Forestry & Land Scotland (FLS) is set to begin construction on a new mountain bike skills area at Glentress next week, starting Sunday, 23 June.

This addition will mark the final phase of the Glentress Masterplan, solidifying its reputation as a premier UK mountain biking and world-class visitor destination.

The new skills area, anticipated to be completed by mid-October, will feature a variety of zones designed to help riders of all levels develop their abilities safely. These include a mini mountain biking zone, roller zone, cornering zone, and dedicated drop and technical zones. These areas will incorporate changes in surface, levels, and conditions to encourage and assist young, novice, and inexperienced riders.

Paul Andrews-Garth, FLS Project Manager, stated: "This latest milestone marks the end of the Glentress Masterplan but also marks the beginning of the next chapter for this fantastic, multi-use destination. From its inception, this has been a high-intensity project that set out to reinvigorate this amazing south Scotland attraction, broadening its appeal and significantly improving the offering for all visitors."

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He added that the Masterplan has expanded on the existing 72km of networked mountain biking trails by delivering over 16 kilometres of new, dedicated mountain bike trails for all abilities. It has also created accessible multi-user pathways and new routes into the forest for walkers, wheelchair users, horse riders, pony trekkers, and cyclists, making Glentress an inclusive destination.

The success of the Masterplan is reflected in growing visitor numbers, which have also been boosted by a multi-million-pound Forest Holidays investment in holiday cabins.

Construction of the skills area will be carried out with environmental sensitivity, including landscaping to reduce visual impact and enhance the ecological value of the area. FLS's build partner for the project is CRC, a company with extensive experience in the design, development, building, and maintenance of mountain bike trails and facilities across Scotland.

Andrews-Garth concluded by advising visitors: "It's crucial to a successful build that the ground works are given time to settle. Our team will be working on the features through the week but the work area will be closed off at the weekends. We'd like to thank visitors in advance for their patience in waiting until the official opening before trying out the skills area."