The Lost Shore: Take 2

The plan for June's ride had been to head out to the Lost Shore surfing centre near Ratho. Unfortunately, heavy rain led to that ride being shortened and an alternative [more sheltered] route was taken by the six brave souls that did turn up. Today we did make it to the Lost Shore. The weather was kinder to us, but strong gusty winds made the ride harder than might have been expected in August. Perhaps it wasn't too surprising as it was just five days since Storm Floris had battered Scotland. With the Festival in full-swing, the Orange Order walk and Oasis concert taking place today, we were expecting to get caught up in one or all of them; but we were very lucky to escape largely unaffected.

Although strong winds were forecast and there had been rain earlier, it was bright and sunny as we met at the start. A turnout of just 12 riders was far from impressive for an August ride. A combination of the festival, holiday season and the weather probably all played a part. Our leader, Alan did point out that it made for a more manageable sized group. Every cloud has a silver lining? With the briefing over, we rolled away from Middle Meadow Walk towards Leamington Terrace. The improvement since the road was resurfaced has to be ridden to be believed. One rider said they were having to get used to not swerving all over the road in an attempt to avoid the worst of the potholes. From there we headed to South Gyle station via Roseburn Park, Carrick Knowe and Broomhall. The road bridge beside the station has restricted access forcing us to squeeze along a narrow section shared with pedestrians, before taking a detour to arrive at South Gyle shopping centre. By looping around the outer edge of the car park, we avoided the worst of the Saturday morning shoppers traffic. Through Edinburgh Park, out of the subway and on to Ratho village via Gogarbank. A combination of some quite steep hills, a lack of shelter and strong gusty winds made this section the hardest part of the ride. It was a relief to arrive at the Lost Shore for lunch and a rest.

We enjoyed our picnic lunches in a spot which offered some shelter from the wind with views of the surfers tackling the waves. With lunch over, we took the back path away from the surfing centre to the top end of Ratho. With the wind behind us, we whizzed down through the village, over the M8 motorway, past Gogarburn Golf Club and on to Roddinglaw where a short off-road section took us to the road back towards Gogarbank. We were delayed briefly by traffic lights on the narrow bridge across the railway. As we have found on previous rides, the lights will recognise a single car [and change promptly], but not a group of cyclists. With everyone safely across the bridge, we soon found ourselves back at Edinburgh Park. Going via Bankhead Drive, Broomhouse Drive, Stenhouse Drive and the cycle path alongside the tram line we were soon riding past Murrayfield Stadium. Fortunately, it was too early for us to get caught up in throngs of Oasis fans. Yes, there were a few milling around, but not enough to delay us at all. After that, we followed our outward route from the morning back to the Meadows where Alan declared the ride over.

It's always good to complete a ride that didn't happen on the planned date. Everyone enjoyed the ride, despite the gusty winds that had made some sections more challenging than expected, and it had stayed dry. Thanks to Alan for leading (and having gone out on his own mid-week to check the situation with the South Gyle station bridge), and to Mike for back marking.

Leader: Alan

Report: Glenn

Photos: Glenn

August ride this coming Saturday

This is to remind you that we have our August ride coming up on Saturday (9th). This will be our second attempt to visit the Lost Shore surf resort near Ratho, after our planned visit in June was abandoned because of heavy rain. Let's hope for better weather this time.

Under Alan's leadership, we'll be heading west out of the city, taking mainly quiet roads with good surfaces. There will be a couple of steep climbs towards the end of the morning, but otherwise fairly easy gradients. The total distance will be about 22 miles.

Lunch arrangements

The Lost Shore is an ideal place for a picnic. There are benches and picnic tables on the terrace as well as informal seating by the side of the lakes, all with nice views over the water and the wider countryside.

The centre also has a spacious bar-cum-restaurant. However, this mainly serves full meals rather than quick snacks and the service is slow, so you might be hard pressed to have lunch in the time available. It is also quite expensive. For those reasons, I suggest you bring your own food for a picnic if at all possible.

There is a separate counter where you can pick up a hot drink. And an ice cream van is sometimes (not always) parked within the centre.

Logistics

We'll gather at our usual spot at the north end of Middle Meadow Walk in time for a 10:30 departure. We'll aim to finish the ride at or near the Meadows around the middle of the afternoon.

There is no need to let us know in advance whether or not you plan to attend. If you'd like to join us, just turn up. The ride is of course free and is open to all.

