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Friday night I met a mate after work and we shot up to Lincoln to meet two others. After a few ales, a curry and an opening ceremony we got some rest. Rather than a 'stupid o'clock' start all the way to Scotland from Lincoln as last years jaunt (which I missed) we headed to Hamsterley a couple of hours a up the road. Nice and easy morning - except for the unusually hot Jahlfrezi making it's self know.

There are about 6 marked DH runs to choose from 4x, dual and jumps. The push or ride up is short and easy for the amount of DH time too. There is an up lift but it seemed expensive at £25 when the three of us with at least two rings up front where riding up. We got in 6 laps before time and energy ran out so did most of the tracks which are really fun, nice to see some massive rocks on the hill rather then the roots clay and chalk of the south east. Got a short video on my phone at the bottom of one of the runs - as always it's steeper than it looks. http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ... 8019300045

The purple run was my favorite, some bloke doing it here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaJBGD5chr8

After a great day we headed on to Tibbie Shiels Inn, Selkirk. As we crossed the boarder the skys darkened and and then all the water in the sky tipped on us - no not rain, all of it, at once. Welcome to Scotland. It did though clam down to normal rain and we push on to the Inn, but we where camping so where forced in to a couple of local brews before the suitable rain free window appeared to pitch. Motivation from the threat of rain and a reward of pub grab and another beer meant 10 minutes was all we needed to get the camp ready - luckily as at the same time the midges appeared. We retreated back inside and munched on lovely pies and burgers and supped another pint or two while being entertained by a few locals paying guitars. We all agreed as we where in Scotland would be rude not to cap the night with a nice single malt so with warm bellies and fussy heads we headed to the tent.


A traditional Scottish fry up, like English but add haggis, set up the day and we after a short drive we eagerly got ready to ride. An air horn signaled the loading of a livestock lorry with the bikes and we piled on the coach looking like it was ready to dispose of 47 bodys in the plastic sheeting covering the seats. The pre ride nerves kicking in we chugged to nearly the top of off the runs just a short push right up and we where ready - nearly, quick piss time...

The first choice was Cresta, a rocky steep, slidey run down to the bottom end with smiles all round and I was surpirsed that I didn't really ache from the day before as I though I would. On to Gold! Pretty much the same in the steep tight rocky feel it's also a great tech challenge and much fun. We jockeyed for overtaking lines and push the rider infront riding unsighted in their wake hoping the line choice was good! A slide out front nearly caused a pile up in a steep shingly turn, my choice after fining myself hunping the stem and brakes not really of any use was hug a tree or ride over, so being kind I decided my mate didn't suit tyre marks and turned my front wheel 90 degrees to the fall line and grabbed the tree I managed to stop and pretty much keep the bike between my legs. I recovered quicker and nipped past into the lead, excited I tried to open out a gap but very quickly had my own mistake, nothing for it but to eject. A steeping over the bars dismount left me hanging in the air glad the ground below was not too far away or rough. Scrambling back up the bank to reunite my slef with the steed I was keen to get going agin but also made a mental note to bring it back a notch before I find my self flying towards a Sarlacc pit next time.

Smiles all round and jittery adereline fueled recolections of the run filled the time until the lorry and coach trundled back into the car park. We hit up the other trails; Matador, Make or Brake and various lines between. A few trees where clipped, hugged and a karmic moment of a 'sympathy crash' to avoid this time riding over me. We tried the road gap on Make or Brake and got a couple of little phone clips. I nearly got it first time a just about got there the second with a hint of a whip. http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ... 8017960045

Any way looks like I waffled on for ages now... basically if you get a chance to go or plan a road trip to either or both of these places it's well worth it!

As a Durham boy Hamsterley is well worth the drive up north. (Well its good enough for the world champ). Not only for the down runs, but also the black trails that run around the valley.
Also next time you drive up pop into Kielder for some top trails. Its on the road to Innerleithen.

Great write up mate, sounds like an epic trip!

Very cool write up Anselm. Will deffo add Hamsterley to the list as I need to do a northern / scottish borders road trip again.

How many runds did you get in on a days uplifting @ Innerleithen

Got six in as we missed the first two. (Except one of us not wearing knee pads grated the skin of his knee and retired after four. We've been telling him... at least he wears a lid most of the time now!) They run four in the morning have a break for lunch and then another four. Next time we might skip the cooked breakfast at the Inn, as nice as it was, and make an earlier start any try for all eight.