TJ, Northwind spoke to the Rangers a bit last year so it may be worth getting in touch with him and seeing what else he can add to the discussion.

I’d be interested in helping out with trail work in the Pentlands.

I think I followed most of your route description but I’ve never ridden the Casltelaw Goat Track. Is that the trail you can see shadowing Phantoms Cleugh on the other side of the valley?

Also on the signage I don’t think it needs to be aim directly at cyclists. Walkers gradually widen paths by going aroudn the boggy and wet bits.

I think they should highlight to all users that paths are fragile and easily damaged when wet.

Cris – there are a couple of routes – from the top of howden burn ride along the landrover track to the cattle grid – look for paths off to the right aftr the cattle grid. vulnerable when wet / vulnerable to heavy traffic 🙂

Are you one of the MTB scotland posters?

As has been said for the last couple of years – I’m up for some trail maintenance. Despite my repeated attempts to co-ordinate this with the Rangers, they’ve been completely useless at ever getting back to me and I was getting passed around various individuals. But hey ho – maybe it’s just me they don’t like.

I agree that any signage has to be aimed at ALL users – particularly as the equestrians cause the most damage.

Here’s one of the threads from last year on trail repairs, for interest.

There’d be no shortage of willing hands for a regular maintenance regime, esp. if materials are being supplied. I’m in too, wean permitting; aside from some litter picking, minor gorse pruning + wet trail avoidance, I can’t say I’ve returned much for 3 years + entertainment.

Are you one of the MTB scotland posters?

Yes, occasionally. I have the same username there. We have met a few times, too…

Haha, that steep chute to Blinkbonny is always an interesting one, had a few adventures on it myself, largely due to pedals and rocks.

Another willing hand here for trail maintenance, although a lot of my weekends are booked up already, I’d be willing to make time.

Thought so Cris. If you keep your eye out for any action on this here perhaps you could liase with them see if any are interested. I have stopped going on there as I never used it.

Count me in as well for some trail fixing. 😀

Also might be worth contacting Roz at IMBA (roz.pollock@imba.org.uk) who occasionally posts on the Edinburgh Uni forum (see here) and was talking about organising some trail maintenance sessions.

One other thing to bear in mind about Black Hill is it took a hammering when they were doing the dam work at Threipmuir – that was the diversion route for everyone when the track north of the reservoir was shut over last winter.

Yep, guiltily I have to admit I started a bit of a move towards some trail repairs then completely dropped the ball on it and I’ve totally failed to do anything about it. Got as far as meeting the rangers and going out to discuss pistachio way but then other things got in way. They were very receptive, though they did want to keep things fairly low key.

(aside- what was discussed was formalising the left-hand line that goes round the first sump- that’s on the left as you climb- as the current “trail” just goes through the lowest point in the woods and is sometimes below the level of the stream. There’s a “diversion” already formed there, it’d just need dug out slightly and better material used to build it up a little and to make it more obvious… The second one being more problematic, we talked about either a rock line for peds and pedallers using locally recovered stone, or possibly a reroute involving removing/partly removing the big fallen tree)

I’m not sure I’ve got the drive just now to restart that even if the rangers were in a mind to listen to me after messing them around, but I do still have some contact details etc and definately up for being a digger if not an organiser.

So if anyone does want to pick up the flag drop me a line.

Oh…

TandemJeremy – Member

Erosion is the one that pees me off. Black hill and nail trail have suffered badly – apparently in an MBR guide ??? without any warning about the delicate nature.

To be fair I think for these you can point the finger a bit at Andy Barlow who did the black hill route- though they did it in summer, it wasn’t printed til autumn. And the MBR/Nail Trail was Crawfy, you could tell him off for it but I don’t think he’ll listen 😉

Definately up for lending a hand with digging. Been lots of talk over the last couple of years and nothing has come of it, the fact is, if things carry on the way they are, the place will be destroyed.

Northwind – I have been in contact with the rangers as above and am going to really try to follow through with this. As you say receptive adn helpful so hopefully this time it will happen. I shall try not to go tooo “TJ” on them 🙂 but I will persist

Hey jeremy did any of those photos from wednesday come out well?

No – not really