August Extra

Our next Extra ride will take place on 30 August. This will be our traditional ride to Merryhatton in East Lothian. I'll post the usual details in good time.

What, there's a palace here?

For today's Extra ride we headed to the historic West Lothian town of Linlithgow. We hadn't been there since 2017. That, linked with a considerably different route to which we have taken previously, made for a most enjoyable ride. The weather was kind to us as well. The forecast suggested we were in for a breezy and overcast day; but, whilst it was a bit breezy, the sun came out at times and it got quite warm. Such a contrast from the previous Saturday when a few of us had set out to recce the route. In heavy rain [that didn't look like stopping anytime soon] we threw the towel in at Cramond Brig and headed home.

Following Mike's briefing, 17 of us rolled away from the Craigleith meeting point and made our way to Cramond Brig, where we paused on the bridge. Onwards to Burnshot Bridge where we took the road towards Kirkliston. This road was as busy as many of us had ever seen it. That linked with several suicidal drivers [that thought nothing of trying to overtake a long line of cyclists into the path of oncoming traffic] made for a far from pleasant experience. What a relief to leave the road behind and head up onto the quiet railway path towards Kirkliston. The traffic was heavy again in the town, but with sensible drivers. A comfort stop at the sports centre (where Iain kindly offered around his delicious homemade cake), a brief stretch along the B9080, and we were on the quiet road towards Niddry Castle. At the canal we usually join the towpath to head towards Broxburn or Winchburgh. Not today! Instead we headed west along quiet back roads through Faucheldean and Ochiltree. Thanks to steady climbing, the group became quite stretched out on this section. We regrouped and enjoyed a nice fast downhill run for the last couple of miles into Linlithgow. We paused in the square before heading off to our lunch venues. Nearly everyone opted for picnicking - some in the palace gardens and others beside the palace itself. Everyone enjoyed the lunch stop. So quiet and peaceful, yet only a stone's throw from the bustling high street.

We reconvened in the square ready to depart. One rider said they had been to Linlithgow more than a dozen times with another cycling group (that will remain nameless), but had always had a picnic lunch in the square. They had never seen the palace or its gardens! We left Linlithgow and made our way through Philipstoun, took a quiet path under the M9 motorway before crossing the busy A904. At this point we were caught by another smaller cycling group we had seen earlier. Whilst we took the cycle path beside the road, they opted to join the fast traffic on the busy road. Rather them than us. We turned off onto a delightful country road that took us to Abercorn, where we headed into the Hopetoun Estate. Through the estate and onwards to South Queensferry. A stiff little climb saw us on the Forth Road Bridge, where we had a comfort stop at the visitor centre. We then returned to Craigleith via Dalmeny village, the path beside the A90, Cramond Brig, Barnton and Silverknowes where Mike declared the ride over.

Everyone enjoyed the ride, despite some stiff climbs in the morning. The weather had been kind to us, we'd enjoyed the scenery and one rider went home with the newfound knowledge that Linlithgow has a palace. Thanks to Mike for leading such a lovely ride. Perhaps we won't wait so long before returning next time. Thanks to Alan for back marking. One thing the writer noticed that deserves mention is how Alan positioned himself on the road so that vehicles could not attempt to squeeze past when it was not safe.

Leader: Mike

Report: Glenn

Photos: Glenn

Extra ride to Linlithgow on Saturday

We've got the third of this year's Extra rides coming up on Saturday (26th). We'll be heading to the historic West Lothian town of Linlithgow - a place we haven't visited since 2017. It promises to be a pleasant scenic route, mainly on quiet country roads with some nice views. But as with all our Extra rides, it will be longer than our usual 20-Milers outings, at a somewhat faster pace and with fewer breaks. Please keep that in mind when deciding whether the ride will be right for your fitness level.

The route

We'll be heading out on the familiar route via Cramond Brig, Kirkliston and Niddry Castle. At Winchburgh, we'll strike west along quiet back roads through Faucheldean and Ochiltree. We'll be climbing steadily on this part of the ride, but we will have a nice fast downhill run for the last couple of miles into Linlithgow. The return leg will involve more quiet country roads, this time by way of Philpstoun, Abercorn, the Hopetoun Deer Park and South Queensferry.

The total distance will be about 35 miles.

Lunch stop

For those who like to bring a packed lunch, the grounds of Linlithgow Palace offer some nice picnic spots overlooking the loch. If you prefer to be catered for, there are several cafes very close to the palace, including at least one where you can pick up a take-away hot drink and snack. There are toilets in the nearby Burgh Halls, and we will have toilet stops on both the outward and return legs.

