Great Pentlands ride

We had a great ride though the Pentlands on Sunday morning - a beautiful clear sunny day. Out to the bypass, up past the recycling commune, up Wakelaw Hill, and through Easter Knieth Farm.Up the track in the woods, down to Harlaw Ranger's Cottage for water and over to Black Springs. Completely dry, so through Den's Cleugh, and up the Glen to the end, and pushed up the path to ride along the north slopes of East and West Kip to the cross-Pentlands path from Balerno. This is pretty much on grass the whole way up. (A better ride might be across the valley on the south of Hare Hill.Also saw a path round the south of East Kip to do one day) Great run down the path north, fast with lots of little jumps and hops over ditches. I managed to get caught in a big rut once, and dived off the path. Back towards Green Cleugh from Bavelaw and a bit of a push up the field which was covered in bracken to ride down Black hill to Black Springs again. Not so fun as the first time, but reasonably technical, avoiding rocks and ruts. Home round Harlaw, down Poets Glen, down the steps (no problem now!) to the Water of Leith and home. 4:20hr out, about 3:40 on the move, 47k. Pretty much the longest ride we have done so far. Next ride I think has to include the descent from Cap Law to Nine Mile burn and the ascent of Old Kirk Road.