Any single-track round Edinburgh

Duncan Smith

I'll be up in Edinburgh for a stag-do in a few weeks time and was
toying with the idea of filling up some day time with hiring a
mountain bike from Biketrax. Not being too familiar with the area, I
was wondering if there were any decent rides/singletrack that we could
get to from the city centre (without car)?

I found this you-tube link on google http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eizxi_JPzJ0
but to be honest, it looks a little bit lame...

Many thanks,

Duncan

naked_draughtsman

On Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:18:23 -0700, Duncan Smith wrote:

> I'll be up in Edinburgh for a stag-do in a few weeks time and was
> toying with the idea of filling up some day time with hiring a
> mountain bike from Biketrax. Not being too familiar with the area, I
> was wondering if there were any decent rides/singletrack that we could
> get to from the city centre (without car)?
>
> I found this you-tube link on google http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eizxi_JPzJ0
> but to be honest, it looks a little bit lame...

It looks nice and fun but I know what you mean!

Have you tried websites like Bikely?
The tags are subjective - difficult for someone might be a walk in the
park for someone else - but you could look at the satellite photos of
routes to get a bit of an idea of what it is like.

peter

David Hansen

On Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:18:23 -0700 (PDT) someone who may be Duncan
Smith <DSmith1974@googlemail.com> wrote this:-

>I'll be up in Edinburgh for a stag-do in a few weeks time and was
>toying with the idea of filling up some day time with hiring a
>mountain bike from Biketrax. Not being too familiar with the area, I
>was wondering if there were any decent rides/singletrack that we could
>get to from the city centre (without car)?

There are the occasional complaints about the Pentlands being cut up
by people on mountain bikes. There might be something suitable
there.

Alternatively if there are only one or two people then there are big
things on steel rails which will transport you further. No great
idea about suitable locations, it is not my thing. However, I am
told some people like cycling round the forests of the west of Fife
and Clackmannanshire, which can be reached on the train to Alloa,
change at Stirling.

The best I can suggest is asking on the Spokes forums
<http://www.spokes.org.uk> or perhaps CTC could point you in the
right direction
<http://www.ctc.org.uk/events_guide/events_guide_frontend/local_groups/lg_area.aspx>.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Paul Boyd

On 22/06/2008 19:09, David Hansen said,

> There are the occasional complaints about the Pentlands being cut up
> by people on mountain bikes. There might be something suitable
> there.

I can't comment on the Pentlands specifically, but from other places
I've been too it seems that mountain bikes cause the least amount of
damage (when ridden responsibly). Just look at the way popular
footpaths are eroded by walking poles, and green lanes churned up by
4x4s and motorbikes.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Clive George

"Paul Boyd" <abcd@invalid.net> wrote in message
news:485e963c$0$10638$fa0fcedb@news.zen.co.uk...
> On 22/06/2008 19:09, David Hansen said,
>
>> There are the occasional complaints about the Pentlands being cut up
>> by people on mountain bikes. There might be something suitable
>> there.
>
> I can't comment on the Pentlands specifically, but from other places I've
> been too it seems that mountain bikes cause the least amount of damage
> (when ridden responsibly). Just look at the way popular footpaths are
> eroded by walking poles, and green lanes churned up by 4x4s and
> motorbikes.

At the risk of sounding like Mike Vandeman, I reckon at least part of that
is nonsense. Judging by tyre tracks and the amount of mud which ends up
splattered around, bikes make more of a mess than feet.

Popular footpaths do suffer significant wear, but that's because they're
popular - the numbers involved are really rather large.

I've not noticed any special wear caused by walking poles, though the huge
numbers of crampon marks on ridges sometimes annoys me.

OTOH 4x4 and motorbikes are worse, and hooray for the national parks
authority round here and their policy on TROs etc. Those places have
definitely got rather better since the restrictions were put in place.

cheers,
clive

soup

Duncan Smith wrote:
> I was wondering if there were any decent rides/singletrack
> that we could get to from the city centre (without car)?

Depends on what you can get to I would recomend the Pentlands (about 7
miles fron City Centre) there are a few tracks around and about the
hills, be carefull/aware of lambing season, there is a bit of a problem
with path erosion (not going to get into the whole; are walkers causing
it or is it bikes)what seems to have happened is a lot of
shale/rocks/gravel has been put down to give some sort of hard surface
to these trails/paths.
This :-

http://www.sidtech.co.uk/iu/soup950875531768.JPG

Gives some sort of idea of the terrain (on a "landrover" track;
military/shepherd?) this is actually part of a recognised trail in the
Pentlands.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/69qfb9 Some of it is trickier than the photo
suggests but there is nothing a novice couldn't handle.
--
'S rioghal mo dhream
www.cheesesoup.myby.co.uk

Duncan Smith

On Jun 23, 7:04*am, soup <1...@invalid.com> wrote:
> Duncan Smith wrote:
> > *I was wondering if there were any decent rides/singletrack
> > that we could get to from the city centre (without car)?
>
> * Depends on what you can get to I would recomend the Pentlands (about 7
> miles fron City Centre) there are a few tracks around and about the
> hills, be carefull/aware of lambing season, there is a bit of a problem
> with path erosion (not going to get into the whole; are walkers causing
> it or is it bikes)what seems to have happened is a lot of
> shale/rocks/gravel has been put down to give some sort of hard surface
> to these trails/paths.
> * This :-
>
> http://www.sidtech.co.uk/iu/soup950875531768.JPG
>
> Gives some sort of idea of the terrain (on a "landrover" track;
> military/shepherd?) this is actually part of a recognised trail in the
> Pentlands.
>
> http://preview.tinyurl.com/69qfb9*Some of it is trickier than the photo
> suggests but there is nothing a novice couldn't handle.
> --
> 'S rioghal mo dhreamwww.cheesesoup.myby.co.uk

Thanks all, sounds like the Pentlands is do-able!

