Sunday 8th May Glentress Meet report by Kevin

8:30am on a wet Sunday saw a group of us (Colin, Adam, Hamish, Kevin, Andi) rattling towards Glentress in Colin’s Huge Van, bikes stored in the back. Weather forecast was mixed, but in the end we only suffered a few sharp showers before the weather turned hot. A leisurely cafe stop was followed by the blue uphill and then a lengthy session at the bike park. Lots of near misses followed and videos are available on request (or may be uploaded to the SMBC YouTube account soon)! However, Spooky Wood was calling for a few of us who had never been to Glentress and we took an easy ride up before descending as lat out as we could. More bike park followed before the trip home. Once Colin sorts out things like the electics, the back door locking and missing parts of the dashboard this mode of transport could become the future for Club Trips!

The New SMBC Buss at Glentress with Hamish, Colin, Andi and Adam. Photo: Kevin

About to hurtle off down Spooky Wood

Back in the good weather at the end of April, Noel and I took the dog (Corrie) along the Finglass track. I first read about it in Peter Koch-Osbourne’s guide The Scottish Glens (Book 4) (1995), but sice then the estate has been bought by the Woodland Trust and natural woodland planting and regeneration has started. Considering our whole family had sponsored trees planted here, it was about time I made a visit. The round starts from a dedicated car park east of Brig o’ Turk, follows a very steep new path to pick up a small track that contours the hill to give a nice downhill run into the glen itself. The track follows the banks of Finglass Resevoir to near its end, then splits. The right branch goes via Gleann nam Mean onto the top of Carn Mor and on towards Creagan nan Sgaith where it reaches the highest point of 600m. The descent down Glen Finglass is fast fun track and even the dog kept pace! At about 28k, and marked as a bike route on the Woodland Trust maps, its well worth a days trip.

Noel about to enter the glen

Lunch at the highest piont with views east towards Balquhidder

Part way down the descent into Glen Finglass: man and dog at speed

Kevin

Tuesday 29^th March Local Run in Lednock by Kev

The aftermath of the Sgorr Racaineach descent PHOTO: Kev

Five members (Kev, Colin, Ewan, Digby and Hamish) headed off from the Comrie Golf Course to try a few of the small runs built by local kids in the woods, then into Lednock and up The Mam Road and up the new track towards Sgorr Racaineach. This accesses the steep path descent back down which is good value. Then we headed down the small singletrack parallel with the Cauldron path. One bad step was bottled by all except Ewan who did it on his second go – scary!

Tuesday March 9^th 2011 Night Ride Report by Ewan

Colin lost in the woods

Just a few words to describe last night’s outing. Colin , Digby and I started out from the Distillery about 7.30 (This is the usual time and place, if anyone out there wants to join us on a Tuesday night) We crossed the river and headed down Lovers walk for a quick blast along the riverside roller coaster before climbing back up the hill towards the Hydro chalets. From there we headed back towards the Hydro, passing the Jesus well and taking a left on to the west side of the Knock. Once we crossed the Hydro golf course road we did a gentle(ish) climbing traverse of the west facing slope before a brief downhill run through the trees on the south slopes to the forest track above the Crieff golf course. Followed the track east then took a left for our first serious grind. This was on the track that runs north to south between the upper and lower Knocks and it seems even longer and steeper at night. Having crossed the shoulder we turned right up the forest road again, before leaving the road for the rooty path that heads towards Monzie. It was while descending this that Digby had “a bit of excitement” as his lights failed momentarily. Once Colin had sorted his lights (only a loose connection thankfully), we headed back up the east face of the upper Knock before turning left near the top, down the narrow singletrack on the south side for a fast descent. I came off twice during this, carefully choosing my landing spots to miss both a large tree stump and a wheel sized rock respectively. With no more than my pride damaged (and my Cateye rear light lost!) we headed east back up the forest road before taking a (new?) path off to the right towards Gilmerton. Looks like the trail fairies have been busy here, as there are a few jumps and berms on this downhill section. However it could do with clearing as the snow seems to have brought the foliage down and we had to fight our way through at the bottom to reach the Gilmerton – Hydro track. Headed back along this towards Crieff before turning right again for our last big climb of the night over the upper Knock. A fast descent of both Knocks followed before we went our separate ways at the car park above the Hydro.

