Oh collective STW mind, lend me your ears…

Moving up to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks to start a new job, will be living with the in-laws for a while (eek!) until the gf gets a job sorted up here too and we can sell the house (on a side note; if anyone wants a house right next to the biking at Cannock Chase let me know!), where is good to ride in the East Lothian area?

I’ll be living in Bonnyrigg for the time being and whilst I’ve been walking a bit in the Pentlands I don’t really know it for biking. Whilst Glentress/Innerleithen are close I’m not a big trail centre fan so any pointers towards areas with good natural riding would be much appreciated!

Honeybadger

Some great riding around Bonnyrigg and all over Midlothian, get in touch when settled and i can show you around.

The Pentlands is the main area for doorstep riding – many on here ride there regularly. Not the most exciting riding, but it’s a big area so there’s lots to explore so you can keep it fresh. There’s lots you can do in East and West Lothian but it’s more big CX-type routes rather than MTBing, although there are a few spots here and there.

There’s loads of riding in the hills either side of the Tweed valley where GT and Innerleithen are. Both those places are excellent IMO, and I’m not a particular fan of trail centres in general. I lived in Edinburgh for 10 years and never got bored with either place.

Cheers gamo, will do (might need to escape the in-laws feeding me to death).

Garry – sounds good, I need to get a couple of OS maps really I guess and just get a feel for the area, also could be the excuse I’ve been looking for to get a cyclo-cross bike again!

If you want some more technical riding, or bigger mountains you can start by heading north to Stirling / Clackmananshire / Fife and start exploring the Ochils. There are some big days out up there as well as some more technical / fun trails around the North and South sides of Stirling city.

Guess it would be similar travel distance as GT / Inners, but natural instead of trail centre.

there are occasional, formerly regular, wednesday evening Edinburgh rides loosely organised on here 🙂

I spent a happy few years exploring the Pentlands, most of the paths marked on OS maps are rideable with the usual caveats for weather etc.

A CX bike is a great idea also, Edinburgh/Roslin/Pentlands foothills all have amazing wee sections of singletrack dotted about and it can be fun linking them together.

Keep an eye on here, the wednesday rides I’ve made it to have been great rides.

There’s a good, active community in the area – think stevenmenmuir off-a here’s in Newtongrange & may be able to show you some right local stuff. I love the Pentlands, but stay right at their feet so it is (..was..) easy to get up & find various routes depending on conditions; this thread might give you some idea of peoples view-points.
If you’re on bookface look up ‘east-lothian mountain biking’, ‘pentlands hills users’ and ‘fatbike tours’ too. Other forums are available, apparently… mtbscotland for e.g.
Hope to catch you out there some time.

Aye, keep your eye on here as the lads say above

also there is a handy Facebook group called East Lothian Mountainbiking with a healthy member list.

Remember up here you can ride responsibly wherever you like pretty much so just swing the leg over and go exploring.

Gladly show you the highlights of the local pubs and trails whenever you like.

Thanks guys, will hopefully see you up there soon.

I am in Rosewell, PM me when you arrive, and I can point you in the right direction.

Doug

…and if you’re at a loose end, here’s a flavour of the old days / nights riding from a couple of years back, mostly in the Pentlands –

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ECqMUAoUpM&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Ah, those were the days…. nice warm nights with dry hills…

Tempted to organise a few epic (as in mass group) rides again here in East Lothian this summer from the Twp central train stations.
And if you fancy some fat biking you have landed near UK fat bike central with some amazing coastline with riding as easy or technical hard as you want 🙂

Our ELMTB Facebook page is here; https://www.facebook.com/groups/170681302957856/

Often xc rides going on from Pencaitland village posted up there 🙂

Any bike goes – even tiny frames with 100mm like GW rides 😉

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bIw6SNBOFU&feature=relmfu[/video]

Did somebody mention me? Give us a shout when you’re ready, the above FB pages are probably best. The East Lothian lot are a bit wierd, obsessed with fat bikes, Cider and filming everything! But apart from that they’re alright 😉 There are some of the Pentlands collective that will attempt to take you up at least six really painfully steep climbs on every ride and leave you a broken man but all rides in the Pentlands finish with a descent so it’s not all bad. Loads of stuff to do in the valley that marked with a coloured arrow if you know where to look, failing that just enter one of the many superbly organised Enduros and you’ll find them. Or join the Glentress Trailfairies for a session or two and I’m sure somebody will help you out. But there’s plenty in Midlothian and it’s drying out nicely 8)

Mid Lothian is where the SS bramble whisky race snakes hang out… and a nice bunch of folk too… 🙂

We never mentioned fat bikes… 😉

but ok then… 🙂

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DciidhWIeM&list=UUSv198UD3Wy-dBsg3K40IvQ&index=4&feature=plcp[/video]

East Lothian is very good for road riding too.

Middle of the road in the primary position ,down union street, im told. 🙂

Thanks all, starting work second week of June so once I’m settled in would be great to get shown round some of the local riding areas.

Not sure about the fat bike thing, I’m still recovering from my first few single speed outings, I can only handle so much weirdeness purity at once!

When you get up here, drop me an email. I have a wee map of some Pentlands trails that might help you out.

Another offer of guiding / route finding from me.

I tend to do a fair bit of gentle pootling as well as real mountainbiking so I have a network of pootle routes all over and around the city as well s mountianbike stuff

Pentlands

guy black hill 2 by TandemJeremy, on Flickr

Quite a few of the folks on this thread here in the pentlands

everyone at top by TandemJeremy, on Flickr

More pentlands

Goat track by TandemJeremy, on Flickr

East lothian woods

08 butterdean woods by TandemJeremy, on Flickr

heading west fro the city

dalmeny shore path by TandemJeremy, on Flickr

Coasty and Steven Menmuir have pretty much nailed It, Great little community around East/Mid lothian not too mention the old TBC crew . If you settle in Midlothian I think personally you have the best ride from your door trails (Pentlands one side and Eastlothians Downhill secret to the other).

You might even get some of GW’s virtual Skill School and Yodagoats rank patter as well as a pint at the Winton 😆