I’ve been a bit lazy since New Year and finally wandered over to Mugdock Park and the Woods across the road – oh dear!!

The tracks in the woods are trashed 🙁

I see that there’s work going on in Mugdock park to to fix some of the tracks there, anyone planning on doing something in the forestry commission across the road??

If anything is being arranged i’d be interested in lending a helping hand.

It looks like a chainsaw will be required due to the size of some of the windfall trees, anyone got one handy and any idea if the forestry commission would object?

I know parts of the woods are used for cross country runs but the way the trails are at the moment i can’t see that being too practical.

Does anyone know how accommodating the forestry commission are in that area and who could be contacted to get permission to clear some of the debris?

Otherwise i’m going to have to start going back to Carron Valley, parts of which are shut at the moment and after a couple of circuits the tracks there get a little dull.

Can anyone recommend another area to try near Glasgow??

Must have gone downhill very recently then as I was out round there just after the winds and it was all pretty rideable bar the bit immediately over the road I walked to avoid damage and bit as you enter the woods. No significant tree fall on trails?

I was there Saturday past and the fire road leading to the old barn’s blocked. The trail near the water storage thing is also partially blocked. Up where you get the neds camping’s kinda passable but not as clear as it could be and i didn’t even try the centre section where the trees came down ages ago as i pretty much thought that would be impassable.

There’s a little too much climbing over trees for my liking.

I think a combination of high winds and sodden ground has taken it’s toll in places. It’s a shame as there were some nice sections there that have been interrupted.

Maybe i’m just being too critical, i’m sure i can get used to the changes, just set in my ways!! 🙂

2t2c where in glasgow are you based?i live in clydebank and was up at carron valley last week and it was ok,does the job when you havnt time to travel else where.i sometimes head up the kilpatrick hills as they have alot of natural xc….
not been to mugdock since last year but had a feeling it would be pretty mushy and trees felled about the place.

Hi, I was helping with the trail maintenance at the weekend. We are starting off in the actual park itself, with the blessing and assistance of the Rangers.

The carglas woods I believe is a private plantation, not Forestry Commission and one of the Team has been in contact with the land manager in order to see what we can do there.

As you say, main path from top of Rosy’s to Boards farm has a lot down, but I am sure this will eventually be cleared. In the woods there are some routes blocked but enough is still clear for enjoyable riding.

Still loads of riding round waterworks, Mugdock, Carbeth and WHW to keep you happy.

Unfortunately, as mentioned above by Wallace, the Top Moor or section over the road from Mugdock isn’t part of Mugdock itself. IIRC sections of it are owned by private landowners and two different councils.

See here for a report http://www.gmbc.org.uk/?p=2801#more-2801

The recents strong winds have devastated a lot of the trails, and a chainsaw is needed. We have access to one, but no formal training, and currently no permission from land owners means we can’t yet go ahead with it.

GMBC & Meet Up have been venturing further afield because of this and we’ve been riding Old Kilpatricks, Dumyat, GT, Aberfoyle. These are all within an hour of Glasgow and I’ve still not been to the Cathkin Braes yet.

I had a ride at Mugdock last night and the trails were running lovely, best in a long time, even though some of the trails and main tracks are still blocked there is still plenty of nice riding to be done, easily get 2 or 3 hours of riding without hindrance.. if some folk found the time climb off their bike for 10 mins a lot of the easier stuff could be cleared quite quickly instead of riding past it. 🙂

I have invested in a 15″ Bow Saw that is going to accompany me when out in the woods around midlothian, its not going to get through a big trunk but will be fine for branches etc.

I carry a little pruning saw and clear up small things as I can. Top of Voodoo hill does seem close to a total loss which is a big loss to me as I loved the numerous steep runs up there down to Rosie’s. I spotted an old one at the weekend that can be reopened and will probably do this next time I am up there.

Little trail at the watertank was good fun to keep good momentum on. Not sure how hard that would be to fix.

The real worry is that a lot of trees still standing will have also lost stability and may not take much to come down in future.

Chainsaw required for voodoo but I think you need a lisence these days? And obviously permission.

