Get On Your Bike at Selkirk MTB Marathon

By Contributor -

Ready to go! Photo by Ian Linton

Over the weekend of May 1-3, mountain biking will take over the Borders town of Selkirk, with the Selkirk Mountain Bike Marathon, the 2015 British MTB Marathon Championships and lots of two wheeled fun, including stunt riders, a Pump Track and MTB orienteering.

On the evening of Friday 1 May, 2015 The Selkirk Bike Festival will turn the town centre into a free festival of two-wheeled mayhem for all the family. From 19:00 to 21:00, the action-packed programme will include bike stunt displays, head-to-head Rolalpolluza style racing, bike film screenings, a Pump Track and a mountain bike obstacle course.

The next day, the Selkirk Mountain Bike Marathon is an epic ride through the best trails the Scottish Borders has to offer, riding through the valleys of the Rivers Tweed, Yarrow and Ettrick. There’s a choice of three single-loop, fully marked courses of approximately 25km, 50km and 75km, all setting off from Selkirk High Street, and featuring a mix of natural and man made singletrack, twin-track forest roads, ancient drove roads, lung and thigh busting climbs and grin-inducing descents, there’s something for families, novices, intermediates, enthusiasts and racing snakes alike!

‘The best trails the Scottish Borders has to offer’

“With the best trails the Scottish Borders has to offer, we’re keen to challenge riders of all abilities, whilst making sure that they have the maximum amount of fun at the same time,” said Paul McGreal of event organisers Durty Events.

The 2015 British MTB Marathon Championships will also be held in Selkirk on May 2 and will start shortly before the ‘sportive’ events begin. It will be raced over the challenging 75 km single lap course that also includes some of the man-made trail centre downhill tracks at Innerleithen Trail Centre. The Championship is open to male and female riders (19+) who are British citizens and hold a full British Cycling or UCI recognised racing licence, with oveted red, white and blue British Championship winner’s jerseys will be up for grabs in both male and female classes.

To round off the weekend, ‘The Reivers Raid’ – the fourth round of the Scottish MTB Challenge Series (mountain bike orienteering) – will be held on Sunday 3 May 2015.

For lots more outdoor activity ideas, pick up the latest issue of The Scots Magazine. In the shops now or order online by clicking here.