Saturday 3rd Feb 2007 - Gala Hill, Cauldshiels Loch, Eildon
After meeting up with Big-W and Sniperkona for the first time, we exchanged pleasantries and set off heading for the steep side of the Gala Policies (or Lairds Wuds as they're now officially known) and on to the freshly revamped Gala Hill trails network. A short sharp climb up the curving fire road led onto a steep hike to more or less the summit of the hill. Beautiful, clear weather lets you see all along the length of Gala from Tweedbank to Wood Street: a scene I never tire of looking at. A quick blast down the northeast facing slope saw us hook up with the walking trail, throw the bikes over the stile and straight down the field to the gate leading to the old Selkirk Road and Boleside. Some roadwork round to the layby at the 'strawberry fields' and a squint at the map to figure out our next move up through the farmland to Cauldshiels Loch. Unfortunately the only routes involved very steep singletrack tarmac, but we took it at our leisure and had a bit of a natter to spin the boredom away. Cauldshiels loomed through the trees soon enough and we decided to take the easy way round, avoiding the off-camber roots and rocky path that's a challenge to tackle on foot, let alone on two wheels (while clipped-in) and ended-up buried to our axles in flood water I have to admit that, at this point, Big-W and I kind of held back a bit and waited to see if Sniperkona disappeared up to his waste in the puddle. He managed to cycle right through it, so the pair of us made our way across That was a cheap trick, but hey, no point in all three of us getting a soaking, eh?
Once hooked up with the trail again on the other side of the loch, we struggled through the mud, up and over the hill behind the loch and down through the tunnel of pine trees for the descent that was the quality reward for all the muddy climbing. Great stuff, if a little deceptive as the carpet of pine needles make the trail surface appear to be dry at first glance, but when you shake a wheel at it, you discover that it's a layer of needles sitting on top of 3 inches of mud.
We hooked up with the road at 'the farm that sells the Christmas trees' as my 3 year old son calls it and decided to call it a day and head to mine for a well earned cuppa and a quick bike wash.
I'm sure Sniperkona said the total mileage was 13 or 14 miles, so all in all not a bad first forum ride and in great weather too. More soon, please.
Paul aka rossi46
Once hooked up with the trail again on the other side of the loch, we struggled through the mud, up and over the hill behind the loch and down through the tunnel of pine trees for the descent that was the quality reward for all the muddy climbing. Great stuff, if a little deceptive as the carpet of pine needles make the trail surface appear to be dry at first glance, but when you shake a wheel at it, you discover that it's a layer of needles sitting on top of 3 inches of mud.
We hooked up with the road at 'the farm that sells the Christmas trees' as my 3 year old son calls it and decided to call it a day and head to mine for a well earned cuppa and a quick bike wash.
I'm sure Sniperkona said the total mileage was 13 or 14 miles, so all in all not a bad first forum ride and in great weather too. More soon, please.
Paul aka rossi46
Mountain Bike Borders
