Meandering to Mortonhall

Today's outing was our second try at a route that we attempted in February 2020 but which we were forced to abandon because of the dangerous winds of Storm Clara. No such worries this time. The day was bright and sunny with just a gentle breeze. By the afternoon, the thermometer had reached a pleasant mid-twenties – thankfully escaping the ridiculously high temperatures being experienced elsewhere in the UK.

Seventeen of us assembled at the Meadows. Our leader, Alison, gave a comprehensive briefing, with warnings of several hills along the way. And then we set off, starting out on the familiar route over Bruntsfield Links and up to Hermitage Drive, and then through Braidburn Valley Park to Greenbank. This involved a fair bit of climbing: a taster for what was to come.

On leaving the park, we made a sharp left turn onto the Cockmylane Path. This is part of a traditional route known as "Robert Louis Stevenson's Road to Swanston and the Pentlands". Stevenson was born and brought up in the New Town, but his parents rented a holiday cottage in the old village of Swanston at the foot of the Pentland Hills. Our route today was the route that RLS supposedly took when travelling between home and cottage. Clearly Stevenson didn't use a bike; the steep rough path is more suited to walkers than cyclists. 

After a substantial climb, we emerged into Caiystane Drive, and then across Oxgangs Road and up Swanston Road to Swanston village. Although still heading up hill, we were now on a well-surfaced road. We stopped for a long-ish rest stop at the top of the village, amid the thatched cottages that give the area its picturesque appearance. (According to one source, these are now the only inhabited thatched buildings in the Lothians.) Some of the group wanted to know where RLS's cottage was. Unfortunately, this is not visible from the village, being at the end of a track on the far side of the farm steadings.

The rest stop over, we headed eastward along another track – very rough but at least it was level - which emerged at the main road at Lothianburn. We now had to deal with two tricky road crossings, these being the busy slip roads leading onto and off the City Bypass. Our leader did a good job of shepherding us across these without incident. 

Our next leg took us through the Winton Estate. This has no connection with the estate of Winton Castle near Pencaitland (which we sometimes pass through when cycling in East Lothian), but is a modern housing estate named for the family of the wife of the owner of the land in the 1930s. We paused briefly to look at a much older house on the edge of the estate. Thanks to some instant on-line research by one of the group, we discovered that this was the 18th Century Morton House, part of the Mortonhall Estate. 

Speaking of which, after a nice downhill run along Frogston Road, we were soon at our lunch stop at the Mortonhall Garden Centre. A few of the group headed for the restaurant inside the centre, while others elected to picnic outside in the sun. 

Wildfires

After lunch, we regained Frogston Road, where it was obvious that something was very wrong with the traffic, with cars backed up in both directions as far as the eye could see. It turned out that this was the result of wildfires on the City Bypass at Straiton. (Wildfires in Edinburgh? Whatever next?) Of course, traffic jams don't bother us. With a certain amount of schadenfreude we were able to whiz past the stationary cars to quickly reach the traffic lights at Burdiehouse Road and Captain's Road.

The next stage was a very pleasant mile or so through Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park, along a well-surfaced path with just a few gentle ups and downs. This was followed by a short stretch though Ellen's Glen and into Gilmerton Road. We continued past the Inch Park, then along the edge of Craigmillar Castle Park and on to the familiar Innocent Path and so back to the Meadows. 

Thanks to Alison for leading us on such a delightful route. Thanks also to Ken for stepping up to back mark at short notice. At 16 miles, it was not exactly a long ride, but with the initial hills and the rough paths it was just enough of a challenge to make it a worthwhile day out – and a most enjoyable one.

Leader: Alison 

Report and photos: Mike

In the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson

For today's 20 Milers ride, the leader took us on a "themed" ride following a traditional, waymarked route: Robert Louis Stevenson's "Road to Swanston and the Pentlands". We followed the route he supposedly took between the New Town and the ancient village of Swanston, at the foot of the Pentland Hills. As the so-called "road" was more akin to a footpath, we had to contend with more off-road riding than usual. Despite being rough and bumpy in places, we managed it without serious mishaps; no doubt helped by the fact it was dry.

With the Festival over and most people [and Edinburgh] back to normal after the summer, a turnout of 21 was slightly lower than may have been expected; but perfectly acceptable and manageable - only one group required. The weather was dry, overcast and pleasant, rather than warm - obviously autumn is on its way. We left the Meadows and made our way to Braidburn Valley Park via the familiar route taking in Bruntsfield Links and the back streets of Morningside. A combination of cycle paths (some were rough, steep or both) and quiet residential streets took us through Oxgangs. On this section, the leader stopped beside an old building and gave us a short talk about its significance in the history of Edinburgh's public water supply. Leaving Oxgangs behind, we crossed a bridge over the City Bypass and headed past the golf club to the delightful village of Swanston that nestles at the foot of the Pentlands. We paused a while to admire the village and refuel with cake and sweets. It is hard to believe such a lovely little village is so close to the centre of Edinburgh, and even closer to the City Bypass. The gate that led into the Pentland Hills was not at all cycle-friendly. As a result, a few minutes followed where a combination of dancing with bikes and lifting them over a gate ensued. There then followed a section of rough and bumpy path which descended to emerge beside the very busy Biggar Road. Fortunately, we did not need to cross that. But we did need  to carefully cross the on and off sliproads of the City Bypass. Across Biggar Road and we were meandering through quiet residential streets. A further stretch of rough, bumpy path took us to Broomhills and on to Frogston Road East. A short run along the  road and we were at our lunch stop - Mortonhall Garden Centre. The rough, bumpy paths had claimed two victims. Punctures were fixed during the lunch stop.

The cafe at the garden centre is a vast improvement since we last used it and everyone enjoyed their lunch. Punctures repaired, we made our way back along Frogston Road East. Through the traffic lights and we turned right into the back streets of Burdiehouse. We went into Burdiehouse Valley Park and followed the Burdiehouse Burn as far as Ellen's Glen Loan. Ellen's Glen Road took us to Gilmerton road, which we took before turning onto Glenallan Drive to skirt the edge of The Inch Park. A short stretch on Old Dalkeith Road followed before we headed into Craigmillar Castle Park. Along Peffermill Road, across it and into the industrial estate. This cut-through brought us out at the Innocent Railway for a straight forward run back to the Meadows. We had a slightly surreal moment as we rode through the Innocent Tunnel. A pedestrian was listening to music on their phone, so the tunnel was filled with an Abba track. Interesting acoustics in the tunnel!

At the Meadows, the leader declared the ride over. Thanks to Mike for leading an interesting and somewhat different ride that everyone seemed to enjoy. At 18 miles, it was shorter than usual; but had plenty of variety. There was even sufficient off-road riding involved to keep the wanna-be mountain bikers amused. Having avoided it for a number of years, the Mortonhall Garden Centre cafe is definitely somewhere we will be happy to use again. Rightly or wrongly, we don't usually mention the backmarker, despite it being a thankless but vital role. But today's incumberent, Verity certainly deserved thanks. Still recovering from the effects of a recent accident, she did a great job. We were all releived that her injuries were not worse.

Leader: Mike
Report: Glenn
Photos: Glenn
Map trace: David