The Ranger handed me a flyer last week, a survey about putting in some new trails at Craigmillar Castle Park.

I can't find this online anywhere sadly, so here are the questions if you want to take part (word for word):

If there was a mountainbike track would it encourage you to look after parks more because it may interest you ?

Is there anything you would dislike about a track being put in place ?

Would your friend/family take part in the sport ?

Do you have any preference for the type of trail or area of the park being used ? Any other comments ?

Gender: male/female

Age:

Would you take part in mountainbiking yes/no

If not, why:

Would you benefit from having a track near you?
Yes/no

Why ?

Any other comments:

email countrysiderangers@edinburgh.gov.uk
web http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/countrysiderangers

Used to bike round there a few years ago but I wouldn't go unarmed. Similar worries to the new skatepark at Saughton. Could be a good resource for the local kids though, some would say there's a lot of need for that kind of thing in that part of Edinburgh.

Interesting… I could get there easily by bike.

As Steven says, I wouldn't go alone!

Def a good case for body armour/groups of at least 5 able bodied burly men.

Bandit country!

I would go there alone without a second though. No worse that any of the areas many of you ride through to get to work or to the Pentlands.

May I suggest Manning the **** up.

Living in one of the less salubrious areas myself I would say the only thing that will encourage people to look after stuff is for the powers that be to look after them. Putting in a couple of mountain bike trails will not fix that.

Great Idea and probably what the area needs bear In mind the Jack Kane sports centre is in the vacinity and there dosen't seem to be a lot of trouble there. Also close to a the police station and Hospital 😆 . I suppose the council would rather the area was used for biking than dumping burnt out cars etc and might encourage local kids to get into the sport .
Ive been at the saughton skate park a few times and was amazed at how busy It was and how relatively well kids get on with each other when they have a common interest.
Well done EDC,

You never been chased by a group of lads on your bike then zulu? I did at saughton few years ago when they decided they liked my Klein. Got away but as you say I should have manned up eh and not pegged it off.

Just copied and pasted the questions along with some answers to the E mail address , Cant do any harm and at worst It might get some kids out on there bikes instead of in front of there X boxes.

TBC – no. Never. Have clattered a few that didnt want to move though.

A good idea, and hopefully it'll encourage the local sprogs to do something a bit more constructive than destructive. Mind you, it'll take a lot to persuade me to venture there without an armed escort!

In all seriousness though it sounds like an ok plan but perhaps a broader range of facilities would be better like a bmx section too .saughton seems to have been a success so far.

Nice descent near the hospital, which is handy! I have ridden there on my own in the past so no need for me to MTFU, only stopped because I moved and there's better stuff out here.

i think is a great idea. if you local to edinburgh and yer bike gets stolen, its the first place ill head 😆

Craigmillar is fine, now muirhouse on the other hand !

The bmx/skate park at saughton is certainly well used, its always busy when i pass it, just shows that the need was there for a skate park in Edinburgh they should have built it 25 years ago when it was first being discussed/asked for.

Living only 10 minutes ride away from Craigmillar, i'd welcome some more local trails. Didn't think there was anything up that way already, might have to go for an explore one night.

Don't the locals already have a network of trails from their crossers?

Muirhouse is fine too. I have lived all over Edinburgh and the only place I ever got any bother was Pilrig where the house got burgled. IF you look like you are scared or not entirely comfortable being there then your experience may differ from mine.

Not all kids have Xboxes and if you ask kids why they don't ride bikes more, it's normally traffic, glass on the pavements and theft.

Nick

liftman………..we had several bmx courses in the toon 25 years ago but the short sighted council tore them down for some reason

iftman………..we had several bmx courses in the toon 25 years ago but the short sighted council tore them down for some reason

and before that we had cycle speedway all over the place

My point about the x boxes still stands , That said build a ramp on the street and kids will jump over It all day . A lot of kids wont get the chance to go to Gt as there parents aren't Interested or dont have the transport / money to take them.
Therefore build a little skills track along with a few trails In Niddrie / Craigmillar and who knows what will happen . I'd bet some of the Kids in Saughton asked there Mams and Dads for Skateboards and BMX's after a wee blast on the skate park Instead of games consoles.

