Mountain Biking in Southern and Central Scotland

Southern and Central Scotland is well known for its trail centres, but beyond the 7stanes and the Tweed Valley lies an extensive network of tracks, forest roads, hill paths and ancient byways that offer some of the most varied free-range mountain biking in Britain. From the rolling Lowther Hills and remote Galloway Forest to the Campsie Fells north of Glasgow and the Lammermuirs east of Edinburgh, there are plenty of opportunities to explore by bike. Covering 21 graded cross-country routes across the region, this Cicerone guidebook by Peter Edwards ranges from 17 to 66km and takes in some of Scotland's most diverse riding terrain. Routes are intended for experienced mountain bikers with a reasonable degree of fitness, graded moderate, hard and very hard, and accessible from both Glasgow and Edinburgh.The 21 circular routes are organised into three areas: Southwest (Dumfries and Galloway, Galloway Forest, Lowther Hills), Southeast (Tweed Valley, Lammermuirs, Cheviots, Pentland Hills) and Central (Campsie Fells, Kilpatrick Hills, Glasgow waterways)Highlights include the Glentrool and Galloway Hills loop, the Tweedsmuir Hills Natural Tweed route, the Pentland Hills rollercoaster, the Campsie Fells circuit via Dumgoyne and Earl's Seat, and the Lowther Hills loop via Durisdeer and Daer ReservoirThe famous 7stanes trail centres in Dumfries and Galloway are covered in a dedicated overview section, including Glentress, Innerleithen, Kirroughtree, Newcastleton, Ae, Mabie, Dalbeattie and Glentrool, alongside other regional trail centresRoute descriptions are accompanied by 1:50,000 OS mapping, with practical information on getting there, navigation, rights of way and access, and a note that the general lack of waymarkers in Scotland makes navigation more of a challenge than in other parts of the UKAppendices cover bike shops and mechanics across the region, alongside introductory chapters on equipment, maintenance, safety, food, hydration and when to goA thorough guide to free-range mountain biking across Southern and Central Scotland, from Galloway to the Campsie Fells. There are more trails here to explore than visitors initially realise.