Outrunning the rain

There are a few rides that we will always associate with a particular leader e.g. Mike and Harlaw Reservoir, Alan and Silversands Bay at Aberdour, Glenn and Fa'side Hill; but the one that springs to mind will always be Merryhatton and the late Logan Strang. Logan was one of the stalwarts of the 20-Milers [and a real character] who died while cycling with some of our group in 2017. He devised the route, and it has been ridden in late August most years. It has never been flagged as such officially, but it is the closest thing to a memorial ride the group has. Some eight years after his passing, the leader (who has led the ride since 2017) still considers it an honour to lead what will always be "Logan's ride". The route gives a taste of the variety of East Lothian: the coastline, quaint villages, delightful countryside and even a few hills - to dispel the belief that the county is flat.

Today's ride saw us trying to outrun the rain which was forecast to arrive between 3.00 and 4.00 pm. Unfortunately, it arrived just after 3.00. By then, we were between Cockenzie and Prestonpans, so not too far from the finish at Musselburgh. But, as most riders had to get back to Edinburgh, it was a soggy end to the day. A bright sunny morning with a light breeze greeted the 11 riders that set out from Fisherrow Harbour. We would have expected a larger turn out, but a smaller group is always easier to manage, especially on a longer Extra ride. Our first pause to regroup was on the Electric Bridge over the River Esk. One rider asked why it is called that. The leader (who has lived in Musselburgh for many years) explained how it was built in the late 1960's to transport the generators to Cockenzie power station. There was a further stop for a history lesson beside the blue arrow at Goose Green. The arrow dates from the early days of World War 2, and was an aid for RAF bombers doing target practice over the Firth of Forth. We pressed on beside the racecourse to Prestonpans where we joined the road through the town before taking the lovely cycle path into Cockenzie. We took the quiet backstreets past Cockenzie and Port Seton harbours. One rider said he had always stayed on the main road, and this was the first time he had seen the two harbours. It's always good to hear that someone has discovered something new on a ride. Beyond Seton Sands Caravan Park we re-joined the coast road [which was quieter than expected] towards Aberlady. For the last part of the run into Aberlady the leader gave the riders a choice of staying on the main road or meandering through the trees on a delightful path alongside. Not surprisingly, the majority opted for the latter. Leaving Aberlady behind, we took the A6137 to join the road to Drem. This is a deviation from our preferred route which would have taken us along the lovely quiet road past the Myreton Motor Museum. Alas, that road has been closed for over a year due to a sink hole. No idea if it will ever reopen. Being unable to find a viable diversion is the reason that this ride didn't happen last year. A further mile on the B1377 to Drem was a small price to pay. After Drem, quiet roads took us to the Merryhatton Garden Centre. The majority went into the café there, whilst the remaining few had their picnic in the nearby Athalstaneford cemetery.

With lunch over, we made our way to Athalstaneford, where we paused to read the information panel about the origin of the Scottish flag. Leaving the village behind, we crossed the Haddington road, passed the Hopetoun Monument and turned left onto the A6137 for the toughest climb of the day. With the climb over, we turned right and headed towards another steep hill. This one was down. Our whizzing down at speed was spoiled by a car making its way up - the first time any of us could remember having met a vehicle on the hill. The leader jokingly suggested we should ride back up to the top, so we could descend again. Unsurprisingly, there were no takers. Lovely quiet roads took us back to the level crossing beyond Longniddry. A brief wait for a train to pass, and we were riding along the cycle path beside the busy A198 dual carriageway. Another steep descent and we were back beside the sea at Port Seton where we had a welcome comfort stop. We retraced our outward route from the morning, having to stop to don waterproofs just before Prestonpans as the promised rain began shortly after 3 o'clock. Instead of taking the path beside the racecourse, this time we took the path between the Lagoons and the sea to Goose Green and the Electric Bridge, where the leader declared the ride officially over.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the ride; just a shame the rain couldn't have held off a little longer. Thanks to Saqib and Alison for being joint-back markers.

Leader: Glenn

Report: Glenn

Photos: Glenn

Extra ride to Merryhatton this Saturday

We've got the fourth of this summer's Extra rides coming up on Saturday (30th). It promises to be a particularly pleasant run through some scenic East Lothian countryside.

Route and destination

The ride will start in Musselburgh. Under Glenn's leadership, we'll head east along the coast road, which is an A-road and therefore possibly busy with traffic. But it has the advantage of being reasonably flat - not to mention having excellent views over the Firth of Forth. We'll turn inland at Aberlady, after which we'll take mainly quiet roads to Drem and then on to our lunch stop at Merryhatton.

The return leg will take us through Athelstaneford ("birthplace of Scotland's flag") and past the Hopetoun Monument. This will also be on quiet roads, through attractive countryside. There will be a few hills on this part of the route, but only one that is likely to be at all strenuous. We'll eventually rejoin the coast road near Seton Sands before returning to Musselburgh.

Keep in mind that this will be a particularly long ride. The total distance from and to Musselburgh will be about 36 miles. Musselburgh is a further seven miles from central Edinburgh, so, depending where you start from, your total mileage might be nearer 50. As well as the extended mileage, the ride will go at a faster pace and with fewer stops than most or our rides. Please keep that in mind when deciding if your fitness level will be right for this event.

Lunch arrangements

Our lunch stop will be at the garden centre at Merryhatton. The restaurant there offers a range of sandwiches, baked potatoes, a soup of the day and other snacks, all at fairly reasonable prices. The eating area is entirely indoors: there is no terrace or other open-air eating space.

Those of us who prefer to bring a packed lunch will head to a quiet picnic spot about half a mile from the garden centre. Note that there is limited seating there, so be prepared to sit on the grass if necessary. Picnickers will be able to use the toilets at Merryhatton. There are also toilets at the meeting point, and we will have an additional comfort stop on the way home.

Time and place

Our meeting point will be Fisherrow Harbour in Musselburgh (see here if you need directions). Please be there in time for a 10:30 departure.

In memory of Logan

Long-standing members of the group will recognise the above route as "Logan's run". It's one that we aim to do every August, in memory of Logan Strang - one of the stalwarts of the 20-Milers who died while cycling with some of our group in 2017. This route is one that he often took us on and which was a particular favourite of his.

Before you set out

As always on a long ride, it is important for our bikes to be in good road-worthy condition.  So before you set out, please check that your tyres are properly inflated and free of stones or other fragments that might cause punctures, and that the gears and brakes are working smoothly. I know I don't need to remind you to bring a spare inner tube and whatever tools, if any, are required for removing your wheels in the event of a puncture.

There is no need to let us know in advance whether you intend to join us. If you plan to attend, just turn up at the appointed time and place.

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