Time and place

The ride will start and end at the Craigleith path junction (see here if you need directions). Please be there in time for a prompt 10:30 departure. I can't say for sure what time the ride will finish, except that it is unlikely to be before 4 pm.

If the weather is bad, we might opt for a shorter ride, but with the same meeting time and place as above.

Looking ahead

Our next "second Saturday" run will be on 9 August. And we're aiming for at least two more Extras before the end of the summer. As usual, full details will be posted here in good time. Until then, happy pedalling. 

Up high to Harlaw

In the briefing at the start of today's ride, I felt obliged to give a warning about something that rarely comes up on our rides: the risk of heat exhaustion. We are officially in the middle of a heat wave, with the afternoon's temperature forecast to reach 25C. Folk in some southern regions might not think of that as particularly hot (it has recently been over 32C in parts of southern England), but it is not something we in south east Scotland are accustomed to.

Despite the heat (or perhaps because of it), twenty riders joined us for today's outing. It was good to see several newcomers in the group. Our destination was the Harlaw Reservoir, a ride that inevitably involves some substantial climbing.

The first part of our route was a familiar one: Roseburn Park, Pinkhill, South Gyle Station, Edinburgh Park and Herriot-Watt. So far, reasonably flat. But then the climbing started – gently at first – through the back streets of Currie and Newmills. Reaching Balerno, we faced the real work of the day: the final haul up to the reservoir. In previous years, we have taken the direct route up Harlaw Road, which frankly is a slog. But last year we found a better option, via Johnsburn Road and Cockburn Crescent. It involves the same overall ascent, but is spread over a longer distance and so avoids the worst of the gradients. It is also particularly scenic, with open views to the west and a delightful wooded section through Malleny Millgate. It was this route that we took this time.

Not surprisingly, the reservoir was crowded. There were people venturing onto the water with paddle boards, inflatable dinghies and the like, not to mention the usual anglers and dog-walkers. But we all managed to find a nice spot for our picnic lunch, with some of us settling on the grassy water's bank and others heading for the walled garden. Because of the heat, some of the group were running alarmingly low on drinking water, but a pair of rangers came to our rescue by allowing us to top up our water bottles in the kitchen in the former visitor centre (which has been closed to the public for several years).

Return to town

Lunch over, we set out on the return leg. Pausing at the top of the Currie Kirkgate, we saw a remarkable view. Looking down, we could see the whole of the Firth of Forth blanketed by a low dense haar, while the rest of city and the Fife hills were all clearly visible in the sunshine. Folk in Granton, Newhaven and the Fife coastal villages must have been shivering with cold while those just half a mile inland would have been sweltering. Such are the quirks of the Scottish climate.

We continued through Easter Kinleith and then along a series of paths alongside the Clubbiedean and Torduff reservoirs. This is a very scenic route, but some of the paths were quite rough – so much so that some of us decided to dismount and push for short distances. At least it was all downhill now, with the bonus of a pleasant easterly breeze to cool us down. Before long we were off the hills and heading down through Bonaly and Colinton Mains, and then along the Braid Burn path, through Braidburn Valley Park and the Braid Estate, and so back to the Meadows.

We all managed to finish the run without any ill effects from the heat. And the reservoir proved to be an ideal spot for our picnic lunch, being high up and exposed to the cooling breeze. It was good to be able to enjoy some sunshine, given that the weather will probably soon be back to its normal uncertain state.

Leader: Mike

Report: Mike

Photos: Glenn and Mike

Harlaw Reservoir ride this coming Saturday

We've got out next ride coming up on Saturday (12th). We'll be heading to a familiar destination: the Harlaw Reservoir at the edge of the Pentland Hills. For the most part this will be a pleasantly scenic route with a nice spot for a picnic lunch.

The route

For the outward leg, we will mainly follow quiet roads and well-surfaced paths. Inevitably, there will be a fair amount of climbing during the morning (the reservoir is 250 metres above sea level). However, while our route will involve the same overall ascent as on some of our previous visits to the reservoir, it will be spread over a somewhat longer distance, so we will be avoiding the worst of the gradients.

In return for our exertions of the morning, we can look forward to some nice downhills on the return leg. But this will also include a couple of very rough stretches where we might have to dismount. Thankfully, these will be fairly short.

