I tend to go out on the bike quite late so just do various Pentland loops. I'm in it for the exercise so while it might be boring for most people I don't mind it.
Does anybody have any suggestions for somewhere else to go though? For example, am I going to be able to find my way around Glentress at night no bother or would I need to know the route from trying it in daylight first?
(It goes without saying that I should just go and find out and I'm a lazy Jock so there's no need for the usual suspects to point that out.)
Tee hee.
Glentress is fine in the dark. The first time I ever rode it was around this time of year, after work, and with no lights. It was fun trying to make out the slightly different shade of ground as being the track through the forests.. 🙂 Get a decent set of lights (no need for 1,000 lumen overkill) and you'll enjoy it.
There are other bits of tracks joining up the canal, Water of Leith, Dalmeny etc which can be used to make a fast, relatively level and weather-proof loop of anything up to 50km. We did one of these as a TBC evening ride last winter and it was a very sociable affair too.
I often do a short loop from Cramond Brig out to the airport when the evenings get dark. Maybe not that easy to link up to anything else depending where you are - fine in the summer, you can just cross the burn and carry on towards Kirkliston and Craigie but not so much fun in the dark. I normally just come back on the road through Cammo.
We did one of these as a TBC evening ride last winter and it was a very sociable affair too.
Oh yeah, when's the next one? That was good.
Do you mean the blue, the red or the black, druidh? I suppose I really should just go and see, shouldn't I.
Crammond Brig's only about ten minutes from the house, Fraser. If you wouldnae mind furnishing me with a few details about your route I'll go and find it.
Cheers.
The TBC rides kick off a wee bit early for me really. I always kind of mean to go along sometime but never quite make it.
Blue/Red. Ain't never done the Black at night, though I can think of bits where it would be a hoot.
I'll work my way up and see how I get on. Not used to trail centres at all so will definitely start on blue.
Gordy
I'm at Cramond not far from the harbour and Cramond Inn. Currently suffering with post viral fatigue, but the following was a regualr route of mine until a few months back...
Cramond harbour, up River Almond to the Brig, turn right and offroad (as much as possible) along the coast through Dalmeny Estate, up the hill at end, through farm at Dalmeny, under A90, into woods above Craigie Farm, few laps in woods/quarry, cyclepath/disused railway to Newbridge junction, over brige, road towards Ratho EICC, canal into towards town, over aqueduct at B&Q Slateford, Water of Leith to Murrayfield, up and over Corstorphine Hill, down through woods to Barnton, back along River Almond. 28 miles or so, not extreme, but a good mix and very enjoyable.
Ideal for a night when you don't have time or inclination to head to Pentlands/GT, and can be done straight from the door.
I'm guessing the TBC route was similar to this.
Gordy - GT at night is fine. I'd say you would be hard pressed to get lost. Even in the snow at night it's fine - obviously you take it a bit easier but the excitement is still there.
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Other ideas are the water of leith (and various wee bits off it) - depending on where you live. It also links up with the canal which between them is tons of off road 'exercise'. Or the route north through Dalmeny (again depends on where you live).
I'm not 'kin surprised you're fatigued, Fatmax. That route'll knacker me I reckon. 🙂
(again depends on where you live)
Probably should have said, right enough. I'm in South Gyle so these routes are fairly close by.
I'll be in the office late tomorrow night and it's near the canal as it heads west out of town so I'll go over the suggestions and see if I can find a diverting route home.