Glentress Forestry - Tweed Value

Glentress Forestry - Tweed Value

A motorhome holiday is all about traveling to the spots that are of intrest to you, if you have enjoy an outdoor adventure then Glentress is such a wonderful location to visit  in one of our Scottish Tourer Motorhomes with such an array of things to see and do. Glentress in located in the Tweed Valley and is one of 8 forests here, it is enriched with thousands of visitors each year whether that is through the love of nature, sightseeing, GoApe adeventure, mountain biking, walking or horse riding. You will literally see all walks of life here both human and animal/nature alike. Each brings with it a unique tapestry for what makes up our Scottish Heritage. 

 
What is there to do?

If you enjoy a walk

There is around 25 miles of walking to be completed here with an array of walking routes for all levels and abilities. The full card can be found here. fls-routecard-sr-tvfp-glentress.pdf 

• The Ponds Trail is a lovely short walk of under a kilometre and here you can see the home to herons, bats and red squirrels. The path is firm however there are some short ramps that have looser stones. 
• The Glen Trail is mystical and charming as you walk through the Douglas Fir towering above you. This walk is slightly more demanding than the ponds and allow yourself an hour or 2 hours if you have small children. There are some narrower sections here with tree roots along with some steps and kissing gates so a buggy is not suitable for this one. A carrier if you have small children is recommended for this one. 
• Our favourite walk here is the Time Trail literally transport yourself back to the Iron Age and look out over the fantastic views of the Vally and the Caddon Hills. This is not for those infirm on their feet but is easily manageable in 2 hours as it has some longer stretches that are uphill. 
• The Tower Trail is one we have never managed to do as it is long at over 9km and is really rough terrain. However we have been told its a wonderful walk where you can see the Iron Age settlement along with the views of Sheildgreen Tower and you gain some wonderful views at the top. Ideal for those who are fit and do not have small children in tow. If you manage to walk this one be sure to tell us, one day we will manage to get this one completed. 

 Mountain biking

If its mountain biking you are after you will not be disappointed. There is currently alot of work being undertaken in improving, expanding and changing the routes currently available. The bike uplift is still available throughout all the works being carried out and you can look at this at www.adrenalineuplift.co.uk . Here the masterplan is to create further trails and they have the bonus of taster loops here so you can see what to expect if you undertake the main routes. This is a great option if you fancy trying the next step up but aren’t sure you want to attempt the whole route. 

• There are two green routes here a lower and an upper covering around 8km in total. The upper is a fair cycle so unless your fit or have tow ropes for small children its a long haul. You are however awarded by some fantastic scenery at the top. 
• The Blue route covers quite an area and will take up to 4 hours depending on your experience and company. It covers around 16km and its lots of fun. You can of course pop in and out of this and you do not have to complete the entire route which is an added bonus of Glentress. This is our go to if we have a group of mixed abilities as the beginners can find there feet (or wheels) and the experienced ones can improve on technique and of course speed in our case. 
• If your looking for something really fun head over to the Orange run which is the ideal location for pushing your skills to the maximum, learn new techniques or build confidence and spend time with your group. 
• If your after extreme riding there’s 18km of red riding which is fast, full of jumps, berms and technical climbs. This isn’t to be tackled if your novice. The black runs span around 29km and has some utterly spectacular descents, again this should only be tackled by experienced riders. Glentress - Forestry and Land Scotland has lots of extra information on all the routes and contains a route map so you can plan your routes for the day/days. There is enough here to cover several days and have lots of fun.
• There is a skills park area which is amazing for children and adults alike, practice before heading down the longer trails, brush up your skills or test out a hire bike. 

Tree Top Trail

• The Go Ape Tree-Top experience is a day to remember. Here you can get a great view from the forest from above. You are suspended at 40 feet above the floor, the best part is the long zip line over the ponds stretching 325 metre long. This experience is a short walk from the bike hire, will take around 10 minutes but is a lovely start to warm you up for the adventures to be had. 

Wildlife Spotting

• Interestingly in 2020 they began clearing a drained pond near the gateway building in order to restore, clean and redesign. This was to ensure the habitat for the dragonflies, ducks and the uncovered frogs that were living here. They found the frogs under the stones, of all different colours, oranges, greens and browns. These frogs were carefully caught and rehoused whilst the works were going on but it also highlighted the incredibly large diverse nature of this area and the importance of it remaining. The pond is also home to many swallows and house martens. 
• Alongside all the outdoor activities here you can view lots of wildlife including Osprey if your lucky. The Peel Cafe is a lovely place to stop for a hot drink or lunch and recharge yourself before heading back out again. They have a lovely large carpark which is usually not to busy. However be mindful where you park the Motorhomes so as not to get blocked in or find yourself in difficulty getting out of a space at the end of the day. There is of course also the bike hire and shop if you happen to have forgotten anything and they have an excellent opportunity for bikes to sample. 

If in the Edinburgh area this is a great spot for some outdoor adventures and what could be better than going back to the motorhome for some rest after a hard days adventure.