• Distance: 28km (17 miles)
• Ascent: 520m

The area around Peebles, Glentress and Innerleithen boasts two trail centres, a handful of top bike shops and innumerable cafes, so you’d be right to assume the Tweed Valley to be a Mecca for mountain bikers.

>>> Check out all our best Scotland mountain bike routes

Being a local has all these perks but with the additional bonus of knowing about the less-publicised network of natural loops that meant the area was on the mtb radar before trail centres had even been thought of.

This route takes in some of these historic trails, climbing hard on grass (nobody said it would be easy) right into the remote heart of the rolling hills. Parting the heather you move through the landscape, climbing high on to Kirk Hope Law at 537m, at which point the bulk of the hard work is behind you.

From here on it is descent, initially on wide singletrack past crumbling walls and through that ever-present purple heather, before narrowing and speeding you on further down.

One of the highlights for singletrack aficionados is the descent off Kailzie Hill, detouring up the small, unnamed hill before a terrific natural descent through the heather towards Peebles. Soak up the views and pick your way down the twisty trail before releasing the brakes and letting gravity draw you through the forest over some of the finest hill trails anywhere.

A final pop through the local trails has you into the picturesque Border town of Peebles itself. A coffee or lunch in the bright and airy Newby Court sets you up nicely for an easy roll back along the flat riverside trails.

>>> Check out our trail centre guide to Glentress

Or why not detour back up into Glentress for some more singletrack? The possibilities are endless.