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Another week of severe storms will make most forest trails in Scotland, unrideable.
With storm damage having postponed the Naughty Northumbrian, authorities are warning mountain bikers to remain vigilant.
This week, meteorologists are predicting intense storm conditions over much of southern and central Scotland. Storm Dudley should make landfall on Wednesday late afternoon and remain present until Thursday morning, accompanied by wind gusts of up to 90mph.
There will be little respite towards the weekend as Eunice moves in on Friday.
Read more: the best British trails
Extreme weather in Scotland – calls for caution
Trefor Owen, of Forestry and Land Scotland, has cautioned the public to steer clear of forests, for the week.
“Once again we are asking members of the public to exercise their common sense and stay away from woodlands during the forecast storms.
“With our east and south Scotland teams still working on clearing damage from Storm Arwen and Storm Malik, this latest weather news is hugely unwelcome.
“Gusts of 90mph could result in significant damage, especially to woodlands that have already been affected by previous storm events.
“We want everyone to stay safe and not take any risks that might result in injury – or worse – and that will place avoidable demands on the emergency services.”
Trails will be cleared and repaired – as time and weather allows
Singletrack trail damage from the intense winter weather has not yet been fully assessed. Authorities can’t calculate a comprehensive clearing timetable before all affected areas are evaluated.
Authorities are requesting patience from the public. After a severe storm, even riders who might be very familiar with a local trail network could be caught unaware by fallen trees and forest debris.
Risking injury by rolling down a highspeed trail, without it being greenlighted for use by forestry authorities, is not clever trail riding.