EDINBURGH 20-MILERS

20th Anniversary Year

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Wednesday 23 April 2014

Two rides coming up


We've got two rides planned for the first half of May. Here are some brief details:

3rd May : John Muir Way inaugural ride

This is a special ride to mark the opening of Scotland's newest long-distance footpath and cycling route. It will be a 34-mile circular ride from Edinburgh, with a lunch stop at Blackness Castle. Full details can be found here.

Note that there will be no café or pub at the lunch stop, so be sure to bring food and drink for a picnic.

10th May : Normal monthly ride

Our 'second Saturday' ride this month will be led by Glenn, who will be taking us out to East Lothian. Meet at the usual spot, at the top of Middle Meadow Walk, in time for a 10.30 departure.

If you need any further information about cycling with us, please see our FAQ, or contact us at the email address in the panel on the left.



Saturday 12 April 2014

A windy ride to South Queensferry


Today was sunny and dry, with lovely blue skies. But my goodness - what a breeze. We had winds of 25 mph in our face all morning, which did nothing to help us on our way.

About thirty-four riders turned up, so we once again split into two groups. Claire led the first party, with Ken's group following a few minutes behind.

Innovations

We took the route that we habitually follow when heading out to the north west: the Roseburn Path, Davidson's Mains and Barnton. But although this a well-worn and familiar path, we did notice three innovations since our last trip this way.

First, there's a new cut-through from the canal to Dundee Street. Instead of going down Gilmore Park and turning left into the busy Fountainbridge, you can now go along the towpath to the first bridge, then cut through the new development of student flats, coming out opposite Cineworld. It only saves a few yards, but it is a decidedly pleasanter route.

At the Sustrans marker in Craigleith, the council are busy with a landscaping project. It's not yet clear how this will look when finished, but it should make the path junction a little less cluttered. Unfortunately, the useful directional signs have been removed in the process. Let's hope someone remembers to put them back.

And finally, the path between the golf courses in Barnton has now re-opened. This has been widened and given a nice new surface - a welcome improvement.

Dalmeny

From Cramond Brig, we turned into the Dalmeny Estate. Some of the paths here are rough, and were muddier than usual after the recent rains. But for the most part the estate offers pleasant cycling, away from the traffic and with excellent views over the Firth of Forth.

Our two groups joined up for the lunch break in South Queensferry. Some of us found a sheltered picnic spot overlooking the harbour. For the others, Claire did a good job of dividing them between separate cafés, which meant that we didn't overwhelm any one establishment.

After lunch, we got the benefit of the morning's hard work. With the wind now behind us (well, for part of the time at least), we zipped along the Ferry Glen path (more good views), and then through Dalmeny village and down NCN 1 to Cramond Brig. The two groups met up again at Craigleith. From there, one contingent continued back towards the Meadows; another group headed to the Costa café in the shopping centre, while the remainder of the riders went their separate ways. Despite those 25 mph gusts, it was another excellent ride.




View April 20-Milers to South Queensferry in a larger map

Leaders: Claire and Ken
Report and map: Mike
Photo: Logan

Monday 7 April 2014

April ride this coming Saturday


For this month's outing, Claire will be leading us on a scenic route to one of our more popular destinations. We'll be heading to South Queensferry by way of the Dalmeny Estate. This is particularly nice cycling, being mainly on quiet roads and paths with good views over the Firth of Forth.

The total distance will be about 22 miles. I'm not aware of any particular difficulties on the route, apart perhaps from one or two short stretches on rough path and a couple of moderately steep hills.

South Queensferry is a nice spot for a picnic lunch, so consider bringing a sandwich if the weather is fine. If you prefer to eat indoors, there are several cafés and pubs to choose from.

The details

We'll muster as usual at the top (north end) of Middle Meadow Walk, aiming to set out promptly at 10.30. The ride will probably end between 3 and 4 pm, but don't hold me to that - the actual finish time will depend on who turns up, the weather, and other factors.

Remember, all our rides are organised on a "just turn up" basis, so you don't need to tell us in advance if you are coming.