Off road hacking - Strathaven area?

[Ollie83]

Hi, does anyone know of any off road hacking in Strathaven area?

I have used google maps and can see that there is a forest up by high kype road way but have no idea how to get access and if there would be suitable tracks though it for the horses?

Also know of the whitelees wind farm but it looks like the only way to get to it from where we are would involve being on the a71 for a while which is a really fast road so not too keen to do this :-(

Thanks!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Hi
I'm not a million miles away but the wrong side of the M74. When I moved here the only way of finding out hacking routes was to cycle/walk (pony wasn't backed at that point).

The forest may have a contact number should you need gate access. Forestry tracks (as you probably know) range from the great to the trappy to the impassable and change regularly but it can be fun finding new routes. OS maps will give you a better idea of tracks but not whether they are accessible by horse or not. Foster good relations with local land owners too.

The BHS produce a booklet of rides in South Lanarkshire as well-drove roads etc you can box to.

 

[Ollie83]

Hi thanks motherofchickens! I managed to find some os maps online of the Strathaven area and I can see how to get up the forest and the kype reservoir.

Think I'll take a drive up and check out what the tracks are like on foot

Had a look on the forestry commission website but they don't have kype muir forest listed so not even sure that they are responsible for it but suppose I could still phone them up. I don't have a trailer and can't pull one as my licence doesn't have that category on it :-(

 

[MotherOfChickens]

its apparently privately owned and the guy has been in trouble for selling multiple stalking syndicates for the same season so wear hi viz

people run/cycle it-the fire tracks are new and in good order. could mean that they might start felling soon though

http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Strathaven_High_Kype_Training_Run-Cycle-Route-211.html

 

[Ollie83]

Oh god really?! That's not so good, would rather not be shot at :-D

That cycle route is handy, will print that off thanks!! Hopefully try to get up soon and investigate.