Once again, Richard asked me if I would help him with his Outdoor Ed course and, once again, I was very happy to oblige! The plan today was to head down to Glentress and introduce the group to a bit of single track action. I was really looking forward to the afternoon; mainly because it had been a good few years since I had been to Glentress. The last time I was there was quite a few years ago with Outdoor Ed when I was at Edinburgh Uni. I had read lots of good things about all the work they had put into developing the trails down there, so I was keen to check it out.
We headed off in the mini bus at midday and munched our butties en route. We parked up and popped into The Hub to collect our pre-booked rides. After getting the group sorted, I finally got my hands on my own transportation for the afternoon. To my surprise, it was a very new looking Genesis IO ID - awesome news for me... I knew the day was going to be a hoot! I was most impressed by the bike and I was intrigued by the internal hub gear mechanism. The quality of all the hire bikes was excellent and I would certainly recommend the hire option / service to anyone, even if you're an experienced biker. We briefed the kids about the dangers, hazards and the 'dos and don'ts' of mountain biking.
Then it was time to suck it up, get our heads down and start the climb through the forest. We had told the kids to set their saddle correctly for the climb to get the most out of their legs. However, as I was bringing up the rear and looking up the line, it was clear who had listened and who hadn't! Another word in their ear soon set them straight and we continued up the switchback single track. I have to say that the quality of the track was excellent - nothing like I remember it from years ago.
We soon reached the Buzzard's Nest Car Park and took a breather. Richard planned to descend via a bit of a mixture of the Blue and Red runs. After a quick chat, we spoke to the kids and headed on up towards Pennels Vennel. Another chat with the group and this time we made sure that everyone took our advice about lowering their saddle for the downhill! We zipped back down the wide run to the top car park again, just to give the kids a 'feel' for it, as many of the group had never mountain biked before. The conditions were great; not too muddy but not too firm either. We practiced the drill of the staggered start and leaving at least a few seconds gap between each rider. The group quickly figured out the preferred order, with the more confident riders going towards the front of the line. Adrenalin now well and truly flowing, we started down the 'whoop-de-doos' of Electric Blue. The kids loved this run... and so did I! It was great fun on the flowing single track with the option of a few jumps. Thankfully, everyone made it down in one piece and Richard and I grinned as we listened to the group laughing about what had just happened.
As time was getting on, we headed on down Falla Brae. The kids were a lot more confident now and that was plain to see. This particular run had optional jumps and I found it interesting to see which individuals chose to go over them or around them. Back at the bus to conclude a brilliant afternoon. I was so impressed by the facilities and the quality of the runs. It was a world away from how I remember it when I last visited. Years ago you really had to know your way around the place, as there were no signs or organisation and you really needed a guide for the first visit. Today, that is not so; a great facility that I would recommend to all abilities and experience.
We soon reached the Buzzard's Nest Car Park and took a breather. Richard planned to descend via a bit of a mixture of the Blue and Red runs. After a quick chat, we spoke to the kids and headed on up towards Pennels Vennel. Another chat with the group and this time we made sure that everyone took our advice about lowering their saddle for the downhill! We zipped back down the wide run to the top car park again, just to give the kids a 'feel' for it, as many of the group had never mountain biked before. The conditions were great; not too muddy but not too firm either. We practiced the drill of the staggered start and leaving at least a few seconds gap between each rider. The group quickly figured out the preferred order, with the more confident riders going towards the front of the line. Adrenalin now well and truly flowing, we started down the 'whoop-de-doos' of Electric Blue. The kids loved this run... and so did I! It was great fun on the flowing single track with the option of a few jumps. Thankfully, everyone made it down in one piece and Richard and I grinned as we listened to the group laughing about what had just happened.
As time was getting on, we headed on down Falla Brae. The kids were a lot more confident now and that was plain to see. This particular run had optional jumps and I found it interesting to see which individuals chose to go over them or around them. Back at the bus to conclude a brilliant afternoon. I was so impressed by the facilities and the quality of the runs. It was a world away from how I remember it when I last visited. Years ago you really had to know your way around the place, as there were no signs or organisation and you really needed a guide for the first visit. Today, that is not so; a great facility that I would recommend to all abilities and experience.
