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Not wanting to get into an internet dating type of gig but I am moving to Edinburgh in a few months and was wondering if there was anyone keen to show a newbie some of the delights of the Pentlands and beyond.
In actual fact its a bit wider than that as I will be doing a fair few long exploration rides with bivis etc as well and generally like a solid adventure !
Will be based somewhere in the S of city and am not working for a few months so have epic amounts of riding time. Quite fit and experienced so no issues on epics !
It would appear that the Pentlands are a bit of a mess at the moment. Partially due to the weather and partially due to some path "upgrades". However, do a wee search on here and you'll find a link to a Google kmz file with many of the tracks marked.
Also - pop over to the TrailScotland forum to find lots of folk meeting up for rides.
I also use this lot [url= http://www.meetup.com/mountainbikes-161/ ]Edinburgh mountainbike meetup[/url]
Here you go..
http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/p/pentlands-mountain-biking-routes.html
http://www.trailscotland.co.uk/forums/index.php
Thanks chaps, will look into all that and if anyone wants a ride or a beer sing out. Be there in June.
I'm based in Penicuik, a few km south so can maybe show you the southern half of the Pentlands and some other local stuff
I started to get interested in this but then noted you said quite fit (which is what I'm not at the moment!). I'll just stick to the romantic stuff instead if that's ok?
I live at the foot of the Pentlands and can confirm it's pretty chuffing wet, though if you're just wanting to get some distance in for exercise then there's a fair few gravelled double-tracks in the western Pentlands you can use to get some distance in on.
Oh come on now honeybadgerx, I'm more than just a romantic !
Happy to ride at whatever pace is required and a pre-requisite is have a beer somewhere.
I'm not far from Chris and there's more than enough riding for a good day out to the South of Edinburgh. We had a great day out a couple of years ago that started in Edinburgh and went out to Roslin before going back into Edinburgh via the Pentlands. Think it was about 70km on one of the hottest days of the year. They were almost queuing round the block for ice cream at Lucas. With a bit of luck the trails will be fairly dry come June. Might even manage some of the old Wednesday evening gatherings.
Get yourself over to the trailscotland forum -> http://www.trailscotland.co.uk/forums/index.php
Another vote for Edinburgh Mountain Bikers on meetup... 🙂
http://www.meetup.com/mountainbikes-161/
What they said. There are heaps of us up here
See you in June.
(The wed night crew will be running again this year)
Oh come on now honeybadgerx, I'm more than just a romantic !
*swoons* Well I dug the turbo trainer out last night so intend to spend the next few weeks getting vaguely fit and then might venture out into the big scary outside world. To be honest I could do with someone showing me the local trails, despite living here for a year my time has been taken up with the joys of house ownership.
South Edinburgh here too. Pentlands last summer were amazing, never seen it so dry and you can go for miles. Fingers crossed for a dry spell as it's pretty sodden up there at the moment.
Worsecase you can always ride Glentress and Innerleithen when natural conditions are bad, and loads more riding in/around the Tweed Valley.
Great thanks for all the info. Looking forward to getting 'home', can you ride to Glentress via the Pentlands, always wondered about that ? I used to ride at Glentress in 1989 (!)
Yes, check out the map/Google Earth
There are a couple of routes across the Cloich Hills to Peebles. You can mostly avoid tarmac. I'll try to pop a couple up on this thread later tonight
I live in Edinburgh and like a bivi, check out bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk to arrange rides out. I'd be happy to show you some of the area.
not possible to ride to the tweed valley via the Pentlands, but possible further south using tracks and minor roads, more over the moorfoot hills, between the A7 and the A703
Bit of a stretch to the Tweed from Edinburgh, and back, off road. Perfectly doable but you'd be laying nearly 50 humdrum miles on top of whatever you fancied doing at Glentress. Prob worth doing once - but you'd have far better riding driving to the Tweed and taking things from there.
the route that scotroutes is thinking of is one I've used a couple of times (longest breakfast ride being one).
It can be done, utilising the Pentlands; is a fair old hoof in itself.
From Edinburgh: Pentlands - Bavelaw or similar, Cap Law, over towards Nine Mile Burn (and lament the passing of the village pub). Along to Carlops either by minor road or over Paties Hill and North Esk Reservoir.
Head SE on minor road to Whitmuir. A701 to Nobblehouse, turn into Cloich Hills forest.
Head E through the forest, on exit can either wend on tracks S and E, or carry on road (then turn S) to Eddleston.
At that point it's probably on main road for a bit - head for Peebles - or there may be small tracks that head E into Glentress itself.
continuing from kcal, in the pentlands, maybe take the bore stane path to Carlops. Or if coming from 9 ile burn, there is a nice little route down past Amaxondean farm to the river, then along the minor road to carlops. From Eddleston take the minor road to the west of the main A703, then pick up the tracks to upper kidston and around hamilton hill, or back to the A703, cross this and up past redscar and into glentress.
Would be happy to show you round if required, although my knowledge of the local area isn't nearly as good as some on here. Always looking for riding chums however.
Scotroutes, do you have a GPX ride of this epic trail down to the borders per chance? Might give it a try when the weather gets a bit nicer....
ta
East Lothian has miles of good draining loam soil/sandy singletrack trails that makes for year round rideable stuff, just need to know where to look 😉 and only 25 mins drive/train from Edinburgh.
Used to do rides from Longniddry and Drem Stations, and keep getting asked to do them again.
Riding fatbikes mostly on the coast these days but if enough interest, i get the time,and arse in gear to do them again i will post up on here 🙂
Sort of stuff we ride 🙂
Fatbikes are welcome big time too! 
Oh good, looks like lots of options and of course a whole massive playground a bit further north which I am very much looking forward to reacquainting myself with. Thanks heaps.
[quote=tpbiker ]Scotroutes, do you have a GPX ride of this epic trail down to the borders per chance? Might give it a try when the weather gets a bit nicer....
ta
Your wish is my command...
http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/p/routes.html
Some photos and stuff here too... http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2013/08/still-exploring.html
I know I'm late to this party but for the love of psi can we do Wednesdays again this year?
AH... BIKEFRIENDS*inbetweeners voice*