Riding buddies wanted in Scotland for offroad adventure

Zedos

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Kilmarnock, Scotland
I am an enduro rider used to much smaller machines and trails that knock yer pan in! I have purchased an F800GS with the intention of riding less demanding offroad trails and looking for like minded riders willing to get their bike dirty, scuffed and (hopefully not) bent. My intention is to continue riding all year round as speed is not my bag... adventure and offroad is! I have been scouring the OS's from Ayrshire through to Galloway Forest and north to Argyle Forest looking for potential round trips with as much offroad as possible.
So if your up for it, drop a line....
 
Interesting..... how are you finding the legality of the routes you are finding on the OS sheets?

And, are you in the know about Wade's Military Roads at all?

I certain would be interested in a trip to North of the border to ride some trails, though I know little about how the legal side works of riding unsurfaced roads up that way.........:nenau

Timpo.
 
I have been riding my enduro with little issues. There is no hard fast ruling in Scotland (to my knowledge) that specifically states that you cannot ride the trails marked on the OS maps.
There is no trespass law in Scotland, but if you are deemed by the land owner to be causing damage or distress to his property or livestock or his "quality of life", then access will be denied (or worse).
My take on the issue is, if the gate is unlocked, then ride it. I have the greatest respect for the land owners and will comply with their wishes since it is their land I am using.
Unlike England, Scotland does not have the right of way/passage laws and up to now, we don't need them ;-) Being courteous and friendly far outweighs rights of access.
What I am proposing, is very much an adventure in both the territorial and exploratory senses, since I have not yet ridden the trails in these areas.

Wades Military Roads .... There are a few in the areas that I have been looking at, and I will treat them the same as any other trail.
 
Zedos said:
I have been riding my enduro with little issues. There is no hard fast ruling in Scotland (to my knowledge) that specifically states that you cannot ride the trails marked on the OS maps.
There is no trespass law in Scotland, but if you are deemed by the land owner to be causing damage or distress to his property or livestock or his "quality of life", then access will be denied (or worse).
My take on the issue is, if the gate is unlocked, then ride it. I have the greatest respect for the land owners and will comply with their wishes since it is their land I am using.
Unlike England, Scotland does not have the right of way/passage laws and up to now, we don't need them ;-) Being courteous and friendly far outweighs rights of access.
What I am proposing, is very much an adventure in both the territorial and exploratory senses, since I have not yet ridden the trails in these areas.

Wades Military Roads .... There are a few in the areas that I have been looking at, and I will treat them the same as any other trail.
Click to expand...

Seems a good way to end up with your new 800 in the police pound
 
columbus said:
Thats cos off road is soft and slow
Click to expand...


Do you remember this story dude?:D

Tortise&Hare218.gif
 
I did a wee bit of research on this one cos I wanted to get some pracice in on the GS before a longer trip that I knew would involve quite a lot of muddy dirt roads. As far as I could see there was virtually nowhere in Scotland to legally ride trails and even the local 4x4 place had a no bikes rule. That said, there are some pretty remote forestry tracks...
 
I've been thinking about off roading on my R1200GS (It was one of the reasons for buying it in the first place.) There were some forest tracks open (for forest harvesting) near where I live back in early September and took a short run on one of these. It gets used by dog walkers but as I was on pottering along at 10-15 mph and gave them plenty of room they didnt seem too bothered.

Since found out that its open access in Scotland is supposed to be for non -motorised vehicles so I'm now looking for somewhere else to learn without having to go to Wales.

THe GS extreme challenge is coming to Knockhill next August so I might give that a go for a laugh
 
I *think* there's an issue around attempts to classify the General Wade roads as ancient monuments, thereby meaning you damage them if you ride on them.

I can personally vouch for the estate manager at the Fort Augustus end of the Corrieyairack pass being a complete prick who has got the local cop in his back pocket, so beware.
 
Gaz said:
I *think* there's an issue around attempts to classify the General Wade roads as ancient monuments, thereby meaning you damage them if you ride on them.

I can personally vouch for the estate manager at the Fort Augustus end of the Corrieyairack pass being a complete prick who has got the local cop in his back pocket, so beware.
Click to expand...

He wouldn't need to have the cop in his back pocket :confused: It's agaisnt the law so if he reports it to the polis, they're duty bound to take action.

Unless the offroading is tied up with a housebreaking. In which case it'll take the polis three weeks to turn up....
 
Ronno said:
He wouldn't need to have the cop in his back pocket :confused: It's agaisnt the law so if he reports it to the polis, they're duty bound to take action.

Unless the offroading is tied up with a housebreaking. In which case it'll take the polis three weeks to turn up....
Click to expand...

The last time I drove it, it wasnt against the law.
The Corrieyairack has been a bone of contention on both sides of the access debate for years now especially since a huge boulder "managed to become dislodged" and land in a drainage gulley washing away part of the old military road itself. It is still classified as a public road as far as I am aware although I would check that before driving it again. The landowner at the fort augusts side wasnt any problem it was his son that started to stir things up and then the road became impassible unless you drove over his land for which he charged you a fee, although he never seemd to complain about that.

The hairpins would be interesting on a GS :eek:


In which case it'll take the polis three weeks to turn up....
Click to expand...

only took me about three hours
 
columbus said:
The last time I drove it, it wasnt against the law.
The Corrieyairack has been a bone of contention on both sides of the access debate for years now especially since a huge boulder "managed to become dislodged" and land in a drainage gulley washing away part of the old military road itself. It is still classified as a public road as far as I am aware although I would check that before driving it again. The landowner at the fort augusts side wasnt any problem it was his son that started to stir things up and then the road became impassible unless you drove over his land for which he charged you a fee, although he never seemd to complain about that.

The hairpins would be interesting on a GS :eek:




only took me about three hours
Click to expand...

a think you would stuggle to get over the pass on a gs in fact a know you would done it two years ago december on the montesa three times in the landy all between crimbo and nerdy ,,though you might no get ower its still worth the trip up for a night in the bothy :jager:jager
 
Scotland is off the agenda for legal trail riding

I spoke at length to the officer at the Scottish Rights of Way in Edinburgh and she sent me a list of all the "Legal" unpaved roads in Scotland. I think thee were only about 150 and the longest was about 600m long and about 25 mile to the next one...etc...etc... She said that the Corriach Pass was "unkown" as cases for and against and suggested at this stage not to ride it.

I just go down lanes and hope I don't get caught however more and more have locked gates:(

Time to retire to Wales or Europe:D


AndyT:cool:
 
rockchunk said:
a think you would stuggle to get over the pass on a gs in fact a know you would
Click to expand...

I didnt get over it :D managed to get about 1/4 mile from the top.
Where a rare moment of common sense hit me (It was either that or the forks as I wrestled to keep the front wheel down.) and I turned around and bravely rode away!
That was about 5 years ago, i was on my 650 and the erosion on the pass had created very deep traps. cant see it being any better now.
 
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