Me and a friend are off for an explore on Saturday around Midlothian. Do any of you guys who are local to the area have a map we can follow, even and indication of where it starts would be good? Particularly interested in the stuff maintained by the trailfairies.

Cheers in advance.

Trailfairies?

Trailfairies?

Indeed Steven!

There’s freakin’ tonnes of woodland singletrack in the area – start off with looking at the Midlothian Core Path network and a detailed OS map.

(Steven and I are both local, he more than I and knows the area better. I live outside Dalkeith; can do a 40km loop from my front door, of which about 75% is off road.)

Yes, Trailfairies.

Get an OS map or the Spokes Midlothian map. Most of the woods have some trails in them, some more obvious than others so keep your eyes peeled. I do a bit of trail maintence when I have the time, which hasn’t been much recently and there are some areas which have seen jumps etc built to varying degrees over the years. I’m kind of protective of them as I don’t want to see them go the same way as some of the best bits of the Pentlands through overuse. But as HH said there are miles and miles if you just have a look.

Thanks househusband

Oh bugger, forgot about that.

indeed

That was one evening session a couple of years ago when Andy Wardman and a couple of other trailfairies were good enough to help out cutting back a few hundred yards. As I said before I am a bit protective of the trails round here but I have shown quite a few folk round. I mentioned a possible night ride on here a couple of days ago. I’m just of the opinion that the trails are out there for everybody if you just put in a bit of effort and have a look. Or bribe the locals with cake. I can be bribed on a Sunday morning.

theres a couple of faires on here from around there 😉
heres 1 of a load of films of some of the trails as a teaser…
great trails by the way 😮

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gNyMifhk5A[/video]

There are a few more trails marked on the open cycle map that are not on the OS map. Might be of some use.

Hoping to get out for an east Lothian ride soon. Might even manage an early start night ride one week. The joys of working ootside.

tuesday or thursdays are game on here Steven…just in from an ace ride around Pencaitland 😮

Might be up for next Thurs, mother in law is visiting so I like to make myself scarce. By this time next week I’ll probably be finished about 4, so East Lothian by 5?

mother in law…lol 😮
aye we could do a bit before the hardcore crew are ready to rideout if you want,im home 3.15pm so no probs!, can ride till 6.30 then do another hour or so with the gang 😮

Great video Coastkid, it took me a while to work out where they were as I haven’t ridden them since I lived in Eskbank 8 years ago!

ahhhjrene – there are paths and trails everywhere, you just have to look, might want to avoid Roslin Glen as there are a few to many Tourists wandering around since the Davinci Code came out. Sir John Clarkes estate (Clarkies) in Penicuik has some good trails, although the Roman Bridge decent (my favourite decent of all time) has been destroyed because of logging.