Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team (TVMRT) is expecting a record number of callouts this year, and the majority have involved mountain bikers at Glentress, according to a report by the BBC. So far this year, TVMRT has responded to 67 callouts, with around 50% involving injured mountain bikers on the Glentress trails.

The Castle Black trail is the newest edition to Glentress, the skills zone will help build riders up to tackle it

In the BBC article, TVMRT spokesman Paul McGreal said: “This is the busiest year we’ve ever had as a team. A fair proportion of them are mountain bike incidents, and a significant proportion of those are at Glentress”.

But Mr McGreal was quick to note that this is not a new phenomenon: “We have been experiencing this since mountain biking began.” And that TVMRT would never discourage people from mountain biking.

Some of the more consequential features from the Glentress World Championship XC circuit have been removed.

It seems that the popularity of new trails built recently, and the surging popularity of the centre since hosting the World Championships last year, has contributed to the growth in incidents. According to Forest Land Scotland records, 27 accidents have been recorded since September 2023, with many on the most recently opened trails.

Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team responding to an injured mountain biker at Glentress

This highlights the onus on every rider to assess the trail they are about to ride, read all signage, and be honest about your abilities. Use trail grading to decide whether a section is right for you, warm up on an easier trail, and where possible, safely examine the trail on foot before riding it. More information on the Forest Land Scotland’s trail grading system can be found here.

Andy Barlow is one of the most respected skills coaches in the business.

It’s also worth considering a skills coach if you are looking to progress on technical features and jumps. Glentress has the excellent Dirt School just down the road, and its coaches can help you become a better rider, as well as show you some of the best trails in the area.

Familiarise yourself with the trail grading and work your way up to the more technical sections.

While crashing and injuries are all part of the risk we accept when going riding, it’s important to recognise the people whose duty it is to help you when something goes wrong. Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team is made up entirely of volunteers and has to raise most of the funds itself to cover its operating expenses. If you would like to contribute to the great work of this non-profit organisation, you can do so via the TVMRT website.