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    Mountain Biking in Southern and Central Scotland
    Mountain Biking in Southern and Central Scotland
    Mountain Biking in Southern and Central Scotland
    Ebook336 pages1 hour

    Mountain Biking in Southern and Central Scotland

    By Peter Edwards

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    About this ebook

    This guidebook describes 21 mountain biking routes in central and southern Scotland. It includes the 7stanes trail centre in Dumfries and Galloway, as well as cross-country routes in the Campsie Fells, Pentland Hills and Lammermuirs, the Galloway Forest, Tweed Valley, Cheviots and Lowther Hills. The routes range from 17 to 66km and are graded from moderate to very hard. Taking between 2 and 7 hours to complete, they are intended for reasonably fit mountain bikers with at least some experience. Detailed route descriptions are accompanied by 1:50,000 OS mapping, and the selected routes set out from various points across the area, including Greenock, Glentrool, Peebles and Milngavie, with good access from both Glasgow and Edinburgh. The guidebook also gives an overview of what the region's MTB trail centres have to offer, including the famous 7stanes trail centre, along with advice on equipment, maintenance and safety.  Southern and Central Scotland is renowned for its superlative MTB trail centres, but the region's rolling hill country is also traversed by an extensive network of tracks, paths, forest roads and other trails providing endless possibilities for 'free range' mountain biking.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCicerone Press
    Release dateJun 29, 2016
    ISBN9781783623488
    Mountain Biking in Southern and Central Scotland
    Author

    Peter Edwards

    PETER EDWARDS, crime reporter for the Toronto Star, is the author of ten books, including the highly praised One Dead Indian: The Premier, the Police and the Ipperwash Crisis. Edwards has been nominated four times for the Arthur Ellis Award and has been interviewed about organized crime for

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      Book preview

      Mountain Biking in Southern and Central Scotland - Peter Edwards

      ROUTE SUMMARY TABLE

      Climbing Minch Moor with the hills of the Ettrick Forest in the background (Route 9)

      INTRODUCTION

      Mountain biking in southern and central Scotland

      Year-round mud on Broomy Law, Ettrick Forest (Route 9)

      The hills, glens and forests of southern and central Scotland are home to some of the world’s best mountain biking trail centres, including the famous 7stanes in Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders. The region’s rolling hill country is also criss-crossed by an extensive network of minor roads, estate tracks and other trails, providing huge scope for ‘free-range’ cross-country mountain biking.

      The Central Belt is the most densely populated area of Scotland and the hills rising above the Forth and Clyde valleys are popular with mountain bikers, horse riders and walkers. Although much less densely populated, the country to the south of the Central Belt is a magnet for mountain bikers from all over southern Scotland and beyond. This is partly because of the proximity of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the good road and rail links to the area, but it is also largely due to the quality and variety of trails here, including the 7stanes trail centres, which make the area a real mountain biker’s adventure playground.

      Winter wonderland in the Campsie Fells (Route 18)

      The region’s trail centres are immensely popular with good reason, providing excellent facilities and miles of quality trails with innovative features and graded, waymarked routes that provide entertaining and challenging rides for various abilities. While providing a brief overview of what the region’s trail centres have to offer, this guidebook focuses on ‘cross-country’ trails that stitch together a combination of long-distance paths, country lanes, forestry and farm tracks and old drovers’ roads to make the best of the off-road potential in the region.

      Unlike in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where there’s a system of designated footpaths, bridleways, byways and other rights of way, Scotland has a statutory right of access for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. This is a good thing – except for when it comes to looking at maps to see where you can go with your mountain bike. Some paths, tracks and trails are marked on OS maps, but by no means all of them; furthermore, where a bridleway marked by long green dashes will indicate a rideable route on a map of, say, the South Downs, you have no way of knowing whether that tempting-looking track marked on an OS map of Ayrshire is rideable or not. That’s where this guidebook comes in.

      About the routes in this guide

      Along the West Highland Way near Dumgoyne and the Campsie Fells (Route 19)

      The routes in this guidebook are day, half-day and shorter routes distributed the length and breadth of central and southern Scotland, and which are divided into area sections in the guide. The route descriptions pay special attention to the nature of the terrain encountered as well as the major climbs and descents involved and any particular hazards to be aware of. Facilities and services en route are also included.

      The routes are designed for maximum enjoyment of the mountain biking potential available in the area, hence there is some overlap and repetition in the use of particular stretches of path and track between several of the routes. Roads are avoided wherever practical, although in many cases stretches of road (mostly quiet country lanes) here and there can link up some great off-road trails.

