In the wheel tracks of Logan

Although it was a week earlier on this occasion, the 20 Milers Extra ride to the Merryhatton Garden Centre has become a regular fixture for the last Saturday in August. As mentioned at the briefing, this ride remains as a lasting legacy to the stalwart of the group, Logan Strang. Can it really be five years since he passed away? It's a lovely route that meanders through the delightful East Lothian countryside. As Logan used to say with a wry smile, with the exception of one hill, it's relatively flat. Despite a weather forecast suggesting light rain until early afternoon, it was good to see a turn out of 18 riders. In the end, there were only a few spots of rain; but it was quite windy which was most noticeable on the return leg.

With the briefing over we left Fisherrow Harbour, crossed the River Esk by the Electric Bridge and headed to the track beside the sea wall. The track remains open, but the views are obscured by the fencing in the area - all part of the ongoing work on the flood defences. As a result, we had to nip onto the coast road and back onto the path to reach Prestonpans. The main road and new shared use path took us to Cockenzie Harbour and through quiet back streets and paths to avoid the main road as far as Seton Sands. The coast road wasn't too busy, and with a helping tail wind we were soon approaching Aberlady. The leader stopped at a gateway and gave the riders a choice - stay on the main road or take the unsurfaced path that winds through the trees alongside the road. The majority took the latter option, and we were soon on a quiet back road that bypassed Aberlady's busy high street. We were now on quiet roads passing typical East Lothian farm land. The county is one of contrasts. Many think only of its coastline and lovely beaches. But head inland (as we were doing) and there is delightful rolling farmland. It is then topped off by the bleak wilderness of the Lammermuir Hills. A further stretch of main road took us to Drem station, where we turned off and quiet roads took us to Merryhatton and our lunch stop. All but three of the group went to the garden centre café. The remaining three continued a short distance up the road and picnicked in the peace of the New Athelstaneford cemetery.

Despite grey skies and a spot or two of rain, the picnickers remained dry. We regrouped and headed past the Museum of Flight onwards to Athelstaneford. Pausing beside the church, we read the notice board explaining the supposed origin of the Scottish flag. Leaving the village behind, we were confronted by the obligatory headwind that seems to go with that stretch of road. We pressed on past the Hopetoun monument to be confronted with the only real climb of the day. Fortunately, the wind was now from the side.  A brief pause, a short stretch of flat road and it was payback time as we zoomed down a steep hill. Relatively straight and flat roads took us to the level crossing beyond Longniddry. The barriers were down, so we had to wait a few minutes before the train passed and they went up. Across the dual carriageway and onto the cycle path. We realised we were four riders down. It turned out they had taken the road into Longniddry rather than to the level crossing. A few minutes of waiting and they re-joined us. A short while later we were zooming down another hill to the sea in Port Seton, where we had a comfort stop. Our route back was the reverse of out outward one, but with a detour to pass the Prestongrange Museum. At the Electric Bridge, the leader declared the ride over. Some headed away for tea and cake, whilst the rest headed back to Fisherrow for the return journey to Edinburgh.

Once again the Extra ride to Merryhatton was a success. The weather stayed dry and was pleasant; shame about the wind, but it could have been a lot worse. Everyone seemed to enjoy the ride - which is what it's all about. Thank you Logan for leaving such a great ride as your legacy to the group.

Leader: Glenn

Report: Glenn

Photos: Glenn

Merryhatton Extra this coming Saturday

We promised you two rides this month. We had the first of these last Saturday (see our previous post on this blog). The second one takes place this coming Saturday (20th). This will be one of our Extra rides, which are longer and faster than our usual runs.

For this ride, we will meet at Fisherrow Harbour in Musselburgh. Please be there in time for a 10:30 departure.

Glenn will be leading us into East Lothian, with a lunch stop at Merryhatton. The round-trip distance from the meeting point will be about 36 miles. Musselburgh is some seven miles from the city centre, so if you are coming from central Edinburgh, your total mileage will be nearer 50. Please keep that in mind if you are more accustomed to our usual 20-mile runs. Inevitably, Saturday's ride will go at a faster pace, will have fewer stops and will finish later in the afternoon (probably towards 5 pm, but don't hold me to that).

The route

For much of the outward leg, we will follow the East Lothian 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 the roads will be quieter with just a few gentle hills.

The return leg will take us through Athelstaneford and past the Hopetoun Monument. This will also be on quiet roads, with a couple of moderately steep hills, before re-joining the coast road near Seton Sands. 

Lunch arrangements

Our lunch stop will be at the garden centre at Merryhatton. The restaurant there (which is now table service) offers a range of sandwiches, baked potatoes, a soup of the day and other snacks. The eating area is entirely under cover: there is no terrace or other open-air eating space.

For those of us who prefer to bring a packed lunch, we have identified a quiet spot for a picnic 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 can 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).

