Glentress is probably the best of the Seven Stanes MTB trails centres in the Scottish Borders. It is located just outside Peebles and is not too far away from Edinburgh. There are blue (Moderate - 14km), red (Difficult - 17km) and black (severe - 29km) routes. There is also quite a large skills park a short drive (saves riding up) into the forest. Parking is about £3 for the day, which is there is a few of you is well worth it. The blue route is enjoyable with the trails being fairly smooth. The red is a little more lumpy, however is excellent fun, but challenging in places - Spooky woods is very enjoyable. The black route is difficult and will take a good 4hrs, with significant amounts of climbing - it goes up to 600m. The views once you get to the top are fantastic, and once up there you can descend on some of the most fantastic trails. Deliverance will make you smile for weeks. Once you have finished riding make sure you sample the cakes at the Hub cafe - after all you earned it. read more

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Glentress is like a sweet shop for a kid. If you like or are interested in anything mountain bikey then this is a place to visit. It has everything. Trails, Bike shop, cafe, scenery, toilets and even the option to clean your bike before you leave for a small fee. You need to pay for the parking £1-3 for a specific time period. Picnic tables everywhere to enjoy the views. Maps and info free to take. So you don't get lost, but this place is so popular. You will end up following someone. As you leave the car park you pass by the bike shop. Which allows you to rent a bike and the safety equipment if you don't already own them. Once you leave the cafe/bike shop. Over a wee bridge turn right and that is the beginning of your long journey. There journey up is fantastic a great work out. Almost vertical at times all sorts of areas designed to warm you up and prepare you for what is to come. Every time I felt as though I had reached the top and there was no 'Mountain' left. You turn a corner and boom more incline. The views are superb. You smile because you realise there is only one way for you to go, down. At the top I expected some sort of celebration, music and confetti. Nope none of that. You end up right at the start of the descent. Heading down you soon realise this place is something else. More like Cathkin Braes than what I am used to which is the Carron Valley. You have a mixture of everything here. Jumps, Berms, table tops and bike tree roots. At times you have a chance to choose your own route. Not a choice of easy or difficult, just choose your way through the trees. Fantastic but heavy duty. There is also a skills area and place to just play on the jumps. Many many options. Shame that it is a little out of the way for me. It is a fantastic place. If you can just go and have a look. read more

I grew up near Glentress and still go back occasionally. It has become very popular with mountain bikers and has always been popular with walkers. There is a pair of ospreys which nest near by so in the summer they have an area where you can learn more about ospreys and watch them. read more

Love the Mountain biking but giving it one star because of the abominable way the Forestry Commission are treating The Hub Cafe and Bike Shop. read more