      There are also several environmental factors at play in the choice of the routes included in this guidebook. Firstly, where possible, routes that are viable year-round have been prioritised. For example, trails traversing a significant amount of terrain that becomes excessively muddy or boggy after sustained wet weather have been avoided. Of course, mud and wet are all part of the experience, but arguably not to the point where you can’t actually ride. As you may be aware, wet weather comes with the territory in central and southern Scotland, which is why many cross-country tracks and paths encountered out on the hills are metalled or surfaced. That said, the concept of ‘hike-a-bike’ will be familiar to most Scottish cross-country mountain bikers – that is rides where rough, boggy or steep sections require carrying or pushing your bike.

      Another environmental factor is the impact of forestry management on trails. Forestry plantations are a bit of a double-edged sword for mountain bikers in the region. On the one hand many forestry roads and tracks can make for great riding and they can also open areas up that might otherwise be inaccessible by bike. Mature forestry plantation also provides great trail-building terrain. The downside is that forestry clearance work often destroys trails and turns the landscape into an un-rideable morass. Where there is a significant likelihood of forestry work impacting trails, these have either been avoided or flagged up in the relevant route introduction boxes.

      Wind farms are another factor. The Southern Uplands bristle with them and the building of new arrays continues apace. Where routes in this guidebook may be affected by forestry work or wind farm development, notifications will be made in this guidebook’s ‘updates’ tab (www.cicerone.co.uk/747/updates) as and when they come to our attention. If you are aware of any such developments affecting these routes, please let us know at updates@cicerone.co.uk

      Snow biking in the Campsie Fells (Route 18)

      Centres

      Climbing the Wald Path above Durisdeer in the Lowther Hills (Route 1)

      The routes in this guidebook are distributed the length and breadth of the region, although there are more routes in those areas with greater concentrations of excellent trails. Centres include: Glasgow, Greenock, Milngavie, Lochwinnoch, Sanquhar, Moniaive, Wanlockhead, Durisdeer, Glentrool, Traquair, Peebles, Kirk Yetholm, Gifford, Longformacus and Balerno.

      Getting there and getting around

      Essentially, there are two options for getting around the region. Firstly, most of the area is well served by the rail network. There are good rail links between Glasgow and the main towns in the region, and the branch-line stations in-between. Many of the rides in this guide can be started from and finished at nearby railway stations, and there are also options for extending or cutting short rides by means of other railway stations near some of the routes.

      Most trains serving the region have dedicated space for two bikes. This is hardly adequate, although bikes can also go in the door areas – which can be a hassle if you have to keep moving your bike to let people off and on. Engineering works sometimes take place at the weekend on the Scottish rail network, and rail replacement buses do not carry bicycles – so check before travelling. Services on certain lines require bicycle spaces to be booked in advance. Timetable information, as well as information on engineering works and on bike restrictions, can be found at www.nationalrail.co.uk, tel 08457 484950.

      The second option is to travel by car. There are car parks close by most of the routes in this guidebook (they’re indicated on the route maps), which can make travelling by car easier and more convenient than by train due to time restrictions, engineering works and long-winded rail connections.

      Accommodation

      There’s a diverse range of accommodation available to suit most budgets throughout southern and central Scotland, from campsites and bunkhouses to B&Bs, hotels and guesthouses. The Visit Scotland website (www.visitscotland.com) is a good place to start as it also lists cycle-friendly accommodation providers.

      Book your accommodation well in advance of your trip, particularly during the summer season. Scotland is a very popular small country!

      When to go

      Big puddles in Mugdock Country Park during the West of Scotland monsoon season (Route 19)

      Each season has it’s own particular charms, but paths, tracks and trails are obviously at their driest in summer, when you can fairly zip along ridges and enjoy greater traction on the uphills. The summer months are also busier than other seasons – especially at weekends and during the school summer holidays – which requires greater vigilance for other mountain bikers, walkers, horse riders and other folk out enjoying the landscape.

      Spring and autumn are quieter, but the weather and therefore conditions on the ground are obviously less predictable. Winter can be an excellent time for mountain biking in the region, so long as you’re not frightened of getting a bit (or a lot) muddy. However, after prolonged periods of rain the predominantly peaty terrain can be transformed into a highly adhesive quagmire in places, completely clogging up your bike and actually rendering cycling impossible. Furthermore, wet sand and grit and can be remarkably efficient at grinding down your bike’s drive-train. Areas that are particularly prone to mud are indicated in the route descriptions.

      Safety

      Crossing moorland along the Maich Water, Muirshiel (Route 15)

      Most of the time, mountain biking is a perfectly safe activity and far safer than cycling on roads. However, rutted, slippery and loose surfaces are frequently encountered and if you take a tumble at speed, you risk causing yourself considerable damage. Cycling downhill at speed is one of the great joys of mountain biking, but it’s essential that you maintain control. If you can’t see what (or who) is coming round a bend, slow down. Likewise, if you’ve never ridden a particular downhill before and don’t know what to anticipate, moderate your speed.

      Make sure that your brakes are working efficiently and that your tyres are inflated properly (30–40psi depending on terrain, conditions, your weight and so on). Under-inflated

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