Just wondering if there is an off road route between Edinburgh (south side of the city ideally) and Glentress? And, if so, do you have a GPS file? Ideally, I’m looking for some interesting singletrack, not just the most direct route, as I’m trying to formulate a plan for an epic off road trip next year 😀

I remember when living in Edinburgh some of the breakfast ride/bivvy crowd combining a night ride at Glentress with a bivvy ride and leaving the GT night ride somewhere at the top of the black and heading back towards Edinburgh.
It actually was in an issue of ST.
Was probably pre 2006

Graeme Blance
Alaskan Puppies
http://singletrackworld.com/magarchive/issue-14/

StuN on here may know more

Pentlands – West Linton – Romanno Bridge – Cloich Hills – Meldons – Peebles – Janets Brae.

Not much singletrack though

Many thanks! I’ve not lived in Edinburgh for a while – how would I get from morningside/comiston to west Linton via the Pentlands?

Long time since I lived there but I also lived iN Morningside
Headed out using canal/water of leith which took you to the Pentlands

Or if looking for an epic why not just combine Glentress Inner Merida route and all the other off piste stuff down there

I’ve done a few different ones similar to druidh’s suggestions.

One other option that I’ve used is to come out of the Pentlands around Carlops or Nine Mile Burn and then using farm tracks and minor roads to get to Gladhouse Reservoir area. From there I never found a great direct route south through the windfarm – but it should be doable (?). Less direct you can follow tracks east to the back road above Heriot and Innerleithen, follow the Leithen water down, turn in (west) on the big forest/estate track past the big house and up the obvious climb to pick up the black route near the top.

I’ve extended something similar to this a couple of times to make a route from Edinburgh to Gala vising Glentress and Innerleithen and then back up onto the SUW. It’s a nice day out but again, there’s not much singletrack.

I planned the route from Gladhouse a couple of times to the radio mast (driving to the reservoir and leaving the car there). Each time I got on the A703, though, it was heavy rain and I just couldn’t be arsed with it so drove ahead to Glentress. Wish I’d done it now, just as something different to ride.
So no help here – it does look pretty straightforward on the map down the river S Esk and then up onto the moors. Potentially a wee hike across to the windfarm then depending on conditions under wheel.

There are routes through the Hermtiage and Braid Hills to Mortonhall and then a short bit of road to Fairmilehead. However there are no good routes down this side of the hills. Options are;
Dreghorn – Bonaly – Phantoms Cleugh – Glen Road – The Howe – Round to the North of the Kips then over Monks Rig to Ninemileburn and Carlops to West Linton
OR
head from Morningside to the Water of Leith Walkway – Juniper Green – Balerno – Beech Avenue – Red Road – West Kip – Monks Rig – Ninemileburn – Carlops – West Linton
OR
Balerno – Beech Avenue – Yellow Brick Road – Listonshiels – Borestane – Carlops – West Linton
OR
Balerno – Buteland – Leithead – short section of road to Little Vantage – Thieves Road – Cauldstane Slap – West Linton.

PM me for a Google Earth file showing most of these tracks.