Matador Downhill Track Innerleithen Hot

(video courtesy of www.mtbvideo.co.uk )

Starting a little away from the other routes, this track sets off innocuously enough, with a pedally section through young trees.  A sharp, right hand turn has you diving into the trees over a tricky rock step, which quickly tells you things are going to get a lot harder.

Hit a couple of S bends and you're faced with an 8ft-rock drop, which requires full commitment.  Land this and it’s into a fast, flat right hander, leading straight into a nadgery rock garden.  Safely through here, things soon steepen into three tight turns and onto a rock chute, which spits you down across the upper road.

Skip over a couple of rocks at the roadside and it’s down another steep chute. Feather the brakes though, as this fires you into a tight section through the trees with some more rock steps.  Crossing the push-up path, a rooty drop leads straight onto a 4ft-rock drop.  The trail falls away sharply then swings left then right across an old dyke before veering hard right and opening up considerably.

Over a double, it’s then hard left and onto the trail's signature feature – a 6ft rock drop (which can easily send you over 20ft) down the long run out, across the lower road and straight onto a rock fly-off at near warp speed.  Keep it low or send it high and long, but watch your speed, as you’re straight onto a double then a tabletop and another double in quick succession.

Back into the trees, there’s a couple of different line choices before hitting a sweet wee rock drop across the bridleway.  The trail then drops onto the bridleway, taking in a couple of bus stops.  Wide and open, you need to pedal quite hard down here as the trail swings off right and straight onto a pretty meaty gap jump.  A couple tabletops follow then it’s down into the old Arena.  Hang on through the braking bumps, before a couple of rutted, rooty turns set you up for the infamous bombhole and final bermed corners.

Distance: 1.96km / 1.22 miles

There are four downhill trails in total: Matador, Cresta Run, Gold Run, and Make or Break.

All routes are graded ‘extreme’, with small, medium and large features. Full face helmet, gloves, body armour and a Downhill specific bike are strongly recommended for all trails.

Getting to the start of the trails

Signed push-up paths from the car park will take you to the top, but it’s a serious workout, climbing over 300 vertical metres!  (Give yourself 45 - 60mins bottom to top).

Uplift service

Source and Trail centre

http://www.7stanes.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-5S4F38