Glentress forest centre opens for business

The new centre offers a wide range of facilities for mountain biking and walking in the forest

An £8.5m forest visitor centre which claims to be "the top tourist attraction in the Borders" has opened for business.

The Forestry Commission Scotland site at Glentress Forest near Peebles caters for 300,000 visitors a year.

The Glentress Peel facility includes a cafe, bike shop, bike hire, changing rooms, showers and toilets.

It already enjoys a reputation as one of the most popular walking and mountain biking sites in the country.

The FCS recreation and tourism manager for Dumfries and the Borders, Hugh McKay, said: "Glentress Peel is quite a stunning site with four iconic buildings and we're sure that visitors will be really interested to see inside for themselves."

The Glentress Peel development is set in 12 acres of landscaped ground, connected by paths and a road.

New car parking for 150 vehicles has been created and interpretation panels give visitors more information about the forest.