14 February 2013

Gallows Hill Blue Trail Progress Report

Work on the trails has begun again for 2013, with the project completion for all the trails coming at the end of the year. To kick start the week Alasdair Allan (MSP for the Outer Hebrides) came to look at the completed trails and meet Pete Laing and the trail builders out on site. Alasdair has been very supportive of the project and values the benefits of having such good facilities within the community.

Following Alasdair’s visit Pete and Steve got back to trail building and rhododendron bashing to clear lines for all the trail sections scheduled for this year. With the aid of Joe Barrett and John Murdo MacAulay work has started on the blue grade Gallows Hill section 15 trail shown on the map below, which will have natural stone features using base rock, jumps and berms galore.

Full marks to the lads as they braved gale force winds and lashing rain to play in the mud, again like Slaine on Sunday they improved the clubs age demographic considerably. Not wavering from their flat trainer, gravity styled wardrobe despite conditions under foot.

The panorama shot shows the conditions on the day, but also the use of natural rock features and the hills topography to give a nice descent.

The following map shows detailed plans for the area between Gallows Hill and the River Creed.

Lots more action to come from the trail building crew over the next few months, so keep up to date on face book!

Steve