, the Mairches, 'the Marches'; gd, Crìochan na h-Alba) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, West Lot ...
, about 30 miles south of
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
. Part of the
Tweed Valley Forest Park along with
Traquair Forest in
Innerleithen
Innerleithen ( gd, Inbhir Leitheann) is a civil parish and a small town in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders. It was formerly in the historic county of Peeblesshire or Tweeddale.
Etymology
The name "Innerleithen" comes f ...
, it is the home of a mountain biking centre which is one of the
7stanes mountain bike trails operated throughout southern
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...
by
Forestry and Land Scotland
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) ( gd, Coilltearachd agus Fearann Alba) is responsible for managing and promoting Scotland's national forest estate: land, predominantly covered in forest, owned by the Scottish Government on behalf of the nation. ...
.
There are currently 5
mountain bike
A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which m ...
waymarked routes and a freeride park in Glentress Forest. The historic cycle trails, aimed at children and families, provide an interesting way to explore the forest and its history. The blue, red, and black mountain bike routes provide a challenge for all abilities. The red route is noted for a high-speed section with many bermed corners known as Spooky Woods. The green trail is a "skills loop", and is designed for those new to mountain biking, although there are some challenges for those wishing to practice rocky sections or raised wooden trails too.
History
During the 1930s, unemployed men were set to work in Glentress Forest, breaking ground, building tracks, and undertaking other heavy labour. The men lived in a work camp at
Eshiels, which was one of a number of so-called Instructional Centres run by the Ministry of Labour in order to 'harden' young men who had been out of work for some time. By 1938, the Ministry was operating 35 Instructional Centres across Britain, with a total capacity of over 6,000 places. By 1939, unemployment was declining in the face of impending war, and the Ministry closed down its work camps.
The forest itself was planted in the 1920s in response to the national shortage of timber brought about by the First World War. Some of the original stands of
Douglas Fir
The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three v ...
still remain to this day. There are remains of an
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly ...
hill fort
A hillfort is a type of earthwork used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze Age or Iron Age. Some were used in the post-Roma ...
at the top of Janet's Brae which offers a spectacular vista over the town of Peebles. A short walk will lead to the site where a reconstruction of a timber round house from the same Iron Age period used to stand until it was burnt down in 2010.
See also
*
List of places in the Scottish Borders
''Map of places in the Scottish Borders compiled from this list'':See the list of places in Scotland for places in other counties.
This list of places in the Scottish Borders includes towns, villages, hamlets, castles, golf courses, historic hous ...
*
List of places in Scotland
This list of places in Scotland is a complete collection of lists of places in Scotland.
* List of burghs in Scotland
* List of census localities in Scotland
* List of islands of Scotland
** List of Shetland islands
** List of Orkney islands
** ...
External links
Forestry Commission Scotland - Glentress Forest7stanes – Scotland's Biking HeavenGlentress Trail Map (PDF)A trail guide for Glentress at Mountain Bikes ApartRIDELINES Mountain Bike Tuition - A local company offering mountain bike tuition at Glentress and guided rides in the Tweed Valley
References
John Field, "Learning Through Labour: Training, unemployment and the state, 1890-1939", Leeds University Press, 1992,
{{coord, 55, 41, N, 3, 08, W, display=title, region:GB_type:forest_source:GNS-enwiki
Forests and woodlands of Scotland
Mountain biking venues in the United Kingdom