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For details of bike shops and mechanics in south and central Scotland, see Appendix A.

Navigation

Descending Glenaggart in the Lowther Hills (Route 1)

Many walkers and cyclists now use GPS for navigation, and there are a number of biking-specific GPS systems on the market. GPS systems can make navigation easy and accurate. On the down side, they’re not cheap and they’re not infallible. For those without a GPS, a map and compass are just as useful for mountain bikers in unfamiliar territory as they are for walkers, although very few of the former seem to carry compasses. For many of the routes in this guidebook – outside of trail centres – there is little or no waymarking and it can be very easy to lose your way, especially in wooded areas. A compass can help prevent you heading miles off course.

Hydration

Always make sure you have plenty of water with you, especially during the summer and on longer rides. Many mountain bikers use hydration packs – a water reservoir with a drinking tube, usually with two or three litres capacity, carried in a purpose-designed, small backpack. Hydration packs allow you to carry more water than water bottles carried in frame-mounted bottle cages – which are more popular with road cyclists – that can easily be dislodged when riding off-road. Be sure to be adequately hydrated before setting off on your ride.