The Great British Mountain Bike Trail Guide

FACILITIES

Car park and charges: Yes; charges apply

Cafe: No

Toilets: Yes

Showers: No (but there is a changing room)

Bike wash: Yes

Nearest bike shop: BikeSeven, Unit 2, Sandilands, Longtown, Cumbria, CA6 5LY (01228 792497)

Bike hire: None on site

Accommodation: B&Bs, hotels, self-catering accommodation and camping around the area of Newcastleton village.

Other trails on site: Blue, Purple, skills area/taster loop, permissive paths and forest roads.

Ordnance Survey map: Explorer 324.

ENJOYMENT FOR SKILL LEVEL

Beginner: 6/10

Intermediate: 8/10

Advanced: 4/10

Getting there: From the A7 at Longtown head north towards Langholm. At the village of Canonbie, take the second right turn and drop into the village centre. Turn left and head north-east on the B6357 to the village of Newcastleton. Just as you enter the 30mph limit you will see brown signs pointing you right up a lane over the river. Head straight on up the lane and follow the narrow lane through a series of tight corners up the hill to the car park on the right.

Grid ref: NY 50170 87397

Sat nav: Newcastleton

More info: www.7stanesmountainbiking. com

TRAIL 1

On-site grade: Red

Clive’s grade: Blue with Red sections

Distance: 15.5km

Technicality: 4/10

Ascent: 275m

ENJOYMENT FOR SKILL LEVEL

Beginner: 4/10

Intermediate: 8/10

Advanced: 4/10

At the far end of the car park pass through the gate in the dry stone wall and take the right turn, climbing up the forest road. At the top of the forest road you will pass a junction to your left – this is your return route. For the outbound trail continue straight ahead until you see signs directing you to take a single track on your right-hand side. This is where you will find the skills area/taster loop. The Red trail takes in a few jumps before levelling out and climbing up slightly, a series of switchbacks drop you into the first part of the descent.

The trail has been cut into a terraced hillside. The majority of the opening 2km is descending, however there are a few uphill sections and steep ramps to break up the fun. Partway through the section you will cross a forest road. The lower section opens with a natural trail and runs down by some large oak trees, there are a few bridges to pass over throughout the section and care should be taken on wet days. At the bottom of the descent you will switch left on a forest road and traverse along next to Tweeden Burn.

A long forest road section steadily climbs upwards with the river down to your left. You will arrive at a T-junction with the Borderstone to your left. This section forms part of the link with the trail over at Kielder Forest and makes for quite a long epic ride. Take a left turn and run along a long straight section of forest road before a section of single track on your left cuts through the trees, crossing over Tweeden Burn once more. The bridge over the burn is quite narrow so riders with wide handlebars will have to take care. Beyond the bridge the trail climbs up the hill through a series of steep switchbacks.

The climb joins a forest road. Turn right and. within a few metres, take a left turn into another section of single track. Once again you climb up the hillside. The gradient here isn’t as steep as the previous section. You join a forest road at the top of Dead Man’s Quarry climb and a short flat section links you to a T-junction where you take a left turn and climb up. The forest road levels out and you will get a short section of single track on your left-hand side. There are some fast corners in this section so take care as the surface is quite loose.

A short forest road links to the next single track on your right. Switchback up the hill in the trees, passing the quarry viewpoint and into the descent. The gradient through the downhill isn’t particularly steep but the smooth trail surface makes it easy for you to carry a decent speed. There are a few rough sections that only last for a couple of metres at a time. There are also plenty of fast corners throughout this section and you will drop back down, linking to the forest road you headed outbound on earlier.

Taking a right turn onto the forest road and then another right turn along a forest road link, the next sections are shared with the Blue trail. You will cut across the top of the Dun Knowe to a turning circle where you enter a single-track descent. There are some tight corners in this section and the surface is loose. At the bottom of a short descent, join a forest road link. A fork left puts you into a short single-track climb.

Traversing the hillside you will come to a series of tight switchbacks and onto a wooden boardwalk. After the boardwalk some more fast corners link you to a wooden bridge as you cut across the hillside. At the end of the section you drop down through a series of switchbacks and onto the forest road. Follow the forest road which joins into a tarmac road and within a kilometre you’re back at the car park.

NEWCASTLETON