Saturday March 6^th 2011 Meet report by Pete

Where?

Five of us made the trip out on Saturday. Hamish, Ian and myself along with Andi and Peter who joined a club ride for the first time. We had an excellent spin around Turleum, down the descent to Auchingarroch and eventually back along the river to Comrie. I would like to say how the ride went after we went into Laggan Woods but my freehub gave up the battle and I was reduced to running along the A85 to get back to CC. Thanks to Colin for his attempts at getting me back on the road. I am assuming the group did eventually make it back to CC!

16^th February 2011 SMBC Annual General Meeting & Night Ride Report by Kev

Ten Members met for the AGM at Comrie Croft. After the business of the meeting was concluded (see the Members Information page) three of us – Colin (newly elected Secretary), Ewan and me, Kevin (re-elected President) – tried the Red Route. Colin’s new lights proved pretty good, as did Ewan’s E-bay version, but my own soon faded. Following them down the lower half was exciting.

July 2010 El Presidente Goes South

Big Kev on Cwm Carn Downhill - the lower section. Photo: Rory

The Howett family visited Cwm Carn in South Wales for a day! Despite constant drizzle and the low storm clouds clinging to the wooded hillsides making it look more like a visit to Mordor, we took the uplift to the top of the downhill and gave it a go.

Rory fared best on his Comencal Supreme but Niall found it tougher on his hardtail jump bike, tho’ slower, there was no dabbing as its more akin to a free-ride than a gnarly downhill (much easier than Inner’s 39 Steps for instance!).

The lower section is definitely free-ride territory and we had a few hours as the weather improved to session it. Great fun. A recommended venue, although a long way away.

Also visited the Forest of Dean downhill – SallowVallets at Callop Forestry Commission centre (again suffering from the rain making the ground quite slippy). We would especially recommend the ‘Flatland’ run which has a succession of 1m drops, some roots (but not too many), some tight turns and fast singltrack – superb. ‘Sheepskull’ run doesn’t seem to be

getting much traffic at the top and is a little soft under tyre – resulting in a good ‘off’ into a tree! The lower free-ride sections are much better. ‘The OC’ and ‘Mr Rooty’ are not recommended in the wet!

Niall clears the doubles on the Cwm Carn Downhill. Photo: Big Kev

June 2010 SMBC Carron Valley

The New Kelpies Staircase at Carron Valley. Photo: Big Kev

Evening session for a few of the oldies in the club to Carron Valley to check out the ‘runway’; now being re-sculpted. It now resembles a nice smooth free-ride park and is considerably faster (if you want it) even those scared of air were able to have a go. It has been made considerably easier tho’ and not much of a challenge for the kids anymore. Worth a visit if you want to have a go at jumping and doing drops – all of which are now OK, even the doubles. Work on the ‘Kelpie’s Staircase’ on the red run has created 3 options more in keeping with the rest of the trail, although all options are pretty much the same standard.

May 2010 SMBC New Trail Ride

Descending towards Auchingarroch with Ben Halton behind. Photo: Big Kev

Another club evening meet for 4 hardy souls despite a threatening sky. From Crieff we made the slog up via the mast on Torlum hill and over towards Auchingarroch, again following the new trail for the final section. A little trail maintenance has made this a definite must as a great local ride. An additional loop path was also discovered for those wishing to make a loop of it for a short evening. Otherwise its down to the wildlife centre and return via the Glasscorrie Road and the Black Woods. On this evening the light was stunning!

A rest and great view frm the new trail. Photo: Adam

April 2010 SMBC rides new trail

The great view up Strathearn from the new trail. Photo: Adam

Evening club meet to Torlum Hill. Following the track to the TV Mast and on towards Auchingarroch, an old path through the woods was discovered opening up superb views into the upper Strath. Although some of it is still down rough ground, all of it cyclable. There were a few over the handlebar incidents! With more traffic it will get faster. A great find.