there’s no need to be a pr*ck about things, a simple and polite ‘no, sorry private land’, would suffice! A bit of civility costs nothing.

Is this supposed to offend all landowners or someone in particular?

You do tha crime you gotta do tha time…. 😈

As in all walks of life….some land ownwers are good but some are complete c*cks.

I’ve since googled him so in particular, sir archibald edmonstone the 17th, complete and utter c**k. no need what so ever to get hostile, we were only asking a question.

Middle pic, http://www.edmonstone.com/Pages/pic5.htm

My mate was a bit nackered so we were looking for an easy route back, which was through his castle fair enough, but we where only going to ask for permission, i know from looking through google earth that there is a path, anyhow we go up to his gate and just get looked down on like s*** and he was completely hostile before we even got a word in, i’m guessing they don’t teach the monied classes manners, now i’m not a violent person, but he’s lucky it was just me and not some other loonball.

I was just staggered at his reaction, i could have been anybody ye know, i could even have been looking to hire out his mansion for the weekend after spoting it during the run and wanting to have a closer look, not a way to run a business i’d imagine.

…looking for an easy route back, which was through his castle…

If I had a castle I wouldn’t want people riding mountain bikes through it, getting mud on the carpets and knocking the suits of armour over.
On the other hand, those spiral* staircases would make a great urban downhill course.

*Before the pedants start, I know they are helical, not spiral.

I thought you could all roam wherever you pleased in Scotland or something like that?

You’re not supposed to go too close to houses etc – basic good manners anyway.

Btw, I’m not accusing the OP of this – he was going to ask – and quite often in Scotland you’ll get the ok or a suggestion of a suitable route.

Given that his ancestors probably fought for their land, you should have offered to fight him for it too

try again after thursday you’ll be able to request a one off passing under the EBOOBS* scheme
*Egress By Oinks On Bikes Subsidy
i’d nip in quick before his accountant makes it clear you can only ask on the 29th Feb in a non leap year

It usually either fairly obviously private land (e.g. enclosed within walls) or it is land you have a right of responsible access across. Since you felt it necessary to ask – I assume it was the former, which is a bit like me riding my bike across your back garden.

I doubt he gets many cold callers looking to rent the place for the weekend and even fewer muddy mountain bikers. My experience renting large properties is they are, understandably, paranoid about who they let it to – and you’d be unlikely to get it even if you turned up with a wad of cash if they thought you were likely to trash the house or their lawn!

Disappointing – no shotgun involved.

I’d give him the benefit of the doubt (since I’m in a good mood); maybe you caught him on a bad day. We’ve probably all had run-ins with landowners in a grump. Whilst some may always be like that, I guess most just have bad moods from time to time.

Well looking at Duntreath Castle on the OS map (assuming that’s where you were) I can’t for the life of me work out why you would need to go through the castle grounds.

If you were on the W Highland Way there look to be lots of ways off and on to it without going through the middle of the castle grounds.

Given that his ancestors probably fought for their land, you should have offered to fight him for it too

I was thinking the same for a local landowner we were having issues with. His ancestors aquired said land in fights hndreds of years ago so a few MTB riders should have no problems wielding bombers at a 70yr old toff.

Well looking at Duntreath Castle on the OS map (assuming that’s where you were) I can’t for the life of me work out why you would need to go through the castle grounds.

If you were on the W Highland Way there look to be lots of ways off and on to it without going through the middle of the castle grounds. From the point i was at, the easiest way back was through his grounds, there’s a path that runs paralell to the castle grounds, but it’s generally a complete mudfest at this time of year, you can go through the castle grounds and at meet up at the end of it missing most of the quagmire, plus if fancied seeing what was down that end anyhow.

Anyhow, it’s not really a problem i have getting knocked back i knew i was chancing my arm and had no right to, but i thought i’d ask, just his reaction more than anything else. if someone came and asked through my garden, i’d probably let them, but even if i didn’t i wouldn’t act like he did, like i say manners cost nothing.

It could have been worse…he could have set the dogs on you while he went inside for his guns

and quite often in Scotland you’ll get the ok or a suggestion of a suitable route.

This is my general experience also.

Given that his ancestors probably fought for their land, you should have offered to fight him for it too

this is an approach I’ve always fancied trying too. But thinking about it his ancestor probably got that land by being rich enough to afford an army to fight for him to acquire said land and unfortunatley the current land owner can probably still afford to muster a better army than me.

What exactly did he say! Am I the only one interested?!

What exactly did he say! Am I the only one interested?!

you looking for a word for word transcription? 😀 tbh i can’t really remember anymore. He was basically ordering us off the land, and getting right snooty about it before we even opened our mouth, then he started asking where we were from and the likes. Getting all lordy about it, erm mate this isn’t the 17th century anymore…I was basically just telling him to calm down we were only asking a question. I’ve met plenty of sound landowners, this guy was a just complete and utter clown shoe.

this is an approach I’ve always fancied trying too. But thinking about it his ancestor probably got that land by being rich enough to afford an army to fight for him to acquire said land and unfortunatley the current land owner can probably still afford to muster a better army than me.

his family were gifted the lands in the 14th C as a wedding present or something like that, and then it was gifted again in the early 20th C they don’t actually on the lands, just the castle bit, you can read his family history on the web, sounds like he comes from a long line of bawbags tbh!:D

7 centuries of inbreeding can’t have helped matters either.

a bit like me riding my bike across your back garden

Doesn’t sound like it. It’s more like someone walking up your drive to ask if they can cross the field behind your house, and you screaming at them as soon as they set foot.

Doesn’t sound like it. It’s more like someone walking up your drive to ask if they can cross the field behind your house, and you screaming at them as soon as they set foot.

close enough, although i was asking for access through the garden. fully expecting a knockback, but you don’t ask you don’t get i was always taught.