Newcastleton Red Route
Newcastleton is a great biking centre for families, novices and those who enjoy a more testing time on two wheels. The centre has a short red route, two blue routes and a skills loop to learn some of the basics. There's also a black graded ridge just for experts.
If you've never been to Newcastleton then you'll probably not know much of its history – it's steeped in it! Newcastleton is right on the English border and was an area made famous by the Border Reivers. Their story includes rustling and feuding, violence, murder and extortion - all common place many years ago in the area.
Already at the forest is a growing network of walking trails, so apart from biking you'll have other options whilst you are there. It's a friendly area and one worth visiting.
Ok, so what is worth doing?
When we arrived in June 2005, there was the choice of 2 blue routes, or the more adventurous red route. Having visited Glentress already, and having thoroughly enjoyed the Helly Hanson Black route, we obviously headed straight for the red.
After climbing a short distance from the car park, there is a short skills loop which I think is an excellent idea for novices and families. There is nothing which will really test an expert rider, but it certainly shows you what you can expect from the red. We rode round this loop a couple of times just to see what the trail builders had been up to, and we certainly recommend it.
The first section of the Red route starts in the forest, and the trail follows the side of the hill for quite some distance. There are plenty of switchbacks, jumps, berms and bridges which all add up to a lot of fun. Most of this section is side/down hill, and as you would expect from a Red route, it is quite smooth and not too technical. Make sure you pack your Midge spray with you because there are millions of the little buggers at this time of year!
Without having a great drop in altitude, the trail builders have certainly had to use their imagination at Newcastleton. This has resulted in plenty of small bridges, log runs and additional singletrack loops to keep you entertained.
The second section of the red route is probably the easiest and least technical, although it is a gradual climb in essence. After turning left at the bottom of the first section, you follow a small piece of singletrack before turning left again onto a fire road and over a stream. From here the fire road twists and turns and heads up through the trees.
From this fire road, you have to keep your eyes open because you need to take a left turn onto some more singletrack leading you through the forest again. After a few hundred metres, the track opens up ino a cleared area of forest, and if your buddies are fitter than you, then you will be able to see them in the distance!!! (Is that right Corbett?)
About three quarters of the way up this climb, the trail builders have added one of their extra loops which is made up of a fast, sweeping gravel surface.
Once you have exited this area, you travel another few hundred metres before turning right and heading back into the final section of the Red Route, where you follow some more singletrack up to a view point which provides an excellent panorama of the Scottish Borders.
Once you have had a good lookout, then the trail heads to the downhill, and most exciting part of the route! There are plenty of jumps, berms, rocks, trees, switch backs, and peat - so make sure you don't fall off or you will certainly need to spend some time in the shower (or hospital)!!!
On exiting this section, you arrive back at the skills loop to do it all again!
