The Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders is gearing up for TweedLove bike week, in association with Endura, a week-long festival of bike riding and good times on and off the bike. It kicks off with the new flagship mountain bike endurance event, The Glentress Seven, tomorrow (Saturday 11 June) and runs until Sunday 19 June 2011.
Organisers are already predicting a more successful event than the inaugural festival last year with tickets and entries to events selling fast and selling out. This not only reinforces the Tweed Valley’s reputation as the premier cycling destination in the UK, it also highlights the popularity of road and mountain biking and cycle tourism in the region.
Three hundred riders of all skill levels and abilities have already signed up to take part in the Glentrees Seven, with more expected to register tomorrow (11 June) morning before the start. The Glentress Seven is a seven-hour endurance mountain bike event being staged at Forestry Commission Scotland’s 7stanes Glentress, the UK’s best trail centre. It combines the best of the man-made and natural trails with loads of normally off-limits tracks and some specially built sections. The buzz about the course amongst the mountain bike community is building and riders are very keen to get on their bikes and get started on the trails.
Organisers have also added a music event to close this year’s TweedLove programme. Crank it Up, features Scottish indie band success story Frightened Rabbit, who headline at this intimate concert at Peebles Burgh Hall on Saturday 18 June. There are only a handful of tickets left and organisers are urging music fans to snap up the last few tickets for this very special one off gig to avoid disappointment.
Another hugely popular event in the 2011 festival programme has been Natural Tweed, two epic free self-guided mountain bike rides with some big climbs, some ripping descents and awesome scenery, taking riders on a big trip of discovery on some great trails around the Tweed Valley. Spaces have been limited and there are only a few entries left.
The Peebles Sprint, a Belgian style ‘kermesse’ town centre evening road race on 14 June 2011, is a new showcase event for TweedLove this year. The impressive entry list is a whose who of top Scottish road riders - past, present and future. They will showcase their incredible racing talent as they battle it out at incredible speeds over a number of laps of a half-mile, fast and furious course. Some spectacular super fast sprint action down Peebles High Street, directly in front of the large enthusiastic crowds, will be guaranteed.
TweedLove is again being organised by the local community - everyone from Scottish Borders Council and Lothian and Borders Police to local businesses, cycling clubs and organisations and biking enthusiasts. Their enthusiasm, generous support and community spirit makes TweedLove the unique event it is.
The many informal ride outs and guided rides on both fat tyres and skinny wheels, hosted by passionate local riders throughout the week, encapsulate the true spirit and ethos of the festival - ‘a special week of bike riding and good times on and off the bike in the Tweed Valley’.
TweedLove has a packed programme of free and paid events being staged across the valley. Following funding awards from EventScotland and Scottish Borders Council some major new events have been added to last year’s busy roster of popular open races, big guided rides (both on and off road), a film night (including a film-making competition), a dual slalom and barbecue and a series of informal ride-outs, where local riders host visitors on some of their favourite (and lesser known) trails. The 2011 events include:
* The Glentress Seven - 11 June - Could this be the event Forestry Commission Scotland’s Glentress has been waiting for? A seven-hour endurance mtb event combining the best of the man-made and natural trails with loads of normally off-limits tracks and some specially built sections.
* Skinny Tweed - The Hub, Glentress - 12 June - A free guide-supported road ride round a beautiful circuit of quiet country roads, with a stop for food and a very sociable demeanour. 44 mile route.
* Local Ride-Outs - Peebles: 12 June (women only); Innerleithen: 13 June; Selkirk: 14 June; Peebles: 15 & 16 June. Local riders share some of their favourite (and lesser known) trails on these friendly, informal rides. Some fantastic mountain bike rides around the Tweed Valley. Routes vary, lasting about two hours.
* The Peebles Sprint & family ride - Peebles, 14 June (pm) - a Belgian style ‘kermesse’ town centre road race. 40 riders battle it out over a short, fast and furious course. There will be an opportunity for kids and families to ride a lap of the course before the start.
* Hawaii Tweed & Dual Slalom - Glentress, 15 June - Head to head racing down a parallel course; push up, switch courses and go again! BBQ, late night Hub cafe opening, Hub bikes demo night and ride-out.
* Celluloid Tweed & TweedLove Film Competition - Eastgate Theatre Peebles, 16 June. The multi-award winning headline film, Life Cycles, has been recognized as one of the most beautiful and original bike films ever made. It will be screened alongside a selection of the best entries to the amateur short film competition. See film competition details - http://tweedlove.com/
* Dirt Crit - Glentress, 16 June. Peebles Cycling Club are holding a round of their Dirt Crit cross country series open to all children under 16.
* Crosslove & Pump It Up - St Ronan’s Primary School, Innerleithen - 17 June. Crosslove is a summer cyclocross race for all on a short, challenging off road course. Pump It Up, the unofficial Scottish Pump Track Championships, will see riders race each other over ten laps of one track and in a velodrome style pursuit on the other.
* Natural Tweed - Innerleithen trailhead car park, 18 & 19 June. Two epic free self-guided mountain bike rides with some big climbs, some ripping descents and awesome scenery, taking riders on a big trip of discovery on some great trails around the Tweed Valley. Limited places; please register early. Both routes approx 55 km.
o Crank It Up - TweedLove closing concert, Peebles Burgh Hall - Saturday 18 June. Scottish indie band success story Frightened Rabbit headline. Having just signed with Atlantic Records, Frightened Rabbit, who hail from Selkirk, return to the Tweed Valley for a very special one off gig. Support from The Filthy Tongues.
For further information on TweedLove and to book your place on some spectacular free and paid cycling events go to: http://tweedlove.com/