I didn’t realise that the woods were owned by different people/councils, that makes things a bit more complicated i suppose. All being well the next time i’m there i might run into some folks who’ll give me a hand to try and move some of the bigger trees and hopefully as the place dries out some of the damper places will become more ridable.

Tried the kilpatrick hills before and manged to get sucessfully lost. I now have a GPS so might venture up there again. I’ve never tried Dumyat and what/where is GT??

Cathkin Braes wasn’t that great about 12/18 months ago, dunno what if anything has been done there yet in regards to the MTB course they will be building there.

Looks like i might start going back to Carron Valley but i see on the FC website there’s a lot of felling being done and some parts are closed until the end or March.

I’m in the centre of Glasgow so most of these places were an easy drive, guess i’ll be going further afield for a while.

Gleniffer Braes over Paisley way has some ok riding if you’re happy to avoid dog walkers a lot.

GT – Glentress – Mecca 😆

whilst there is a huge amount of tree damage there is still loads of good riding. As mentioned by Barry and others, the local clubs are helping the Park Rangers on maintainance of some sections, and there are 2 more such days planned in March. Small obstructions can be cleared quite easily with a bit of careful cutting and pruning and as said above the big stuff would need major ops with a chansaw, which can only be done with th eright consents etc, so not going to happen in the immediate future. Many of us who ride there regularly now carry small folding saws and it is amazing just how much can be rectified in a 20 min period if there are 4 or 5 of you. I’d say the key is to ride sympathetically, giving the muddy sections a miss so that nature can mend, cut and trim where you can, without causing damage and if you see an opportunity to scout out a new diversion then go for it.

Been to Glentress every other week over the last couple of months and Drumlanig last week but kinna getting fed up with the drive, was thinking on Carron Valley this week but to be honest I dont really rate CV, bad enough without the likes of the cannonball run closed, you can combine the trails with a run up to Meikle Bin which makes a good day out.. weather permitting.

Im not sure its a good idea to seek permission to clear the fallen trees in Carglas woods, it might be in the owners best interest to turn a blind eye that we are riding in the woods, if we start seeking permision they could stop the riding to stop any liability issues.

Although some diversions/straight lines are cack, like people that cut a number of rooty lines out of old lines in the plantation. I still try to ride the more challenging old lines over big roots around trees but it can be hard to remember them all when looking at the straight lines.

The Kilpatricks have been fine lately. A bit soggy, of course, but they are much more wide open moorland, so avoided the horrendous tree falling problems. Even where there is forestry has been cleared already.

Damn it! My covers been blown 😆

doubledunter – Member
We’ve been debating that situation regarding should we/shouldn’t we go ahead without permission….haven’t come to any conclusion yet as we’ve only just started in Mugdock Park. Moving outwith the park will come at a later stage.

I recently purchased a folding Pruning Saw from Dobbies (own brand) for £7, it’s just as good as a Fiskar & as Iain says, they’re very handy. A group of us cleared the majority of trees on the Westie heading to Rosies just after the storms….didn’t take long at all.

2tyred2care – Member
Dumyat is part of the Ochill Hill range at the back of Stirling. Park at Logie Kirk Church off Hillfoots Road and start climbing. There are a few different places to start, but this will give you an idea http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/maps/map3_17af.shtml

Damn it! My covers been blown

…..well it does say your name in your profile Barry ! 😆

yep ,wee cheap saws so a good job and as long as it’s a folding one it’s pretty safe in your camelbak

give me a shout next time your heading out dave

Thought the rules are… If trees are down you can chop them up and take them away etc ? Bloody shame about voodoo hill, that trail was one of my fav. trails, surely there must be something we could do there…

If only GT was under an hr fae glasgow 😉

Top of Voodoo hill does seem close to a total loss which is a big loss to me as I loved the numerous steep runs up there down to Rosie’s.

Not sure my geography is correct, but I thought Voodoo was the hill beside the WaterWorks and nowhere near Rosy’s (the hill up to Carglas from WHW at Carbeth). So many different names for places!

Might be, I have always guessed at the names of these hills! 😆 I thought if you headed up flux or cliff run you ended up voodoo hill…? anyone?

