Edinburghers: Balerno to Bush through the Pentlands

I’ve seen some road routes pop up on Strava that go from Balerno to Bush through the hills (I assume coming out at Flotterstone?). I’ve never done it and I’m keen – how gnarly is it? I.e. full MTB needed, or gravel bike doable?

Thank you.

Through the green cleuch? Fine for a gravel bike.

Several options, few that require a MTB unless you want to. Exit like you say at Flotterstone if coming down the tarmac from Glencorse reservoirs or from the base of Castlelaw you’re pretty much just crossing the road into Bush. Can be quite direct and speedy or more lumpy and lengthy depending on which route you take but plenty worth trying.

Road bike doable? High risk of mud? Sorry – don’t know the area at all, but keen to explore from Lanarkshire and it’d make a nice loop down the Lanark Road, back the Biggar road….

Road bike doable?

Through the Pentlands, no.

^ I’ve seen folk go through Green Cleuch on tri bars. Wouldn’t say it was my first choice, but in the dry and taking it steady there’s only a short section that is any way rough enough to have to pick your way through. Dry, hard ground on a modern bike with decent clearance for tyres and happy to walk a short bit? Maybe?

Had an – immature – chuckle at this

more lumpy and lengthy

Just try it one weekend, do it as a loop. As said above, easy enough technically, just a bit of climbing (and descending).

I’d take a cross/xc bike, so I could ride down the Nail Trail into Balerno, would be a fun way to end your working day.

The vast bulk of Pentlands routes are fine for gravel bikes. There are a few short bits where a mountain bike is better but only if you go seeking them out. Some bits could be done on road bikes if you aren’t precious about rims or scratches. But basically gravel bikes are the optimum choice.

Had an – immature – chuckle at this

more lumpy and lengthy

Wait till he gets to the Bush

Three ways I’d suggest

From harlaw head up and over maidens which is getting rougher (thankfully) then down to flotterstone

From threipmuir head up the hill to Harmony down the green cleugh the north end of black hill to Logan house is rough then the tar road to flotterstone and a cafe / pub.

Or at harmony head up the red road to east kip then down Eastside to the A702.

Maidens is doable on a gravel bike but not much fun compared to a MTB. You could cut across to Castlelaw which is hard work but good gravel mostly.

Easiest way as others have said is Thriepmuir – Green Cleugh and then down the tarmac road past the 2 reservoirs to Flotterstone. Easy on a gravel bike. Green Cleugh / The Howe is a bit rough in places but the rest you could do on a road bike.

The road climb up to the start of Green Cleugh from the Thriepmuir carpark (called Exponential on Strava) is short but quite painful!

There is a river crossing at the bottom of Green Cleugh that used to be shallow and really fun to smash through on a gravel bike, but after the last few years storms it has deepened quite a bit. Would get pretty wet if a rock stopped you and you had to put feet down. I usually get off and hop across the stepping stones these days just so my feet don’t get cold anyway.

—

If you don’t mind, my favourite way to get between those two points is the following (need an MTB, and only enjoyable / responsible in the dry really):

Thriepmuir to Harlaw along the track next to the water
>From Harlaw, climb up the “Drainage ditches climb” towards the top of Maiden’s Cleugh (really nice climb, but only if it’s dry)
>From there, traverse left over the northern flank of Harbour hill.
> Follow the track to go up and over Capelaw, down to the big gravel road.
>Follow the road to Fala Knowe, and then drop down a faint path to the right towards the reservoirs. This is awesome fun in the dry.

This kicks you out on the road near Castlelaw Hill fort, and you’re basically at Flotterstone then.