Glasgow riding-some facts.

A recent article on Glasgow mtb riding spots in a magazine painted a somewhat different picture of the reality of owning and using a decent mtb in my “beloved” city.Much of the countryside and parklands in and around Glasgow has been ravaged by the worst recent weather in years including 2 severe hurricanes within a month.Lack of council funding has left many trails abandoned and treacherous to ride.Also,Cathkin Braes shares a notorious reputation with Pollock park as the location of high profile murders in the city and with frequent muggings,thefts and assaults of cyclists its no wonder that more riders have to travel to the trail centres-funds permitting.Despite the 2014 Commonwealth games hype, unless an extensive security system is put in place and sustained Cathkin will be a thieves playground and ultimately will end in its demise.

Um, okay…

in my selfish little mind it is funny to read this after years of people moaning that the 7stanes trail centres were built too far away from where they lived!!!

Pollok Park doesnt have a notorious reputation, its a lovely park!

The problem it has from a mtb perspective is the marked trails there are so short there is little point riding them

What are these ‘facts’ you speak of?.

Er.. Think the worst thing that’s happened in Pollok park recently is a box full of abandoned puppies!
Yes, there’s rough bits, but there’s rough bits everywhere- the mag article was just playing on stereotypes a bit..
I’ve been up to Cathkin a few times, once there was a few neds in the woods but I didn’t bother them, and they didn’t bother me!
Edit- as per the above posts, the OP hasn’t actually said what they think the “facts” are!

Granted the weather has not been kind, but theres so much riding on the outskirts of glasgow, think your painting a very pessimistic view of the riding in the west of scotland and the central belt in general 🙁

Having lived and ridden in and around Glasvegas for almost 20 years I can firmly state that the original post is indeed a great steaming pile o’ pish.

A recent article on Glasgow mtb riding spots in a magazine painted a somewhat different picture of the reality of owning and using a decent mtb in my “beloved” city

could you tell us what magazine and which article or do we have to guess

where was I during these two severe hurricanes?

I think he is talking about this months MTB mag. Got to say though, the outskirts of Glasgow offer some great riding, Kilpatrick Hills, Mugdock and Carron Valley, Arrochar, and Ardgarten a reasonable drive away. I think we do pretty good for choice.

Mountain bikes weren’t designed for city use. Have a look at an OS map and you’ll see some pointy things up the coast a bit.

I think he is talking about this months MTB mag. Got to say though, the outskirts of Glasgow offer some great riding, Kilpatrick Hills, Mugdock and Carron Valley, Arrochar, and Ardgarten a reasonable drive away. I think we do pretty good for choice.

Exactly … 😉

Cathkin Braes, sadly, went through a number of years where it gained a reputation for Cottaging and other such antisocial behaviour. Since the work has begun on developing the Commonwealth games mtb course most of that has been halted. Plain clothes police and park rangers are around and the numbers of cyclists and families using the park have increased. Whilst dog walkers can be a pest, they help populate the park too. So, slowly but surely the braes return to use and will provide a great venue. I grew up near here and as teenagers we’d go up there satellite spotting to no harm. The bedrock provides challenging riding and there are tonnes of natural features. Pollok Park is 20 minutes from the city centre and if you combine the green blue and red routes you get a fun city course a few laps of which provide a good work out. But it’ll always be a city park route, it doesn’t pretend other wise. Further out to Mugdock is perfectly rideable (it’s in east dumbartonshire though). Was out there on Sunday and ground conditions were surprisingly good. So I really don’t know what the op’s issue is. Glasgow is built in a valley. There is good landscape to ride north and south with some facilities moments from the city so that people can get out and spin their wheels practically on their door step. Can I suggest the open moves to Fort William as he’s clearly missed the point in so many ways.

I thought my post would have caused controversy and was based on genuine experiences shared with others and also having lived in Glasgow all my life (50 years).There are scores of neds riding about on decent bikes at others expense and personally Ive witnessed many cases of bike thefts or related vehicle break ins including outwith the greater Glasgow area-Carron Valley for instance.As for the person that missed the hurricanes,you must have been out of the planet as one was even featured on you-tube.Glasgow housing association were still repairing damaged property over 6 months later-including mine!If others havent had any bad experiences that`s great,but in imho owning and riding a decent mtb IN AND AROUND HERE can be “interesting” at least.