I think that covers everything - except to remind you to bring a spare inner tube in case of a puncture, as well as any tools needed to remove your wheel. And because it will be a long ride and with the recent high temperatures in mind, I advise you also bring plenty of water or other drink.

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

Two rides for August

 

We've got two rides in the pipeline for the next couple of weeks: one short and one long. Here are the details.

Saturday 13 August: Southern outskirts

For this coming Saturday, Alison will be leading us on an attractive route through the southern outskirts of the city. Our route will include the Cockmylane path, the old village of Swanston, the Winton Estate and Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park.

The mileage will be a little less than the nominal twenty miles. But be warned that there will be several hills, including a couple of fairly steep ones. There will also be several stretches on rough tracks. But we will take these difficulties at our usual steady pace, and cheerfully wait for stragglers.

Our lunch stop will be in the Mortonhall Estate, This is a good spot for a picnic, so feel free to bring a packed lunch. Toilets are available in the garden centre. If you prefer to eat indoors, the Topiary Restaurant offers a good selection of soup, sandwiches and light meals.

The ride will start at our usual meeting point at the north end of Middle Meadow Walk. We will set out at 10:30, and aim to arrive back at the Meadows around mid-afternoon.

Saturday 20 August: East Lothian

The following Saturday will see our third Extra of the season. These rides are faster than our usual "second Saturday" runs and have fewer stops. For this run, we will meet in Musselburgh, then head into East Lothian, with a lunch stop at the Merryhatton garden centre. The round trip distance from Musselburgh will be 36 miles (but keep in mind that Musselburgh is about seven miles from the city centre, so if you are starting from town, your total distance will be closer to 50 miles).

I'll post more details of this ride's meeting time and place, route and lunch arrangements early next week.

Please keep in mind ...

... that any information that we circulate in advance about any of our rides should be regarded as provisional. We occasionally need to make last-minute changes to the route or the lunch arrangements according to conditions on the day and other factors. However, the meeting time and place will always remain as advertised.

That's all for now. I hope to see you on one or more of our rides.

Across the water to Fife

Our second 20 Milers Extra ride of the year saw us head across the water to Fife. Following a week which saw the record for the warmest day in Scotland broken, we were expecting good weather. We had a bit of drizzle at the lunch stop and it was pleasantly warm; but it was nothing compared to the stifling heat seen earlier in the week. Good summer cycling weather.

A reasonable turnout of 18 riders listened to the leader's customary route and safety briefing before we headed off from Craigleith towards Silverknowes. The familiar route took us through Barnton and on to our obligatory pause at Cramond Brig. From there NCN 1 took us up the path beside the A90 to the Dalmeny estate's Chapel Gate, where we crossed the B924 and headed to Dalmeny village. Through the new housing development and more of South Queensferry's quiet back streets saw us emerge at the Forth Bridges viewing area for a comfort stop. The foot and cycle path on the east side of the Forth Road Bridge is currently closed. As a result, we had to go down and up the service road to get onto the west side. Crossing the bridge, there was little wind, it was pleasantly warm and far below, there was barely a ripple on the water. Not surprisingly, several rides commented on how there remains a magical quality to crossing the bridge - no matter how many times you've done it before.

One rider was delayed when their chain came off on the bridge. The group waited, and we were soon back together and on the good cycle path leading towards Rosyth. Unfortunately, it finishes abruptly forcing riders onto the B981. It's a narrow, twisting road with blind brows. Add to that several psychopathic drivers, and this was the least enjoyable part of the whole route. Leaving that nasty stretch of road behind, Hilton Road took us past the MOD Caledonia military base. There followed a mile on the busy A985 Admiralty Road. The leader had warned us about this road at the briefing. But with it being a wide, flat, straight road and having considerate drivers on it, there were no problems. A left at the roundabout, along Bankholm Brae and Grange Road, left at the traffic lights and we arrived at the entrance to Dunfermline's Pittencrief Park. Up the hill through the park to the Glen Pavillion, and we were at our lunch stop. Some riders headed for the cafe, others sat on the grass to eat their picnics, whilst a few bagged a picnic table under the trees.

There was some light drizzle as we finished our lunch and began our return leg; but it soon petered out. With one exception, our return saw us retrace our outward route. The exception being when Dawn led us on a path off the busy A985 across a field, and through an housing estate. This took us into Rosyth avoiding a section of the busy main road. Unfortunately, we still had to endure the unpleasant B981 and an even more psychopathic driver. Pleased to have survived that stretch of road unscathed, the remainder of the homeward route passed without incident until we were almost back at Craigleith. On the final stretch of the cycle path, a wobble or lapse of concentration led to two of the group colliding and ending up on the deck. Others helped them untangle themselves. Fortunately, there was no damage or injury, so we continued back to the start where the leader declared the ride officially over.

Thanks to Alan for leading us on an interesting ride which was enjoyed by all, and thanks to Dawn for leading us on the detour on the way back. If only we could find an alternative to the B891 - there's a challenge before our next excursion to Dunfermline.