Voodoo hill is defo at the water works

haha – oops my bad. Don’t know what you call the trails i am missing then.

Many years ago we cleared a trail down the hill over the road from the “water works” as I think you call it but it lead to a bit of a dead end so it was abandoned. So many bits and bobs. It is the time of year to find them all.

Since my time in GMBC, I’ve always known the steep trails around Roses to be called Flux and Clifftop. Flux is the downhill route that spits you out at the gate at the bottom of Roses and Clifftop branches off to the right before the Flux route.

I haven’t ventured in there since the trees have fallen, but I assuming it’s a right mess. 🙁

Don’t know what you call the trails i am missing then.

Clifftop? Halfway round Flux, veer right through a gap in a wall, into a small clearing then up into the trees, hang a left then follow the trail till it spits you back out on the road?

Thought the rules are… If trees are down you can chop them up and take them away etc ?

I think the problem is actually chopping the trees up. Some massive ones down. We could send Brian in with his wee axe and go back and check on him in a couple of weeks.

yeah, that’s Clifftop.

The bit that catches me is that short steep rocky rooty section part of the way round. I’ve never made it up in one go 😡

I think the problem is actually chopping the trees up. Some massive ones down. We could send Brian in with his wee axe and go back and check on him in a couple of weeks.

😀 The axe was a good idea till I realised if I fell it could take my head off the way it sat in my backpack 😯 😀

sounds like you need: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Web-tex-Warrior-Survival-Saw/dp/B0025ZAGZW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329489609&sr=8-1

Must be top of “flux” where all the trails go down to rose’s. There was about 5 to 6 cracking short decents which are now all covered up with big trees. You can still get to the one with the drop and take a couple of variations down to the road. There is a couple of old chutes we used to play on there which I will uncover when I am up.

Clearing clifftop is usually bike and weather dependant for me. Someone smashed up the ramps to the fallen tree which is annoying.

I dont go near flux in the winter, last time I was down there it was starting to get very rutted..and this was in the summer 😯 ..cracking piece of trail right enough when its dry..clifftop also

Funnily enough though near where Mr Plow calls Voodoo, we came accross a guy who drove a Mat Black Reliant Robin sitting in the woods with a pile of lit candles around him playing with what looked like a Oijia board. Now, THAT place deserved the name Voodoo wood if anywhere does!

Not seen him in a while, don’t think he likes the cold…..

HAHA! Seen him a few times & it’s always a bit strange. His 3-Wheeler parked at the gate leading along the fireroad to the pylons (top of Kyber Road). Met him a few times out in the dark carrying a large bag & head torch.

The very strange bit – We always regroup at that gate. Not meaning to be nosey, but peaked into his car on one, maybe two occasions to see the back seats down & it filled with fluffy toys 😯

Clearing clifftop is usually bike and weather dependant for me. Someone smashed up the ramps to the fallen tree which is annoying.

Aye? Arseholes. It was Craig1975 that put that in place. God knows who’d do that other than neds camping in the woods as I’ve never seen walkers up there.

I’ve see quite a few walkers and even a horse up there in the past.

strackbaz – Member
HAHA! Seen him a few times & it’s always a bit strange. His 3-Wheeler parked at the gate leading along the fireroad to the pylons (top of Kyber Road). Met him a few times out in the dark carrying a large bag & head torch.

The very strange bit – We always regroup at that gate. Not meaning to be nosey, but peaked into his car on one, maybe two occasions to see the back seats down & it filled with fluffy toys

Yes, inflatable dolphin, a few halloween masks, some other toys. Bag he carries is full of candles he lights in the woods. First time we met him at night about 10 of us re-grouped at that gate, full on lights blazing in the car, he must have been slightly alarmed….. I thought it was doggers, then saw the dolphin…. 😯

I thought it was doggers, then saw the dolphin….

I dread to think what he’s doing to the dolphin’s blow hole

I used to night ride up there alone. Not any more, I’m afraid of getting bummed by a fish!

Someone needs to draw out these trails and name them all, too many bloody names and I’ve no idea which are which 😀