Newcastleton wants to encourage mountain bike riders to base themselves in the village, with services like showers, bike hire, food, accommodation and an information point.

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but get people to cycle out from the village itself,” said 7stanes’ project manager Colin Williamson. “It sounds like we’re trying to get them to do our job for us, but there’s no point building facilities at the trailhead if it’s already there.”

Last month the venue opened a offroad trail to Kielder in Northumberland, something Williamson hopes will encourage more riders to stop off and ride at Newcastleton.

7Stanes is now exploring how to build and develop a connecting trail from the village to the trailhead carpark, Williamson said.

“Newcastleton is trying to live up to the motto: a bike friendly village,” he said. “That means trying to provide what bikers want, and what road cyclists want too.”

Away from new builds, the primarily focusing for 7Stanes over winter is on maintaining existing trails. “Glentress is really one we need to focus on,” Williamson said. “We are working our way through £160,000 in trail repairs. There is and will be more money spent at Glentress than any other trailcentre.”

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