Anybody ride in Midlothian?

Stellite
Stellite Posts: 544
edited October 2009 in Road beginners
Any of you guys rid in Midlothian, Bonnyrigg, Penicuik area

Comments

  • Aye, me. I'm living in Bilston at the moment. (and hating it I might add).

    Even when I stayed in Edinburgh one of my favourite routes was down through Roslin Glen and out the A6094 to Howgate and back through Auchendinny. Was always a bit busy with cars so these days prefer the almost car free route through Penicuik and out that long straight road over the top of the hills to West Linton.

    Where aboots are you?
  • Im in Bonnyrigg.
    I go from there through Carrington, over to Penicuik and back through Roslin Glen most days.

    Sometimes head down to Peebles, and cycled to Moffat a couple of weeks ago.
  • Ahhh, so is the Roslin Glen road back open then? I've avoided it recently because I thought it was still closed on the Rosewell side beacuse of the landslide.
  • pictit
    pictit Posts: 603
    System wrote:
    Ahhh, so is the Roslin Glen road back open then? I've avoided it recently because I thought it was still closed on the Rosewell side beacuse of the landslide.

    Closed to car traffic,open to cycles/pedestrians.The wee back road that branches off right [at the base of the hill on the Rosewell side of the glen] is now used by road traffic.I was surprised how steep that road is,but then I'm not super-fit :)
  • Philip S
    Philip S Posts: 398
    edited September 2009
    I live in Edinburgh but often got out to Midlothian, either through Gilmerton or Straiton, then into the Carrington/Gladhouse/Howgate triangle. If I'm going for a longer one, I'll follow National Cycle Route 1 over the top towards Innerleithen (although it's in shocking nick around about Middleton, it's a nice climb - both ways - up the B7007). I also had a run down the Moor Road from Rutherford Castle back to Penicuik a few weeks ago - that a nice and quiet straight run.

    Roslin Glen's nothing - you should try Mavisbank (from Polton to Loanhead) for a leg breaker. :wink: It's enclosed by high walls and trees and seems to be a lot steeper than it looks...
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,817
    Me too !
    Commute 2 / 3 times per week out to the Gyle and back from South of Gorebridge, goign via Bonyrigg, Loanhead, Hillend etc.

    Some of the roads at the back of Carrington/Temple etc are pretty rough so I tend to avoid these.
    Good training/leisure route is to head down the A7 then branch off to Innerleithen.
    Nice climb over 'The Granites' then down and either start heading back for home through Heriot or continue to Innerleithen and, again, a variety of routes onwards. One fave is to head East towards Galashiels then turn left and pick up a nice leg-breaker of a climb up Thornylee which comes out eventually on the road to Stow.

    Polton Glen road is one I use occasionally for hill training on the way home - able to (just !) creep up towards Bonnyrigg in the big ring - 39-28 on the commuter bike. Ouch.
  • Stellite
    Stellite Posts: 544
    I used to do the run through Middleton from Bonnyrigg but like you said the road is shocking!

    Heading over to peebles over the Moorfoot hills is a nice run, with the opportunity to head through to Innerleithen and back home too.

    Roslyn glen seems over run with dog sh-t at the moment, its minging.

    I know Mavis Bank, nice wee climb that.
  • xraymtb
    xraymtb Posts: 121
    andyrr wrote:
    Good training/leisure route is to head down the A7 then branch off to Innerleithen.
    Nice climb over 'The Granites' then down

    Is that the B7007 from near Middleton then the B709?

    Was thinking of riding that way soon but it looks pretty tough on Memory Map.
    exercise.png
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,817
    Yup it is - a few times over the past year or so the road has been marked as shut - there is currently work in the fields at the top of the Granites for construction of a wind farm but I've always been able to get past any blockages on the bike.
    I like the climb - not all that steep, big-ring'able, but lasts 7 - 10 minutes so a good tester.