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My normal riding buddy has moved to the Eastern end of the Pentlands, the North East corner of the hills is about the only bit I haven't explored. Flotterstone I know, and climbs up from Dreghorn. What is there accessing from Hillend/Swanston area, is there access from there joining up to the trails above Dreghorn and Castlelaw? What they like? How do I find them? Are they best up or down?
They are always best down 🙂
You can get right round from Hillend, through Swanston to Dreghorn and then Bonaly (OK - there's a wee flight of stairs behind the scout centre). Or go up the big gravel road from Dreghorn (good luck with that 😉 )
The Hillend - Boghall path is mostly rideable too and then you can either take the new(ish) path across Boghall Glen past the monument and on to Flotterstone (couple of gates) or head up Boghall Glen right to the ridge between Allermuir and Caerketton.
Well yeah, your first statement is obvious.....
Gravel road from Dreghorn is hellish, should have said the reason for asking about access at Hillend was to avoid that! The route to Boghall and then up Boghall Glen sounds like it could be a good up option. The OS maps show some descents coming off Caerketton straight down to the bypass, any good?
Most of the uphill stuff around Hillend is always going to be a push. Best way to find tracks is just to go for a few walks in the area. It's not huge. Or go for a (on foot) run which is a great way of discovering new tracks up there, as well as getting you fit pretty quickly.
The descent east off Allermuir to Swanston is a hoot, watch for walkers/dogs 🙂
Easier down than up, 60% push into a strong westerly
Great running area, My brother in law just did an epic run from Swanston up Allermuir at the weekend - 29 times 😯
An Everest of Allermuirs
It was last autumn, but the path from hillend to Boghall was barely rideable for the section that runs parallel with the A702, it was chewed up by cows hoofs, and its full of large stepping stones.
Couple of good climbs out that way. From Swanston cottages there's a tricky climb up past the cross-shaped wood, bear left on flattish track then sharply up to the top of the ski- centre. Doable with some mad monkey power. There's the remnants of an old DH track at this point, if you fancy some MTB heritage exploration. It's a push up from here to the top of hill end. Never managed to find any good descents off hill end towards the a702, but maybe they exist - only tried a couple of times, it always seemed more interesting to go across to allermuir.
The bog hall climb mentioned is a nice way to ride all the way up to the ridge for mortals, it's a comfy climb in general with a sharp bit right at the end up to windy door nick. Only problem with the Boghall way into the hills is its location, it's a bit inconvenient - you'd need to live in quite a narrow area for it to make sense as your natural way in. Still worth exploring, as is that glen in general. Doesn't get ridden nearly as much as other places.
if you don't fancy the "real puke hill" that is Dreghorn, then take the grassy one off to the right that starts just behind that shot up building at the bottom of the new gravel. Takes you up to the top of white hill and is less steep.
Thanks for the heads up on the Allemuir-Swanston DH Coastkid, rode it last night. Good addition to my Pentlands loops, and much more convenient for getting home than coming off the hills further West.
