Mugdock

Wallace1492

Anyone been up last day or so? Wondering if it has thawed much. Thinking of a Saturday morning ride. WHW was a sea of hard packed ice last time I was on it.

BoardinBob

Not since Sunday Chris and even though the snow was really grippy, that thick ice was still lying underneath on the exposed, trampled sections. I had a really hairy speedway-esque slide at the Carbeth huts.

Down here in the southside, where we're 400 feet lower than you, the ice in Queens Park is still thick and lethal. I came off the bike on Monday morning on the commute to work :oops: and it's still there now. Anywhere that's not been gritted but has been trampled is still a no go area and the temps are dropping sufficiently at night to keep it that way.

So frustrating I've been looking at a cheeky week in Spain on the bike...

Wallace1492

I think by Saturday the ice should have begun to dissappear.
Might post up a run, but will check out conditions tonight.

BoardinBob

Enjoy, I'll be in Latvia...where it's forecast to be -21 :shock:

grantus

Hey guys,

Wondering if you've been up there this weekend?

Thinking of getting over there next Saturday. My plan would be to ride out from Cumbernauld via the canal path and Strathkelvin railway path to Strathblane then up Cuilt Brae to join the WHW and head into Mugdock.

Am hoping the milder temperatures and rain over the last few days have gotten rid of all the ice but it's a bit of a trek if it turns out to be iced up still :x

Wallace1492

Well, a few of us did Mugdock and the woods on Saturday morning. was mostly clear but some cheeky wee ice patches still left. Definately worth going to. the Carglas woods are clear, as are the moors above Mugdock.

However I would say it is very wet at the moment, and a lot of mub about. Best to stick to the more main trails as anything else will just cut up.

Will be up there tonight, first night ride of the New Year, but will head up via Dougalston and Water Works

grantus

Ok, sounds like it should be ok for next weekend then.

Just as an aside - was looking on Google Earth and there appears to be a path from the A81 at Loch Ardinnning around to an unclassified road (Tower Road?) from where you can nip into the quarry and up into the Lennox Forest.

Are any of you guys familiar with this?

If it's rideable then it would make an excellent alternative return leg to Lennoxtown rather than going back along the railway path.

Cheers

Wallace1492

Hi Grantus, I am very familiar with it. Spent a couple of days up that way. (Plus I live local)
Two options - the path round and close to the loch or the less obvious one that goes north, then east and south from the Loch, much better in my opinion, as there are great views from the top and better riding. Both are pretty muddy. Both end up just north of the house you can see about 1/2 mile south east of the Loch.

You need to get over wall directly north of the house, then you follow path/track through the trees to eventually come out on the Tower Road, from there turn left, and left again at the Lynn caves to get trail past the quarry into Lennox Forest.

Definately a good alternative to the railway path.

Done it all round there.

grantus

Good stuff mate - will definitely check that out.

It's good to find new routes relatively local.

grantus

Ventured out on Saturday.

Despite freezing fog and a hard frost the trails we explored were very much rideable although a small section of the WHW was still very icy where run-off had frozen again overnight.

Didn't get round as much as I would have like as we'd had a long ride out and my companion was getting tired however definitely looks like a good few hours could be had up there - masses of wee trials going off in all directions, especially over the Muir when we dropped back down to Strathblane.

Met a bunch of mtb'ers on the Muir - don't know if it was anyone from on here? Saturday around 11.30-ish

Wallace1492

Hi Grantus, good stuff, there is plenty about there.
Might have been some of the group on Saturday, click on the link below and join up, if you have not already. Very informal, plenty of rides and like minded people all levels catered for.

Doing a night ride up Mugdock way tonight. Hopefully be a bit drier than last week, but there is still quite a lot of water about, though hopefully a lot less ice.

grantus

Yes, have done so already 8)

Could well be up for a night ride in future although this week is out as Saturday destroyed my pads and I need to renew cables as well.

Can't wait to get back up there - there looked like almost endless possibilities and that was just over a very, very short section from where you join the WHW on the Cuilt Brae road back into the park. Great stuff.