There’s a few bits you can ride more reliably year-round as some of the trails are gravelly rather than muddy (though still expect swamps in places if it’s been raining). In March you’ll likely have avoided the worst of it, but you never know in this current late Winter. I haven’t been recently but I am up there loads and really got to know the whole range during lockdown.
– Maiden’s Cleugh is a blast of a descent: largely gravelly and rocky at the top but wetter at the bottom. Gets a lot of footfall so whilst it is easy to go balls out fast you just need to be careful of walkers. Doable on a gravel bike and a fun engaging climb up from the town side to the saddle too, though it’s now exceptionally eroded and gets muddy as hell.
– Black Hill Traverse (heading Eastwards) has some atrociously boggy spots in between the gravelly / rock sections but this is one of my favourite trails in the Pentlands. In places it feels like it was designed for bikes – really good fun. More of an MTB one and only if it’s been dry for a week or so before.
– The 5 peaks route is good fun and feels like a bit of a mountain day. I would probably avoid the westernmost peaks (East Kip and West Kip) especially after bad weather as it’s a lot of up and a big approach for fairly crap muddy 30 second downhills. But it is easy to hike up to Scald Law (highest one in the range) from the end of Loganlea reservoir where the trails improve into better drained gravel paths (as long as you avoid the shortcuts which a lot of people take). Some parts are actually quite steep and mild techy in places but all rideable. The last descent towards Glencourse down from Turnhouse Hill is fantastic fun (though can be boggy in places and popular so go easy and ride responsibly)
– A good gravel / mild XC route is starting at Threipmuir Reservoir (nice cycle from town or following paths from Bonaly), and heading up to Bavelaw castle via a very steep but short road called Exponential in cycling circles. You can then go down through Green Cleugh and the Howe (very scenic and lovely rough gravel path descent through a deep glen ending in a river crossing) to meet the road end at Loganlea. Ride down the road until you get near the end and take the massive gravel road climb to Fala Knowe below Castle Law. It’s all fireroad but steep and loose in places so a bit of a workout but great views at the top. You can then either go down the other side of the road towards town (again, steep and loose so have good brake pads) or turn left and follow the hills westwards until you want to come off (plenty options – some muddier than others).
– Similarly, follow the same start to Bavelaw castle as above, but follow the road right to a farm, go through a gate and you’re on a double track called Yellow Brick Road, stretching out ahead for a couple of kilometres. This is great fun up and down, rocky and rough in places. In the wet it gets too wet-clay-ish but an absolute blast after a few dry days. At the end of that you could just double back, or turn left up to the Boarstone up an easier gravel climb and down to North Esk reservoir. You can ride straight through to Carlops on the South side of the hills from there if you like, but leaves you in the weeds a little bit with a long way back to Edinburgh. There are some more routes from North Esk reservoir but all a bit obscure and not incredible fun unless you like MASSIVE steep gravel roads. The best stuff imo is in the eastern / “main” range nearest town.
*jings sorry went off on one there. Point being is that there are spots that you won’t get too clarty. Just try and avoid paths that are largely grass desire paths (Harbour Hill north traverse being the worst culprit).