Cheers,

Duncan

Roger Merriman

Clive George <clive@xxxx-x.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:

> "Paul Boyd" <abcd@invalid.net> wrote in message
> news:485e963c$0$10638$fa0fcedb@news.zen.co.uk...
> > On 22/06/2008 19:09, David Hansen said,
> >
> >> There are the occasional complaints about the Pentlands being cut up
> >> by people on mountain bikes. There might be something suitable
> >> there.
> >
> > I can't comment on the Pentlands specifically, but from other places I've
> > been too it seems that mountain bikes cause the least amount of damage
> > (when ridden responsibly). Just look at the way popular footpaths are
> > eroded by walking poles, and green lanes churned up by 4x4s and
> > motorbikes.
>
> At the risk of sounding like Mike Vandeman, I reckon at least part of that
> is nonsense. Judging by tyre tracks and the amount of mud which ends up
> splattered around, bikes make more of a mess than feet.
>
certinaly when wet, MTB tires bite in as they are supposed to.

> Popular footpaths do suffer significant wear, but that's because they're
> popular - the numbers involved are really rather large.
>
> I've not noticed any special wear caused by walking poles, though the huge
> numbers of crampon marks on ridges sometimes annoys me.
>
> OTOH 4x4 and motorbikes are worse, and hooray for the national parks
> authority round here and their policy on TROs etc. Those places have
> definitely got rather better since the restrictions were put in place.
>
most forms can be bad, depending on ground etc, horses can really churn
the ground up etc.

> cheers,
> clive

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

graham_johnston@lycos.com

On 22 Jun, 18:18, Duncan Smith <DSmith1...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> I'll be up in Edinburgh for a stag-do in a few weeks time and was
> toying with the idea of filling up some day time with hiring a
> mountain bike from Biketrax. Not being too familiar with the area, I
> was wondering if there were any decent rides/singletrack that we could
> get to from the city centre (without car)?
>
> I found this you-tube link on googlehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eizxi_JPzJ0
> but to be honest, it looks a little bit lame...
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Duncan

Hi,

you might try glentress.

http://www.thehubintheforest.co.uk/

It is out beyond Peebles, so a little further from Edinburgh, but it
has has bike hire facilities on site. They have some pretty reasonable
trails, graded according to difficulty.

Graham

David Hansen

On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:47:09 -0700 (PDT) someone who may be
graham_johnston@lycos.com wrote this:-

>you might try glentress.
>
>http://www.thehubintheforest.co.uk/

<http://www.thehubintheforest.co.uk/Info/get_here.html> has info on
how to get there.

I also note <http://www.thehubintheforest.co.uk/Info/faq%20me.html>.

"What do I need to bring when hiring a bike.

"First and foremost, we need you to bring some photographic ID. We
will only accept a valid photo driving license or passport - no
other ID will be accepted so please remember to bring these with
you."

I have a two word answer to this nonsense. The second word is off.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Just zis Guy, you know?

On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:47:09 -0700 (PDT), graham_johnston@lycos.com
said in
<74a0756a-29e0-467c-bdef-b63bedec4ee5@x35g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>:

>http://www.thehubintheforest.co.uk/

Haven't they upgraded to switches yet?

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

Alan Braggins

In article <mopv54106pol1d2jcb4h10rdsr6nh178js@4ax.com>, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:47:09 -0700 (PDT), graham_johnston@lycos.com
>said in
><74a0756a-29e0-467c-bdef-b63bedec4ee5@x35g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>:
>
>>http://www.thehubintheforest.co.uk/
>
>Haven't they upgraded to switches yet?

Everybody except pedants and people actually writing proper specifications
for networks just calls them hubs though.

Rob Morley

On 24 Jun 2008 08:32:35 +0100 (BST)
armb@chiark.greenend.org.uk (Alan Braggins) wrote:

> In article <mopv54106pol1d2jcb4h10rdsr6nh178js@4ax.com>, Just zis
> Guy, you know? wrote:
> >On Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:47:09 -0700 (PDT), graham_johnston@lycos.com
> >said in
> ><74a0756a-29e0-467c-bdef-b63bedec4ee5@x35g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>:
> >
> >>http://www.thehubintheforest.co.uk/
> >
> >Haven't they upgraded to switches yet?
>
> Everybody except pedants and people actually writing proper
> specifications for networks just calls them hubs though.

No need even then - in network topology terms a switch is a hub, a
switching hub is just smarter than a repeating hub. And as hardly
anyone uses dumb hubs these days it makes more sense for hub to mean
switching hub and differentiate dumb hubs by calling them such.

Paul Boyd

On 24/06/2008 09:32, Rob Morley said,

> No need even then - in network topology terms a switch is a hub, a
> switching hub is just smarter than a repeating hub. And as hardly
> anyone uses dumb hubs these days it makes more sense for hub to mean
> switching hub and differentiate dumb hubs by calling them such.

So where do dyno-hubs fit into this scheme of things? :-)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/