Hello all,
I’m putting together a short report about the conflicts mountain bikers have faced whilst biking on Corstorphine Hill. I know these are referred to elsewhere in forums but to streamline things can anyone give examples here? What happened and when, who was involved, frequency etc. Does anyone have any relevant photo’s, such as logs across paths?

Many thanks,
Roz

ps you can send responses to roz.pollock@imba.org.uk. Amy examples used will be anonymous.

Feel free to contact me regarding any other mtb trail issues or if you want to know more about IMBA-UK, see http://www.imba.org.uk/

No confrontations with anyone, however the dog turd situation up there has put me off riding in the area.

No confrontations here either.

That’s a no for me as well.

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated. Keep them coming, good or otherwise.

bit of broken glass and dog egg action but no direct conflict with folk.

I walk dogs and bike up there. The dog truffle problem is bad, as well as general rubbish on the hill and I think this is a general problem of ignorance and apathy in the wider sense…

Biking up there – I have never had an issue, but try and not skid etc, when off the “main paths”, take it easy on the blind descents on the south side, and slow down for dogs etc… Generally be a courteous rider

I note that the Ranger has written in the Friends of Corstorphine Hill newsletter about his efforts to reduce this “distructive behaviour”, maybe some bridges to be built here? It’s everyone’s hill afterall.

http://www.corstorphinehill.org.uk/newsletters/newsletter33.pdf

From http://www.corstorphinehill.org.uk/

There are many other proposed small scale projects in mind for the forthcoming period such as making some of the paths more appropriate for cyclists and dog walkers through introduction of chicanes and possibly some purpose built features for biking enthusiasts which will hopefully lead to less guerrilla style mountain bike features randomly appearing. As always, through signage and through the relationship with FOCH, these projects will be notified and if needed consulted upon before any work is undertaken on the ground.

David Kyles (Countryside Ranger)

No contention issues, I just don’t ride there as it’s always been so obvious that riders aren’t encouraged or welcomed.

i’m certain dog walker appropriate chicanes will do the trick.

have had conflicts up there but it’s so long in the past it’s irrelevant.
Why are you doing this exactly? 😕

No direct conflicts either, but if I were a walker I’d probably be tutting away at the state some of the hill is in due to riders up there in wet conditions. It certainly doesn’t look good, and I suspect any/most conflicts will be with ‘yoofs’, rather than the folk that frequent STW.

sas78 – your pdf is 3 years old, I think things are a bit improved since then. Not sure about ‘guerilla’ mountain biking though!

There Is a guy over on the Trail Scotland website who does a lot up at Corstorphine but seems very responsible and builds stuff away from the walkers paths . It might be worth posting over there.

Kit – you don’t need to immediately turn into a prick the moment you take up walking. 😉
Oh.. and last time I had any conflict up there (or indeed regularly rode there) STW hadn’t yet been invented (Chips still worked for MBUK) but I certainly wasn’t a ‘Yoof’ although the pricks I had grief from were so far up their own arses they probably thought I was.

Don’t ride there with any great regularity, but the cycling signs, whilst funny, are unhelpful and suggestive of immature squabbling over the trail. I’m thinking of the one with the bloke on a five landing a drop with a cross by it, and a woman standing next to her shopper with a tick.

That sort of let-me-legislate-how-you-ride just looks silly. A bit like the lame badges in the shitelands – trail suitable for cycling WITH CARE. I’ve never had any problems riding at Corstophine with walkers etc, though.

Kit – you don’t need to immediately turn into a prick the moment you take up walking.

That’s a long way off yet 😉

I’m thinking of the one with the bloke on a five landing a drop with a cross by it, and a woman standing next to her shopper with a tick

Seriously? They must be recent then, never seen anything like that!