If you live in Edinburgh then you can’t miss the Pentlands - those large hills that watch over the city. With the success of the 7-Stanes trails in the Borders, the Pentlands seem to be getting overlooked by many. People who have never ridden here would be surprised at the number of great trails that they have, literally on their doorstep. When up there it doesn’t seem that you’re so close to a major city, given the ease of access.
Part of the beauty of riding here is the variety of terrain on offer. I can guarantee that there are routes to suit everyone. From short easy going trails that are ideal for beginners and family cycling, through to longer and more technically challenging terrain to suit the seasoned mountain biker.
It’s become a bit of a ritual for the Edinburgh guys and girls to go riding here every Wednesday night after the shop is finished for the day. And with the help of Lupines excellent lighting systems, yes we even go out in the winter at night!
Trails in the area are easy to find thanks in part to the work done by the Pentland Ranger Service and Scottish Rights of Way Society. Over recent years there has been work done on signposting over 100km of tracks and trails in the area. Route planning and riding is fairly straight forward as most of the trails interlink with one and other.
It is possible to piece together a ride lasting from a short 40 min loop to a day long epic, where you won’t venture onto the same trail twice. Terrain in the area is mixed. Again thanks to the Ranger service, there are a number of trails that have been well surfaced, and are rideable all year round. There are others however, that are not. As anyone who rides here regularly will tell you, there are some routes where, especially in the winter you had best be prepared for a lot of mud - all part of the fun!