Parking if you want to include the Craiglockhart Dells would be by the Lanark Road footbridge -
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5VF1XQzEVx6DVrWM9
The ride sounds like a best of but you might find riding up Poet's hard work as the bottom half is very rough now. Instead I would come off the WoL just after Spylaw Park, ride up Woodfield Avenue then Torphin Road to the end. Then take the Singletrack after the Camp hill centre to Easter Kinleith, which will bring you to the top of Poet's.
Send me a PM if you want some company, this is almost exact one of my regular rides.
I'm waaaaaaaay out of the loop, but noticed that a scratchy path I experimented with once or twice now looks like some quite well established singletrack, running from the Harlaw car park back towards town through the trees, a 90 degree dogleg down to the Harlaw Road, over the road and back into the trees to descend down towards the Water Of Leith, either joining the lower farm track or crossing it and descending on the final wee trail I think used to be called 'Chocolate Drop'.
Will post a screengrab...
I seem to recall the yellow bit was quite nice as well. Last rode it over ten years ago though!
I'm pretty sure that first bit from the carpark to the road doesn't really exist.
The yellow bit you've marked got done over in some of the recent storms but if you carry on to the end of your pink line you can turn right on the gravel road then immediately left onto a bit of Singletrack that takes you to the WoL.
The yellow bit you've marked got done over in some of the recent storms but if you carry on to the end of your pink line you can turn right on the gravel road then immediately left onto a bit of Singletrack that takes you to the WoL.
When is 'recent'? I saw comments on Komoot saying some fallen trees had been cleared from the yellow bit in 2024 I think.
Pics on Komoot make the trail from the car park actually look quite well established and fun! When I tried it over a decade ago I think it was just a deer path through some scratchy pine trees but looks much better now.
I think I last rode that section in May and yes there's a few trees down. You can still ride it but it's not as good as it was.
I think I last rode that section in May and yes there's a few trees down. You can still ride it but it's not as good as it was.
@munrobiker @13thfloormonk @stevenmenmuir - thanks for the info/help/advice/amendments. I think I recognise that track above too, or at least remember some fun stuff very close to that too. I'll probably go solo munrobiker - a) cos I tend to be an antisocial solo rider type and it'll give me a good nostalgia trip and b) cos you'll be a lot faster than me up/down across anything. But thanks for the offer, very kind of you.
That was constant warfare a few years back trying to keep it open, was constantly being blocked. Excellent way "down" out of the hills though. I am sort of secretly miffed to learn it's not gone all to ruin or been blocked or overgrown since I stopped fixing it 🙂
I lived in Currie so maybe I'm biased but parking at the foot of the kirkgate is a great option imo. Brutal start up the hill but a good way to end a ride. Only a few parking spaces though, not much good at the weekend, though parking in Currie generally's not hard, there's always space behind the coop in Bryce Road frinstance if you can't get closer