What’s with the font?

Okeydokey.

whats with the random font changes rickygreen? 😐

you must have been out of the planet as one was even featured on you-tube

I’ve been featured on You-Tube falling drunk into an open dishwasher in a chalet in Morzine.

Not sure that makes me famous though 🙂

Not causing any controversy, just confusion , the things your talking about you will see in any major city in britain, so are you talking about thefts or riding in general?

Lived here for nearly 5 years. Not lived anywhere better for riding or dodgyness on my doorstep. @That said, I’d not ride in pollock park or other inner city spots much because theyre dull. I suspect that those complaining havent experienced living in a flat English rural village?

Headline! There are people out there that will steal stuff. Inner city areas can be a bit rough. Topography with only a 12 metre drop will probably be limited in adrenaline. Sounds like extreme weather and random font changes are you only source of pleasure. On the up side, the world’s ending on the 21st.

If you think Glasgow is bad, try Liverpool. We have the same crime / poverty issues but its utterly shite for MTBing. At least Glasgow has hills nearby…

There wasn’t actually any hurricanes…

There wasn’t actually any hurricanes…

What about hurricane bawbag?

What’s with the font?

Something to do with the character the OP is using for his apostrophes (alternate font turns on and off at apostrophised words)

collinstiffee – Member
Cathkin Braes, sadly, went through a number of years where it gained a reputation for Cottaging and other such antisocial behaviour

Wouldn’t let you join in?

Glad I’m from Edinburgh, our riding’s better and our gays are far more social 😛

There are scores of neds riding about on decent bikes at others expense

Where exactly?

There wasn’t actually any hurricanes…

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alex-higgins[/url] by Doubledunter[/url], on Flickr

I just wanted to point out to others-esp non Glaswegians that come for a short visit that it`s not all sweetness and light despite what the mag article said.Sorry,regardless of all the regenerations,you need to keep your wits about you.The weather is an added distraction.Rant over.

Ride in pollok all the time and ive never seen any bother in over 10 years of riding there. plenty of riding up at mugdock with no problems.

ps sorry about the font changes,laptop issues as well as crime and weather.haha.keeeeeeep riding.

Has anyone got a copy or link to the article at all? I don’t know which mag it is from above.

The one downer with mountain biking around Glasgow is that is is not as accessible to the masses as Edinburgh, with the trail centres they have nearby. There is a lot of good riding, and since moving to Torrance I can do a good bit of varied riding from my door. Pollok Park etc are small areas and not much of a draw.

HOWEVER…
Lennox Forest outdoor Centre

Also, please show your support for the above on facebook etc. This could be the first serious bike trail centre around Glasgow and the topography indicates it could be a belter!

Hmmm I hope this Lennox forest venture doesn’t trash the nice quiet open access we have up there now and make it another crawling trail centre 🙁

As per Innerleithen etc there will still be a myriad of natural trails. The trails up there now may or may not be in the build area, too early to know at this stage.

Facts according to who?

I used to ride up there every week with the Craig McMartin (Freeflow) boys until I moved darn sarf, and saw neds on one occasion. They tried to throw a bottle at us, but it was a woeful attempt and we rode off.

There’s trouble everywhere if you look, I wouldn’t let it put anyone off, despite the doomsday predictions of the OP.

This is a very odd topic.

I’ve no doubt this is a troll but I’ll bite. Op you’re talking utter guff mate. Have you ever lived in any other city? I live next to pollock park and run/cycle round there twice a week. I’ve never once seen or had any bother, and don’t know of anyone who has! Actually I find it much safer than in any inner city park I’ve previously cycled. Oh, we don’t get hurricanes this far north despite what neds on you tube tell you.. 2 very intense tropical depressions that blew a few trees over in pollock park…which the nice wardens let me keep for firewood

rickygreen(whoever you really are)= complete dickhead

I must say, as a non-local: that’s a pretty weird first post from anyone.