[Closed] Edinburgh Capital Trail, kind of.

Hi Ian,

Would have liked to join you for some of it but giving my wife a weekend off mummy duties after my project deadline on Friday so no pedalling for me!

When you heading to Cairngorms?

Did it last year over three days taking it steady: afternoon, full day, morning. Started at Peebles ('cos we're Sassenachs!) bivvied in the Pentlands and by the river in Melrose.

The section between Edinburgh and the Lammermuirs feels as if you are getting nowhere! It does all link in though.

If it's been wet then some of the tracks will be hard going. Route finding was pretty straightforward even working its way through Edinburgh.

We're doing the Cairngorms Loop group start as well, see you in Blair Atholl!

Mud can be an issue if its been wet. The bit before Selkirk was a muddy frame jamming mess when I came through there. Saved somewhat by the jet wash at the Petrol station as you come into Selkirk. Also a good place to fill up on water. Lots of gates too from Lauder to Selkirk so prepare for lifting bikes repetitively.

Depending how you like your descents I might vary things a little. I think the route takes you down fireroad at towards the end of the descent to Innerleithen. There are lots of other more interesting descents but they are all a little more technical so were left out of the route. The red road descent in the Pentlands has been sanitised now too so I'd probably take an alternative descent heading east ish under the kips instead. I guess you will probably not go that way though if heading back to Linlithgo. I guess Caldstone slap might make more sense.

Thanks for the advice. I'm still not decided on whether to take my stove. I'm erring on the side of sans stove though. Also what bike to take, my Stooge or my Scalpel.

I've pretty familiar with Edinburgh, the Pentlands and the southern upland bit around Peebles and innerleithen but not so sure about the east Lothian section especially the Lammermuirs. I'll be using my - old - Garmin Touring plus with my phone as back up. I'm also taking a powerpack battery to top both up.

Stove: for me, it really depends if I'm hoping to get round as fast as possible or if it's more of a short tour. Mostly, I'm happy to have a leisurely start to the day, lie in my bivvy drinking coffee, watching wildlife (or even just the sky).

However, sometimes I want to make the most of the day and crack on with the miles. That's easier if I know there is somewhere I can grab food/drink en route. A bit of research will help identify the latter, though bear in mind closures due to Covid and remember to have some sort of face covering and hand sanitizer with you.

There's a Co-op in Melrose, open 0700-2200. There's also a chippy, dunno the hours but apparently it's tucked away in a side street and we never found it.

From memory there's really not much between Portobello/Edinburgh conurbation and Melrose, can't remember if there's anything in Lauder but we passed straight through. There's quite a lot after Melrose: Selkirk, Innerleithin (off route), Peebles, West Linton (café).

didnhurt
Sent you a message

Good shout on the face mask but I could always just use my buff.

I'm planning on taking plenty of cereal bars with some trail mix and some salted nuts. Aiming to eat a cereal bar every hour or so along with a cafe stop mid ride (Melrose, Peebles or west Linton, whichever I see open first). I'll also nip into the odd shop to stock up on the Saturday.

6-7 hour cycle on the Friday afternoon/night, riding until midnight, bivvy down till daylight then up early and cycle for another 12 hours.

Option 1.

If I'm feeling good then I might take a spin around glentress as well as the loop (I know it's part of the route but I don't think it's essential).

Option 2.

If I'm feeling fine but not with energy to burn then I'll do the loop minus glentress.

Option 3.

If I'm feeling rough then I'll cut some of hills out and ride on the road/cycle paths.

Option 4.

Abandon and call the wife to pick me up but that isn't really an option as it wouldn't be worth the earache. I can always take an extra snooze somewhere.

Local area over Lammermuirs to Lauder. Handful of burn crossings on land rover tracks as you come down Glenburnie from Lammerlaw but nothing major. Plenty of food stops in Lauder, Coop at north of town, 2 cafes 9-5, Mace, bakers 9-5 and 2 hotels doing food. Campsite on Thirlestane Estate but I don’t think they are taking tents (COVID) plenty of wild camp/bivoc in and around woods

Sounds like there's plenty of places for food. Ideal.