The total distance will be about 24 miles, with slightly more than half the mileage in the morning.

Lunch arrangements

There are no shops, cafés or other catering outlets at the reservoir or anywhere near it. So please be sure to bring food and drink for your lunch. Happily the reservoir provides several nice spots for picnics.

There are portable (chemical) toilets at the reservoir. We will also stop for a toilet break about half way through the morning.

Time and place

As always, we will set out at 10:30 from our usual spot at the north end of Middle Meadow Walk. As I hope you know by now, there is no advance booking for our rides, so just turn up if you decide to join us.

What if the weather is bad?

The 20-Milers rides go ahead regardless of the weather (as those who turned up for our June run will confirm). For this ride, please bring a picnic even if the weather is bad, as we have an alternative spot in mind where we can eat our lunch under cover if necessary.

Looking ahead

We have pencilled in 26 July for our next Extra. I'll confirm that date and post the usual details in due course. In the meantime, happy pedalling.

A breezy Fife coastal meander

Just like last year, our June Extra ride saw Alan lead us to one of our most popular destinations: Silver Sands Beach at Aberdour in Fife. Crossing the Forth Road Bridge, following the delightful Fife Coastal Path to arrive at a sandy beach with extensive views over the Firth of Forth made for a lovely ride. There was a noticeable breeze and there were gusts of wind as we crossed the Forth, but there were sunny spells, and it was pleasantly warm without getting too hot. There was one unfortunate incident on the return leg where a rider fell and sustained a minor injury.

With Alan's briefing over, nineteen of us left the Craigleith meeting point and made our way to Cramond Brig for the obligatory pause on the bridge. From there, we rode onwards through Dalmeny village, the quiet back streets of South Queensferry and to the Forth Bridge Visitor Centre for a comfort stop. From there we headed across the bridge into Fife. Although it was quite breezy, it was as lovely as ever to cycle across the Forth and enjoy the view. On the recce the previous Saturday, it had been so misty that it wasn't possible to see the two other bridges at either side. What a difference a week makes! The main road to get into the centre of Inverkeithing was less busy than usual, but the sting-in-the-tail were the three-way temporary traffic lights smack bang in the middle of town. Although they delayed us for a few minutes, at least we all got through in one go. It was good to leave the town behind and head onto the Fife Coastal Path. A mixture of tracks with stunning views across the Forth, and paths through rather grand housing estates took us past St David's Harbour, Downing Point and Donibristle Bay on the edge of Dalgety Bay. Once again, all credit to Alan for finding his way through the maze of paths, and soon we were passing the impressive ruins of St Brigget's Kirk. Through the underpass, and we turned slightly inland to follow minor roads and tracks past fields and a golf course to emerge in the village of Aberdour. Another mile, and we were at Silver Sands Beach for our lunch stop.

The beach was not as busy as we had expected, but it meant there was plenty of room for the group to spread out and enjoy their picnic lunches. With lunch over, we began our journey home retracing the outward route from the morning, and were once again able to admire the views across the Forth. Once again we marvelled at Alan's ability to lead us through the maze of paths through the houses. Leaving the lovely coastal path behind, soon we were contending with Inverkeithing's temporary traffic lights. It was here that one of the riders fell and sustained a minor injury. A passer-by stepped in to help. Fortunately the injury wasn't serious, but the rider was a bit shaken. They decided to take the train back to Edinburgh. Graham kindly offered to see them to the station. So, leaving them in Graham's capable hands, the group made their way across the Forth Road Bridge. This time it was windier, with some quite strong gusts at certain points of the crossing. During a comfort stop at the Forth Bridge Visitor Centre, we were surprised to be rejoined by Graham. Apparently, the injured rider had decided to cycle home. Graham accompanied them across the bridge, but rejoined the group once satisfied that they would be OK to make their own way home. Leaving South Queensferry we were joined by a cyclist who was riding solo from John o' Groats to Lands End. Glad of the company he rode with us and chatted for a while. In doing so, he missed his turning in Dalmeny village. At our next stop to regroup, we were able to put him back on the right road.  A pause at Cramond Brig, and a short while later we were at Craigleith where Alan declared the ride over.

Thanks to Alan for leading, to Saqib for back marking, and to Graham for helping the injured rider. Decent weather, lovely scenery, and one of our favourite destinations resulted in a great ride that was enjoyed by all.

Leader: Alan

Report: Glenn

Photos: Glenn