Mountain Biking in Southern and Central Scotland

This guidebook describes 21 mountain biking routes in central and southern Scotland, including the 7stanes in Dumfries and Galloway, and cross-country routes in the Campsie Fells, Pentland Hills and Lammermuirs, the Galloway Forest, Tweed Valley, Cheviots and Lowther Hills. The routes range from 17 to 66km, graded from moderate to very hard.

Seasons

Dry weather is hard to guarantee in Southern and Central Scotland though summer is the likeliest time for dry trails. However, every season has its charms - so long as rain and mud doesn't scare you - and winter really can be a wonderland.

Centres

Glasgow, Milngavie, Greenock, Lochwinnoch, Glentrool, New Cumnock, Moniaive, Durisdeer, Wanlockhead, Sanquhar, Hownam, Kirk Yetholm, Peebles, Traquair, Innerleithen, Longformacus, Gifford, Balerno.

Difficulty

The routes are intended for mountain bikers with at least some experience and a reasonable degree of fitness. There are no 'easy' routes in this guidebook, hence routes are graded 'moderate', 'hard' and 'very hard' Any 'difficult' or 'technical' sections are indicated. The general lack of signposts and other waymarkers endemic to Scotland makes navigation more of a challenge than in other parts of the UK

Must See

The Campsie Fells, the Pentland Hills and the Lammermuirs, the Galloway Forest, the Tweed Valley, the Cheviots and the Lowther Hills of Dumfriesshire.

More Images

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Overview

This guidebook describes 21 mountain biking routes in central and southern Scotland. It includes the 7stanes trail centre in Dumfries and Galloway, as well as cross-country routes in the Campsie Fells, Pentland Hills and Lammermuirs, the Galloway Forest, Tweed Valley, Cheviots and Lowther Hills. The routes range from 16.5 to 66km and are graded from moderate to very hard. Taking between 2 and 7 hours to complete, they are intended for reasonably fit mountain bikers with at least some experience.

Detailed route descriptions are accompanied by 1:50,000 OS mapping, and the selected routes set out from various points across the area, including Greenock, Glentrool, Peebles and Milngavie, with good access from both Glasgow and Edinburgh. The guidebook also gives an overview of what the region's MTB trail centres have to offer, including the famous 7stanes trail centre, along with advice on equipment, maintenance and safety.

Southern and Central Scotland is renowned for its superlative MTB trail centres, but the region's rolling hill country is also traversed by an extensive network of tracks, paths, forest roads and other trails providing endless possibilities for 'free range' mountain biking.

Contents

Contents
Introduction
Mountain biking in southern and central Scotland
About the routes in this guide
Centres
Getting there and getting around
Accommodation
When to go
Safety
Equipment
Tools and maintenance
Navigation
Hydration
Food
Rights of way and other users
Maps
How to use this guide
Abbreviations and symbols used in the route descriptions
The 7stanes
Ae Forest
Dalbeattie
Glentress
Innerleithen
Kirroughtree
Newcastleton
Mabie
Glentrool
Other trail centres
Drumlanrig Castle
Carron Valley
Cathkin Braes
Whitelee Wind Farm
Southwest
Route 1 Durisdeer, Daer Reservoir and Wedder Law
Route 2 Lowther Hills loop
Route 3 Shinnel Water and Scaur Water loop
Route 4 Carrick Forest Four Lochs loop
Route 5 Glentrool and the Galloway Hills
Route 6 Windy Standard loop
Southeast
Route 7 Belford to Cocklawfoot: Windy Gyle loop
Route 8 Kirk Yetholm and the Pennine Way
Route 9 Minch Moor and the Three Brethren
Route 10 Stake Law and the Gypsy Glen
Route 11 The Tweedsmuir Hills: Natural Tweed
Route 12 The Lammermuir Hills: Longformacus and Wedder Lairs loop
Route 13 Gifford and the Hope Hills
Route 14 The Pentland Hills: a rollercoaster route around the reservoirs
Central
Route 15 Misty Law
Route 16 Greenock Cut
Route 17 Kilpatrick Hills loop
Route 18 The Campsie Fells: Dumgoyne and Earl’s Seat
Route 19 Mugdock Country Park loop
Route 20 Carbeth – Cameron Muir loop
Route 21 Glasgow waterways loop


Appendix A Bike shops and mechanics
Appendix B Other useful contacts

Updates

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June 2017

Ride 8 : the required OS Landranger map number is 74 not 80.

Reviews

Very clear, concise and helpful

The route instructions are very clear, concise and helpful. The book itself is pretty robust and an inspiring read.

Eleisha Fahy, Scotways

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A welcome guide encouraging adventurous off-road days out; most welcome and really useful.

Fitting nicely into a jersey pocket this guide has all you need. Even a dyed-in-the-wool-road-tourer is likely to feel the urge to get out the the knobbly-tyres and head off into the wilderness for a ride …. well, probably a bike and hike …. and the keen rough-stuffer or off-roader will be licking their lips.

Seven Day Cyclist

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"The thing I liked most about this guide is the plenty food for thought it's given me for planning my own routes in the hills and new ideas for places to explore - especially as almost half the routes are easily accessible by train. Route instructions are concise but very clear and helpful. The book got quite wet whilst changing route plans in January's icy sleet yet survived unscathed, so it's pretty robust. 

An inspiring read - and not just for mountain bikers."

Eleisha Fahy, ScotWays

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