Talking about the singletrack in the map (marked in red):

A few days ago, I cleared some branches on the trail. I wasn’t sure if they’d been placed there or had fallen in the recent high winds.

This morning I returned and oh my word – someone had gone to town! All the way down this trail, at regular 10m-15m intervals were some pretty decent sized logs/branches. Some we so big (fallen tree trunks) etc that I had trouble moving them myself (I’m a 6’2″ bloke!).

Now I don’t mind the odd obstacle – to be expected, but this was very much deliberate and must have taken some considerable time. t took me about half an hour to clear them all.

Looks like someone has something against MTBers. The trail isn’t used by horse riders as far as I can tell either. What also irks me is that the extent of this blockage was so much that it would probably stop some less able walkers from getting through as well. Not really conducive to anything!

I don’t think I’ve ever really seen anything like this in the Pentlands and surrounding trails – has anyone else seen this?

This has been going on at the singletrack down to Balerno for years, all the way back to the nail incidents in 2006-2007 (hence some people calling it The Nail Trail). Same person(s)?

I don’t ride there often these days, but if I ride in succession over a few days I observe sticks I move being back the next day. I wonder if a trail camera setup on a tree at a point where lots of sticks are put down would catch the perp.

Ah yes – the Nail Trail – I’d forgotten about that. Was anyone ever caught for that?

Pretty disappointing really.

Are you totally sure it was manmade? It’s been very windy, trees and branches down all over the place here (just down the road)

Nail Trail still gets regular logs put on it, got to hand it to whoever it is that does it, they’re committed… I heaved a load over the fence from near the pylon and they were all back a couple of weeks later, that’s quite a lot of effort.

Must admit, that trail’s about 10 minutes from my house but I’m not sure I’ve done it! Worth a look?

The Forth Bridge was closed to high sided vehicles last night on account of it being so windy. Not saying it’s not a sab, but it could just be windfall again.

I think it’s a super sweet tiny little trail and not many people know about it. It has turned up on strava now though. Shame about the log layer. Hidden camera, then printing out a picture of the log layer and sticking them on the trees could be quite amusing.

there used to be occasional logs across that trail; but don’t recall anything too bad – apart from the nettles, and brambles! that was about 2002 era though 🙂

Is that Poets Glen? may just be some walker with a grudge, it’s quite a pleasant (and reasonably busy) path.

Which one was Nail Trail? dropping down from the ranger centre?

alternatively, build up the logs into sweet jumps

That trail is further out than Poets Glen and starts off the Harlaw Road. Last time I rode it there were a few significant blockages. Does it still decamp you into a muddy field half way down?

Nail Trail comes down from the Rigs Road to Cockburn Crescent in Balerno.

If only there was a map showing all these names 😉

If it’s on the top end of the track, I’d guess it’s windblow as it doesn’t see much traffic and there’ve been bits and pieces of windblow on it in the past. The lower bit might be different as it seems to get a bit more use, but given the strength of wind the last few days I’d not jump to any conclusions unless there’s more evidence.

ah, got it. Got disorientated!

Indeed scotroutes, if only 😉

if you turn right and follow the woodland belt shown by the red line above you don’t get decamped into the field, and you get another nice descent along the next belt, then drop down into WoL

Chaps, I am 100% ultra-mega sure it’s not wind-related.

These were methodically-placed every 10-15m on the entire trail. You could see the marks where they had been dragged over from the side of the trail and placed right in the middle. Some were entire tree trunks that had been lying for a long time in the undergrowth and had been dragged out across the trail.

And yes, it’s a great bit of trail! Turn tight at the muddy field and continue in a dog-leg. Bit muddy in places but good fun.

i’d try and match the mischief by moving/cutting them, hidden camera, or build them into jumps or something. some of the logs on the nail trail are quite good fun to pop over ironically

Ah I know that one but I’ve always ended up in the field, need to check it out… I could wander by with the man-saw, if it needs that?

Cheers. Cleared all of them off the trail – sawed through one big one with a trail saw but as you say, it’s pretty dedicated work. I’m sure they’ll be back.

I rode down it the other night on my cross bike and there was stuff all over it.

Nice trail that – quite a discrete entrance as I recall. Always had big logs over it when I used to ride it, was never clear. Bit of work could make that into something really good and fast, but not if it means going to war with some dickhead with a log fetish.

Think you used to be able to ride it straight through down the stream (tricky on a v narrow path), but Farmer John ploughed his field over the fence making it impassable. That was a few years ago, so maybe it’s different now.

Yeah, I only got to know it relatively recently and I’ve never seen it blocked until now.

At the field, you can still go straight on and down by the stream but it’s a bit overgrown. You have to pop out and ride down the side of the field for a short section. Best to take the right turn but both options are rideable.

Handy little trail that, but only before late summer when the bottom section gets very overgrown. I did a bit of tidy up last year, but at that time, it did look like genuine windblown stuff.

If only these idiots would put their efforts into trail maintenance rather than obstruction, we could all enjoy a decent trail (walkers and riders).

Face similar issues down in brizzle (former pentlands local), what I find now is if we only clear the larger stuff not easily hopped/rolled over, it doesn’t get put back so quick. The “loggers” see there’s stuff over the trail and don’t add more (cos it’s an effort) where as if they see it totally cleared they’ll put stuff across.

Think of it like a vaccine, you need a little bit of the “illness” to stop it going full blown 😉

Its got a bit of history this trail. Its still got an old Private – Keep out sign on a tree at the top. It used to be blocked at multiple locations by some very large windfall. Someone then went to great efforts with a chainsaw to remove them and put in bridges across the burns. It wasn’t long before the bridges had been removed by someone.

I’ve bumped into an old champ on the trail a couple of times. Never acknowledges you when you say hello so I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t like bikers! The trail gets a lot more traffic now so perhaps he has gone into overdrive.

Its a real shame the lower section got buldozed by the farmer as it was a much better exit than the current one despite the trialsy trees to negotiate.

That’s interesting balfa – I’ve never seen that sign – will look out for it next time I’m up.

Does anyone know why it was there?

Surely this should read “PSA free logs”

If only these idiots would put their efforts into trail maintenance rather than obstruction, we could all enjoy a decent trail (walkers and riders).

Worth putting words to that effect in a sign? Entice them out and then *BLAM*!

I spent a few pleasant summers evenings a few years ago clearing out the major windfall and building the bridges ( which didnt last long before they were removed), lovely wee trail. Hope it doesnt go the same way as the nail trail as it gets more popular which is mostly a churned up mess at the top,a few logs might keep the traffic down 😉

You can also head into the woods to the left of the muddy field, avoiding the dog leg, trail is pretty vague though and pops back into the field a couple of times.