We're on the section of trail before going over the Pentlands, we might be away this weekend, but if not then send me a message on here if you need a top up of water, mechanical help, snacks, verbal abuse or motivation! Likewise for anyone else giving it a go.

Thanks honeybadger. Most appreciated. I'll put a pot up on here when I get to Peebles.

Well today's weather looks lovely however tomorrow doesn't look quite so good. Thundery showers in the morning.

Oh well, bad weather hasn't stopped me from riding my bike in the past. It's almost the norm when I decide to plan a longer ride.

Just got a million and one things to do at work, once I get home its time for quick change of clothes, "chamois up!" Grab my kit then it's time to get going.

Robbie (from off here), has decided to ride it with me (and is even giving me much appreciated lift to Cramond), so it'll be great to have bit of company along the way.

Will try to put a couple of posts up along the route, not sure I'll be able to upload images.

Just got a million and one things to do at work, once I get home its time for quick change of clothes, “chamois up!” Grab my kit then it’s time to get going.

That's how all the best trips start, mad rush after work on a Friday then suddenly the blessed cool of being out on the trails.

Thundery showers in the morning.

Always a dilemma, if it's genuinely just a thundery downpour, I'm all for ignominiously seeking shelter now, no point getting drenched. But if it's prolonged, just ride it out and hope it will be warm enough later to dry out!

Apologies about having no updates or photos to upload as some numpty forgot to take their phone.

So the ride didn't really go to plan but I was pretty happy with the mileage and elevation covered in less than a day and a half.

Robbie picked me up after work and we started the route from Cramomd, nice easy riding along the sea front and cycle paths to Portobello to the official start of the Capital Trail.
The start of the trail was easy going with some lovely pieces of single-track through some small (occasionally muddy) woods and around fields of East Lothian (these would be amazing on a cross bike in the dry). This time of year though the foliage at the side of the trail was getting a bit wild so I got jagged quite a few times from nettles, brambles, thistles and gorse but nothing serious. The weather was fine and temperature mild which was appreciated.

We stopped for a bite to eat at Blinkbonny woods (should be called midgie woods) before the climb up into the Lammermuirs. The climb was tough at times (I decided to push when it got too steep for me).
As the heavy rain descended earlier than expected so we headed to shelter about 25km before we'd planned to. Can't say where (well not on a public forum anyhoos as I'm not sure how legal it was ) but it was a great spot though.

Started early the next day, the riding was wet but we covered the ground pretty well. I'd forgotten just how hard going parts of the southern upland way can be at times with its steep grassy climbs. There was some great single-track though especially along the river banks into Melrose. A baker's was open early so I bought a steak pie, caramel slice, a cup of tea and a quiche for later. The rain had eased off for a bit so it was rather nice sitting and filling our faces.

So this is where we decided (really it was me as I was the weaker rider of the two of us) that the trails were too wet and the there was too much climbing ahead to complete the full loop in the time we had so we cut out three hilly sections (I've ridden these sections multiple times and knew how much work was involved in riding them). The climb to the 3 Brethren, the glentress loop and the climb up to the gypsy glen.

We span along the cycle path to innerleithen and bought smoothies from a cafe on the high street which were lovely (as were the folk serving). The cycle path to Peebles was then followed where we picked up the Capital Trail route once again. This was a pretty tough section (for me) with some steep grassy climbs though the descent down towards West Linton was good.

A quick refuel in West Linton then it was time for a ride over the Pentlands. This section I didn't really enjoy as much as I thought I would because I couldn't understand why the route went up such a steep grassy, boggy climb for you to then descend down a busy wide path when there is much better riding options. The descent went by quickly with the best bit (imho) being the short section of single-track along the side of the road on the way to Balerno. I intended to ride down the Nail trail as I've not done it in a year or two but missed the turn off, we also missed the official routes turnoff too so just joined the water of Leith path in Balerno.
We rode this back to the canal and followed the route again to the A8 where we parted company. I headed west home to Linlithgow and Robbie east back to his van in Cramond.

