more stats
4,730 ft
Distance
62 ft
Climb
-218 ft
Descent
00:06:23
Avg time
-156 ft
Altitude change
924 ft
Altitude min
1,097 ft
Altitude max
1,081 ft
Altitude start
924 ft
Altitude end
-20.767%
Grade max
12.176%
Grade min
1,462 ft
Distance climb
2,912 ft
Distance down
356 ft
Distance flat
00:06:23
Avg time

The Howe Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Pentland Hills
    Edinburgh
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    90 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 65 in Trail Running
    • 80 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #37572 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #82056 in Trail Running
    • #61800 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Easy
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • TTFs on Trail
    Bridge

Final section connecting Green Cleugh to Loganlea - and the best Couple of river crossings, a bridge and plenty of sheep....

This trail is unsanctioned.

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 20 miles average
6 Months
  • 33 rides
  • 21 miles avg distance
All
  • 231 rides
  • Last: Sep 11, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

The Howe Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Aug 22, 2026 @ 8:09am (Europe/Isle_of_Man)
Aug 22, 2026
Feb 12, 2026 @ 1:42pm (Europe/London)
Feb 12, 2026
 Very wet and fairly muddy on the ‘grassy’ sections
Feb 17, 2024 @ 5:07am
Feb 17, 2024
Sep 16, 2021 @ 7:12am
Sep 16, 2021
May 23, 2021 @ 1:17am
May 23, 2021
more »
Status:
on Aug 22, 2026
Prevalent Mud
Avg: 3.99 (3 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
  • > 50%
  • < 50%
  • bi-directional trail
  • no data
Trail Last Used
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  • < 2 days
  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
  • < 6 months
  • > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
Contribute Details
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  • Description
  • Photos
  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
Trail Popularity ?
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BC Backroad Status

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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to the-howe trailhead (55.848500, -3.312580)
        View on Discover Map

        Photos

        3 more »
        mtb
        211 |
        Jun 19, 2018 @ 12:48pm
        Jun 19, 2018
        mtb
        177 |
        Jun 19, 2018 @ 12:48pm
        Jun 19, 2018
        mtb
        234 |
        May 7, 2018 @ 8:04am
        May 7, 2018

        Videos

        3 more »
        youtuber Mountain Biking Mayhem In The Pentland Hills....
        mtb
        35:10 | 139 | May 23, 2024 , Edinburgh
        youtuber Threipmuir Loop. Part 1. Pentland Hills mtb....
        mtb
        20:34 | 82 | Jun 7, 2023 , Edinburgh
        youtuber PENTLANDS MTB. Maiden's Cleugh Loop. Stage...
        mtb
        13:24 | 99 | Jun 7, 2023 , Edinburgh

        Routes with this trail

        21
        Pentlands Flotterstone Loop
        ★ 4.0 • 11 miles • 944 ft • 18 • Loop •
        Pentlands Flotterstone Loop
        186
        Capital Trail
        ★ 5.0 • 155 miles • 14,741 ft • 30 • Loop •
        Capital Trail takes you through some very remote and beautiful places around the Scottish Capital.
        62
        Flotterstone/Black Hill Loop
        ★ 1.0 • 10 miles • 1,100 ft • 15 • Loop •
        A fairly easy route which starts and ends on road along the reservoir. One steep climb and a few technical...
        4.0 ★★★★★
        3 Ratings
        5 ★ 33%
        4 ★ 33%
        3 ★ 33%
        2 ★
        1 ★

        3 Reviews & Comments

        BigStoozerAdventures BigStoozerAdventures
        In The Classic Pentlands MTB video The Howe starts at 06:04
        BigStoozerAdventures BigStoozerAdventures
        In the video Threipmuir Loop The Howe starts at 10:33
        BigStoozerAdventures BigStoozerAdventures
        In the video 'Pentland Hills Mayhem' The Howe starts at 12:06.

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        Nearby Trails

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        Frequently Asked Questions

        ▼ Where is The Howe located?
        The Howe is located in Pentland Hills, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. It is part of the Pentland Hills trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 55.8485, -3.31258.
        ▼ How hard is The Howe?
        The Howe is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Easy. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for The Howe?
        The Howe has 62 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 218 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 924 ft to 1,097 ft.
        ▼ Is The Howe a point to point trail?
        The Howe is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is The Howe?
        The Howe is 4,730 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on The Howe?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on The Howe. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride The Howe?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride The Howe are:
        • May (15 activities)
        • April (12 activities)
        • February (9 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ How do I access The Howe? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to The Howe are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride The Howe?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 7 minutes to ride The Howe. The trail is 4,730 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is The Howe?
        The Howe is a very popular trail. There have been 3,076 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 3,240 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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