Innerleithen

The best downhill and enduro mountain-biking in the area

A 7stanes destination, Innerleithen is renowned for its four downhill trails, all of them orange-graded Bike Park Extreme. There's also some serious cross-country action on the challenging red-graded Innerleithen XC trail.

Mountain biking trails

Innerleithen 7stanes route card (PDF)

Brilliant uplift service at Innerleithen Trails! More info at: www.adrenalinuplift.co.uk.

Phytophthora Ramorum, a disease that kills larch trees, has reached Innerleithen’s Traquair Forest. Please help slow the spread of the disease by making sure your bikes, shoes, kit, dogs, horses, buggies etc., are all clean before visiting Innerleithen and other forests. Thank you. #keepitclean

Mountain Biking

Innerleithen XC (diverted)

Grade – Red: Difficult 11 ¾ miles / 19.0 km

Is this trail for you? Find the right grade for your abilities

Grade – Red: Difficult  Expect a mixture of steep climbs, descents and / or avoidable features. Larger jumps, berms and rollable features at controlled speed. Technical features such as tree roots, drop-offs and large rocks. Very variable surfaces.

Not for the faint hearted, this route includes a leg-burning climb, some thrilling singletrack descents and optional black graded features. You’re on single track right out of the car park, with a switchback climb through the forest and a lung-busting climb to the summit of Minch Moor ahead of you. It’s back to singletrack on the way down, with jumps, drop-offs and optional black-grade features.

A trail notice is in effect

• XC Trail is open with two diversions:
  
  
• Trail is closed on Taniel Hill Climb (between post 9 and 10) due to storm damaged trees with short diversion to Taniel Hill Descent
  
  
• Plora Craig/Oh Deer/Razor Rock closed long term due to storm damaged trees with diversion via forest road and Angry Sheep ending near post 41. 
  
  
• Advance notice: tree felling operations on the forest road after the Enduro Track due to start ~ mid April and finish ~mid May. Once felling starts a diversion will be in place from the start of the Enduro Track (post 26) to the start of Angry Sheep (Monday - Friday).  The Enduro Track and forest road after will be open at weekends during the works. 

Mountain Biking

Innerleithen Downhill (diverted)

Grade – Double-black: Extreme

Is this trail for you? Find the right grade for your abilities

Grade – Double-black: Extreme  Expect a very fast and steep descents. Large drop-offs, jumps and unavoidable obstacles that require high levels of skill and commitment. Extreme level of exposure or risk. Rapid rate of surface change.

Some of the best downhill routes in the country. The mix of 'natural' and machine-built routes drops steeply through the forest from the summit of Plora Rig. All routes are graded 'extreme', with small, medium and large features. Full face helmet, gloves, body armour and a downhill specific bike are strongly recommended for all trails. The four waymarked downhill tracks are:

• Make or Brake: 1.2 miles / 2km
• Matador: 1.2 miles / 1.9km
• Gold Run: 0.9 miles / 1.4km
• Cresta Run: 0.9 miles / 1.5km
• Double D (optional line): 0.4km

A trail notice is in effect

The Muc and Mac Fest gravel event takes place from 3 to 4 May. There will be an increased number of gravel cyclists in the forest. 

• Gold Run: all open
• Cresta Run: all open 
• Matador: all open except drop near the end of Matador middle - closed for maintenance with short diversion to road. Look out for re-route to the trail line on Matador Lower after the first set of jumps
• Make or Brake: upper and middle sections closed due to extensive storm damage 
• Cadon Bank: open
• Push Ups: Main Push Up path to the top of DH trails - all open. Push Up to start of Cadon Bank - open
• Please note: signage on the DH trails is currently being updated from the old orange grading to the newer black/double black grading.  Look out for the install team working on the DH trails Monday - Friday during April 
• Other trails: Angry Sheep, Green Wing, A Salmon's Journey and Trail With No Name trails and forest road at the start of them are back open following completion of tree felling works. Look out for timber lorries loading in this area; please stop and wait for the operator to wave you through before passing
• Look out for timber lorries on forest roads through DH trails area from Monday to Friday

Activities

Walking

Walkers are welcome at Innerleithen, except on the mountain bike trails, where it’s unsafe to walk. We recommend walking the section of The Southern Upland Way, which passes through Traquair village and heads up on to Minch Moor.

Trails in Innerleithen:

The trails and facilities in Innerleithen make it a popular destination for mountain bikers, but there are plenty of other paths that cater for a quieter time in the forest. Find out more about how we’re working to create ideal environments for walking, mountain biking and horse riding in the Tweed Valley Forest Park.

Tweed Valley Zoning Plan (PDF 6MB)

Facilities and access

Mountain biking

Viewpoint

Walking

Parking (charge)

Picnic area

The nearest public toilets and places to eat are in Innerleithen.

Car parking information

The charges to park at Innerleithen are:

• £1.50 for up to 1 hour
• £4 for all day
• £14 for minibus or coach all day

Blue Badge holders park free. Please display your Blue Badge clearly.

Payment can be made using coins, card or RingGo.

Annual parking passes are available for this site, visit our parking page for more information.

Please park with care and consideration. In particular please park in designated parking areas only and do not block entrances or gates. Nearby car parks with free parking can be found in our Forest Search.

More about parking

Bike uplift service

Maximise your time on the trails with Adrenalin Uplift. When available, this shuttlebus service runs every 15 minutes, carrying up to 64 riders and their bikes to the top of the hill.

Visit Adrenalin Uplift to book day, weekend and season passes.

Getting here

From the main road through Innerleithen village, look for the road sign for '7stanes Trails' next to St James' Church. The car park is ½ mile along this road on the left.

Using SatNav?

EH44 6PW is the nearest postcode, a little to the south-west.

Public transport

Innerleithen village is well-served by buses. It's a ½ mile walk to the forest from the nearest bus stop. Plan your journey at Traveline Scotland.

Get directions