There are plenty of reasons to head to Scotland for a mountain biking adventure, and now one more has been added to the list.

The Tweed Valley Trails Association (TVTA) has announced a new agreement with Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), which gives the TVTA permission to officially maintain three mountain biking trails that are currently being used unofficially.

All the new trails are based in Caberston Forest, which is known by local riders as The Golfie. It’s long been a popular spot for mountain bikers.

Commenting on the new agreement, South Scotland region manager with the FLS Sallie Bailey said: “The Tweed Valley is a mecca for mountain biking and has a long history of world-class riding for all abilities. We want to build on this and strengthen the links we already have with the mountain biking community.”

The agreement will be reviewed on an annual basis, and is a pilot for how this kind of collaboration could work elsewhere in the future.

The TVTA was formed specifically to engage with local landowners about unauthorised mountain bike trails. They want to promote a culture of sustainability and responsibility and involve the local biking community as well as landowners in trail management.

Co-chair of the TVTA Neil Carnegie said they were “delighted” that the FLS is embracing the mountain biking community in this way, adding that they “can’t wait to get working on the ground, our tools into the dirt and start making a difference”.

Earlier this year we pointed out how much investment is flowing into mountain biking north of the border, so the announcement that the trails in Caberston Forest are set to be officially maintained is more positive news for the riding community.

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