I got home around about tea time (after a sneaky snooze on bench in the sun I came across on my way home). Cleaned my bike and kit (and myself), and settled down with to the normal Saturday routine with the family(it Was almost like it had never happened!)

All in all I enjoyed the ride and was happy the the overall mileage and elevation achieved (plus good company with Robbie coming along).

I would like to give it another shot one day but I'd give myself a full 2 days to complete it and I would only attempt it after a week or two of decent weather with a none wet forecast as some of the ground is hard going when wet and would be a lot more enjoyable if ridden dry.

Nice one. Adaptive plans, always the best!

That grassy climb into the Pentlands is a real shock, was the gate at the top still fastened up with barbed wire?

Good to hear folks getting in some type 2 fun!

I did it 5 years ago on my fat bike - and just for fun, in a day starting from West Linton. Nearly got squished by a truck at Carlops and punctured in the Pentlands. Fortunately it was pretty dry that spring, so tracks were dry and made good time/progress. Had a good scoff at Lauder but forgot to refill my water and ended up drinking out a burn near the top of the 3 Brethren. I was ravenous by the time I got to Peebles and headed for the chippy and stuffed my face sprawled out on the pavement. Had to the hammer the rest as I was running out of lights.

Whitestone.

I didn't notice any gates wrapped up with barb wire but the vehicle gates were padlocked up so had to lift the bike over a few instead. Seems like the landowner doesn't like folk crossing their land.

dovebiker

Nice write up, a good idea starting in West Linton so you get to finish with a down hill. I'm all to scared of bonking in the middle of nowhere after having gone through a few in the past so I tend to carry and eat way more then what I need but then riding all day is an excellent excuse for eating anything you fancy with no guilt.

Good job didn'thurt, I was thinking of you on Saturday AM as the rain hammered down in Kirkliston!

Trying to picture which Pentlands climb we're talking about, is it the one past North Esk reservoir?

Being able to adapt a trip on the hoof is a vital skill!

I think it's called the Monks Path. I think I've descended it before but couldn't have rated it much as I didn't ride again by choice. It would be a very fast descent but could see you having a comedy "off" quite easily due to the mixture of boggy ground and slick grass.

Just checked and it was the Monks Rig from Nine Mile Burn. I should have followed my instinct and followed the path from Carlops past the North Esk reservoir. Or even the Thieves road. They're both much more fun with less pushing (for me anyway).

I wouldn't have been a first choice of climbing route for me either! Even when there was a pub at the bottom and we returned, it was contouring along then up the glen. Good descent though - greasy grass and sudden bogs notwithstanding..

Went out for a 50km road ride last night with a pal and was surprised how well I felt even whilst climbing up the Drumcross Rd climb out of Bathgate which is never a climb that I enjoy, my Garmin says it's 16%.

Monk's Rigg

Lol! Wouldn't even choose to descend that, too much of a plummet...

Drumcross Rd climb out of Bathgate

Scurries off to check Didn'tHurt's time on Strava...

Nice write-up. It's important to adapt plans and to be able to admit to yourself when you need to adapt.

I used to ride Monks Rigg. After the first couple of attempts it gets easier as you know how to pace it. I believe the Red Road has been "sanitised" since I last rode it.

Sorry 13th but I didn't record my ride last night as I forgot to press the start button

I generally only allow people who follow me on Strava see my rides as I'm a bit paranoid about bike theives using it. If you sent me a request I'll be more than happy to accept it.

Cheers Scotroutes,

I reckon I could probably manage to ride up the Monks rig if I really wanted to punish myself and I had fresh legs but I doubt I was any slower (plus saved my knees and gave my hamstrings a stretch) by pushing. Yeah the red road is now like a gravel road, really fast but so dull compared to the deep grooved multiple line choice of old.