Not sure what the name of this trail is but it’s the one that runs from the ridges, slightly off to the right, sign posted to Carlops, and is a very fast, grassy descent, which spits you out at some houses. I usually do this as a descent. Has anyone done this as a climb – what’s it like? Thinking of trying it out tomorrow, depending on the weather. I’m guessing it might be a bit of a slog, although i like grassy/quad track climbs. Not sure how i’d turn it into a climb, unless i descend down the farm track to the farm and then along the road, which is a bit boring.

On Sunday, a friend and I are riding to carlops. I’ve not ridden to carlops for about 2 summers, due to the lure of the road bike. The section from carlops after you’ve ridden up the tarmac climb, and then the fire roady stuff, which is grassy/rutted – has it badly eroded in the time I’ve not ridden it?

Sorry for not knowing the names of the trails, I know most of them, but a bit sketchy when it comes to the ones out by carlops, especially when i’ve not ridden these ones for a couple of years 🙂

Q1. That sounds a little like the track that connects to NineMileBurn, which I’ve only climbed before – long but not too taxing, depending on how much the grass has been flattened. Real fun descnt back towards Harlaw (?)
Q2. Carlops road into the hills was ok end of last year…

I’m sure these bits are totally different to your plan!

Think that’s called the swoop if I understand you right – not climbed it myself. Only ever gone over the Borestane S to N, so descend the swoop.

I’m feeling the love for the Pentlands at the moment – couldn’t be arsed with them recently but went out with some mates this week and saw some new wee bits of trail on a beautiful evening. THere’s such a big area to ride that I guess there’s always new bits to find, even if you know all the main routes.

Hmm – I don’t think the Swoop is signposted to Carlops, but I could be wrong. It starts at the foot of West Kip, goes up over Monks Rig and has the fast, grassy descent you’re describing. Then a field margin, then a right turn at the bottom and then you hit the houses at Ninemileburn. From there, you stay on the little lane and have a choice.

You can go straight on, along a little bit of singletrack (with the main road below you on the left), down a set of stairs and you’re in Carlops (about 200m of road in between). Through Carlops and up the hill past the reservoir.

Or…

Go right off the little lane after Ninemileburn, up a farm track (Spittal Farm). There are a couple of steep switchbacks and then you pass the farmhouse and go through a little glen. Then there’s a steep descent to the dam, across that, and you join the previous track.

Oh – and the Swoop goes OK as a climb. I think there’s one particularly steep section, I just spin the rest.

Monks Rigg (aka Font Stane and Swoop) is a horrible climb IME, only done it once and it was a bit swampy and seemed to go on forever. Might be OK if it is nicely dry though.

I usually spin down the A702 (using the pavement, seeing as I am lacking in Death Wish) and use the East Side Farm climb up to the Kipps – the descent down to Bavelaw from there is a Ripper.