Valley of the bike people: the transformation of the Borders through cycling

By the late 1980s and 90s, Tweed valley towns like Peebles, Innerleithen and Walkerburn had declined and were popular mainly as retirement towns. With few employment opportunities, young people left and had no enthusiasm to return.

Then things started to change.

Over the last 10-15 years, the valley underwent a two-wheeled transformation. Gone are the mills; in their places are some of the best riding routes and trails in Scotland.

Neil Dalgleish at Tweedlove bike festival in Peebles

I lived here as a child and teenager, but didn’t imagine coming back as an adult — so I’m really proud to have been part of the change here.

Kick-started by the development of mountain bike trail centres – partly following the foot-and-mouth outbreak of 2001 – the forests of Glentress and Innerleithen quickly gained international reputations as world-class mountain bike destinations. Along with five other Scottish trails: Ae, Dalbeattie, Glentrool, Kirroughtree and Mabie, they comprise the infamous 7stanes.

In the Tweed valley, local people started to make more use of the facilities on their doorstep. And, in turn, many cyclists relocated to live near the trails they loved, enjoying an outdoors lifestyle combined with the possibility of commuting to work in the major cities of Edinburgh or Glasgow. This demographic shift created a profound change in the area, to the extent where it is now dubbed the ‘valley of the bike people’.

“I lived here as a child and teenager,” says Tweedlove organiser Neil Dalgleish, “but didn’t imagine coming back as an adult — so I’m really proud to have been part of the change here.

“We’ve hosted some of the world’s best mountain bike events and helped provide a platform for the growth of the activity and wider bike community. The races and events help give the area a great reputation and attract riders from all over the world, but they also play an important role in the local scene — it’s fantastic that thousands of local people are now regularly out having a good time on their bikes.”

Tweed valley’s cycling revolution also includes an active population of children. There are now four fully-subscribed cycling clubs within an eight-mile stretch of the valley that cater specifically to children.

The area is also now producing world-class athletes, with many of the country’s top mountain bike riders learning their skills on the region’s trails and benefitting from the kids’ club coaching in their youth.

“I think the Borders has huge potential as an international-level cycling destination”, says Neil. “It’s great that Scottish Borders Council has noticed what’s happening and now has a Cycle Tourism strategy. If the public sector capitalises on what these communities are already doing, we can create something truly significant on the world stage.”