New Website Notice for Edinburgh Bicycle Please note that the Edinburgh Bicycle Co-Operative now has a new website. To visit the new website, please follow this link. If you have bookmarked a page from the old website, please update your bookmarked page so that you can go straight to our new website. Thank you. The Edinburgh Bicycle website team. |
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Suitability: On landrover tracks and rough paths with the balance on unclassified single track roads. With decent bikes, hardy 7-8 year olds will cope with the 10 mile section in good weather. For the more enthusiastic bigger kids the second loop has some respectable downhill action, and the first loop is a winter must for those of us who like ploughing through 6 inches of snow. Refreshments: Lots of choice in village (Gordon Arms the best) Our Tip: It rains a lot in West Linton, 2-3 times as much as Edinburgh, so bring waterproofs. If you're tempted to ride through the ford by the lower green then leave it till the end of the route, so you won't be droukit the whole ride if you fall in. Never attempt the ford when it's in flood. Set off early on the A701 if you want to miss the traffic. This is a great route for early on a Sunday, or a weekday morning. Map: Landranger 72 
Start from West Linton on the A702 heading south, after a few yards turn right up the hill on the Golf Course - Baddinsgill road. Turn left after half a mile past the Golf Club. This is where the good views start to open up. Follow the single track road which still has passing places, black and white poles, white diamonds and all! Go through gate on road at N. Slipperfield, still on tarmac, then take the second steep stony track on left towards the left side of the reservoir dam. The first sign-posted track on the left is the return route. Take the left fork before reaching the dam. Follow this high track West for 2 miles crossing a small concrete ford. When approximately 100 metres from the North corner of the woods at Medwynhead, turn left onto a very ill defined rough path for 300 metres which joins a new track at the South end of the woods through a field gate. The exact spot to turn onto this moor path is at the wooden snow pole, the poles before and after being metal pipes. It is always satisfying if you complete this 300 metres, with its, two small streams, small ditch and tall reeds set in mud without putting a foot down. Down hill, two gates, on a good track to Ferniehaugh, go through farm and turn left up hill through gate when road bends right just after farm. Follow this sign posted path by edge of woods then onto the open moor and past the cairns. A couple more gates, a few miles and head back to the junction after the golf club to complete the first loop. For those desperate for every possible inch of "Off Roading" cut the last corner on the public footpath in front of the 16th tee and behind the 17th green. Don't turn round if someone shouts "Four". Turn left, go two miles up Baddinsgill road and with Baddinsgill house in sight, just before some woods take the sign-posted rough path down to the right to cross a small wooden bridge over the Lyne. Just after the bridge you will need to carry your bike for a few yards to get past the corner of the field wall by the river. Follow path along the right edge on two sides of field, then through gate and over wooden boards. Only experienced riders should attempt to ride this section. After the boards struggle with your bike up 30 metres of very steep bank to join the good path from Baddinsgill. Horse riders excepted, the grounds of Baddinsgill are private hence the need for this last section, which is a fun challenge! Climb path to shoulder of Faw Mount, stop and take in the views. Take care as you descend, there is one gate near the top. Now have fun on the two rough steep down hill sections to reach the gates at Stonypath a mile away. Through farm then right at T junction onto tarmac. After 400 metres take forked track to left, level at first then very steep down the narrow populated lane to the main A702 opposite the Gordon Arms. When overtaking the cars being driven by locals, who tend to take it easy down the rutted and loose surface, the danger is not crashing into the front of the pub but stopping in time before the busy A702. |
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