You never been chased by a group of lads on your bike then zulu? I did at saughton few years ago when they decided they liked my Klein. Got away but as you say I should have manned up eh and not pegged it off.

This:
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Cyclist-beaten-and-stabbed-by.2504194.jp
always springs to mind when people talk about dealing with groups of neds. Two days earlier a group of them had chased after me in exactly the same place & I had half thought about 'reasoning' with them. Good job I didn't….

F##k me! I live near there…. 😯

It was six years ago though 😉

It's that Trinity High School that's the cause of it Ant!!

Having thought about it today, I'd be surprised if it amounts to more than waymarking and maintaining the existing paths, but you never know. Sounds like they are maybe looking to provide something provided people are prepared to help look after it. Personally I don't think your average STW user needs more mountain bike trails but the kids could do with more of what they want. Not sure that's mtb trails but maybe a pump track or skate park.

i used to (ahem) pass through the woods there a few years ago when i had a trailbike (motorised) if on route to two wheels at peffermill road and then heard about the gypo`s stopping kids on crossers and those wee mini bikes at knifepoint for there bikes…aint the locals thats a problem up there but the interlopers…if this is still ongoing then could be a worst problem for cyclists,
other than that more trails in the toon must be a good thing 😮

It's that Trinity High School that's the cause of it Ant!!

I don't know what you mean! 😉

The piece of paper the Ranger gave me has a map, the idea is to put in a whole new bunch of trails and a skillz area.

I helped organise the Edinburgh 48 race up there a couple of weeks ago, I think it's the first time I have had to cover Ned Defence Protocol in the marshal briefing !

I did that Edinburgh 48 race a couple of weeks back Hels…it was awesome so thanks for helping organise it!

One thing tho…you weren't the marshall I asked for her phone number every time I went past for the last three laps were you?

I find that saughton is pretty dead at 7 am…so that's when i skate it….

thanks for the heads up on this matter, hels.

stan.

http://www.edinburghnp.org.uk/userfiles/File/Lib%20Gil%20NP%20Papers/BBVP%2021%20May%202009.doc
Found this, also mentioned in some minutes in a September meeting.

Greetings all

I'm the ranger working on this project and I was happy to see the interest in it. We don't have an offical website for the project yet, and our own website is getting overhauled so until that is done, I've just put some images up showing the consultation leaflet(same questions as above), and more importantly, the map with trail ideas so far for Craigmillar Castle Park. Please do have a look and let me know what you think. Contact details are on the survey!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53694986@N05/

Thanks

-Stacy

That looks a lot more appealing than I expected. Plenty of Edinburgh folk on here to lend a hand, should you need it. Is there somewhere I could get the leaflet?

No excuses now Edinburgers , speak up and send some feedback . The little maps look pretty good and would be handy for locals to practise some skills without having to travel to the hills.

If anyone wants to pick up a hard copy of the consultation leaflet and have a better look at the maps (more detailed and easy to read paper copies) they are at the Hermitage of Braid Visitor Centre, 69a Braid Road, Edinburgh. Our office hours are 9-5 mon-thurs, 9-4 fri, and 12-5 on Sundays (not open Saturdays). I'll make up a display in the Visitor Centre.

That looks really good. I hope this goes ahead.

CEC Ranger herself was down at glentress on saturday with the trailfairies (hello! and thanks for the lift) and it sounds like a great project… It’d be good if people can get behind it, don’t be part of a silent majority when the noisy minority get their claws into it 😉 It’s one thing to have plans and ideas but another to hear the enthusiasm to make it work. Also anyone who barrows hardcore for us gets my support.