Leader: Alan

Report: Glenn

Photos: Glenn

20-Milers Extra to Dunfermline this coming Saturday

We've got the second of this year's Extra rides coming up on Saturday (23rd). Alan will be leading us on an excursion over the Forth Road Bridge and into Fife, with a lunch stop in Dunfermline. The route will be on a variety of roads and paths, and that includes a couple of stretches on main roads that might be busy with traffic. The total distance will be about 35 miles.

As you might know, Dunfermline was built on high ground. That means that there will be some long-ish climbs in the morning, and some nice free-wheeling after lunch - but no real killers.

Please remember that these Extras go at a somewhat faster pace than our normal rides, with fewer stops. They are suitable for those of our riders who find our usual runs well within their capabilities. Those who are less fit or who haven't cycled for a while will probably prefer to skip this one.

Lunch arrangements

Our lunch stop will be in the delightful Pittencrieff Park in the centre of Dunfermline. This is an ideal spot for a picnic, so either bring some lunch with you or aim to pick up a sandwich at the nearby Tesco. There's also a cafe in the park that serves a good range of snacks and hot drinks.

Meeting time and place

For this ride, we'll meet at the Sustrans marker at the Craigleith path junction (see here if you need directions). Please aim to get there in time to leave promptly at 10:15.

As always, please bring a spare inner tube in case you are hit by a puncture, as well as whatever tools you need (if any) to remove your wheels. And given the current hot weather, be sure to bring plenty to drink, to avoid dehydration.

I hope to see you on Saturday. If you can't make it (and even if you can), our next standard 20-miler ride will be on 13 August.

Three reservoirs and plenty of sun

If today wasn't the warmest day of the year, it must have been very close. Our ride saw us head up to Harlaw Reservoir in the Pentland Hills. We had a slight delay due to a mechanical issue early on, and there was a minor incident with some cows. But overall an interesting route and glorious scenery made for a great day out, with the leader receiving numerous compliments at the end.

We had a reasonable turnout of 21 riders. Amongst the regulars there were a couple of new faces and a rider we hadn't seen since pre-Covid days. It was already pleasantly warm with the sun shining down from a blue sky, with a gentle breeze as the leader gave the customary briefing. With the briefing over, we headed off to the Leamington Bridge. A rider was having a mechanical issue. Quick as a flash, Alan was there to help. A quick adjustment and we were on our way. Unfortunately, the issue wasn't cured, so another stop ensued. This time the tools came out and the delay was longer. As this occurred at the back, the leader and rest of the group were oblivious and pushed on. Stopping to regroup at the entrance to Roseburn Park, the leader was informed of the situation. After a wait and a phone call, the missing riders appeared and we set off to Edinburgh Park via Broomhall and South Gyle. Travelling in the opposite direction to usual, we took the familiar route to the Heriot Watt University campus where we stopped for a comfort break. Leaving the campus behind, we made our way through Riccarton and Currie, emerging from the new housing estate for a short stretch on the busy Lanark Road West. Leaving Balerno behind, we began the long steady climb up Bavelaw Road and Mansfield Road.  Pausing to regroup at the top of the climb, we then headed up to the Harlaw visitor centre for our lunch stop. Some riders opted for the picnic tables in the garden, whilst the rest enjoyed their picnic lunch sitting on the banks of the reservoir.

Lunch over, we headed away from the reservoir retracing our route to the road. Here we turned right  towards Currie. At the sharp left hander we went straight on rather than take the steep hill down into Currie. Shortly, the surfaced road came to an end and we were on a rough stony path for our descent past Clubbiedean and Torduff reservoirs. Before arriving at the first reservoir, following riders saw the leader stop, dismount and wheel his bike off the track and onto a wide stretch of grass. All riders followed his lead. Those at the back wondered what was happening; but as the drew closer, all became clear. A number of cows accompanied by their calves had decided to lie down in the middle of the path. To avoid disturbing or spooking them, the leader decided to give them a wide berth, especially as they had calves with them. Safely past and the lovely descent began in earnest. This was the most scenic part of the whole ride. The reservoirs and surrounding countryside look lovely at any time; but bathed in sunshine shining down from a clear blue sky looked absolutely stunning. Down off the hill and we were in the quiet back streets of Bonaly. The writer commented on how nice and colourful the houses looked. On too many previous occasions he had seen them on dull, grey and wet winter days. We headed on through Colinton, the estate behind Redford Barracks, Colinton Mains Park and Braidburn Valley Park. A short hop through the back streets of Morningside and we were on Whitehouse Loan. Here the leader declared the ride over. Thanks to Mike for leading an interesting and enjoyable ride. The numerous compliments he received were well deserved. Thanks to Alan for back marking and wielding the spanners.

Leader: Mike

Report: Glenn

Photos: Glenn