As you might know. RLS grew up in the New Town. But his family rented a holiday cottage in the ancient village of Swanston, at the foot of the Pentland Hills. Our ride on Saturday will follow the route that he supposedly took between the two houses. The route also has a strong connection with Edinburgh's water supply; more about that when we get there.
Unfortunately, Stevenson didn't have a bike. So his so-called "road" was more of a footpath than a cycle path - and still is today. We can therefore expect several sections of our route to be over rough tracks, with some possible muddy patches. It might be just about do-able on a skinny-tyred road bike, but it will be much more comfortable on a hybrid or mountain bike.
At 18 miles, the route will be shorter than most of our runs. There will be some moderate climbing in the first half of the morning, followed by some level and downhill stretches in the afternoon.
Lunch stop
For our lunch break, we will be visiting a brand new restaurant that has recently opened within the Mortonhall Garden Centre. It is very spacious and comfortable, serving a range of salads, sandwiches and light meals. For those who prefer to bring their own food, there is now a large terrace with plenty of seating.
Time and place
As always, we will gather at the north end of Middle Meadow Walk, ready to leave at 10:30. The ride will probably end around 15:00, though this will depend on the weather, the turnout and other factors. If anyone wants to get home particularly early, there will be an option for a shorter return leg, albeit on busy roads.
Please remember that, although the meeting time and place are fixed, we reserve the right to vary the route according to the conditions on the day.
Our last Extra of the season
We have another ride lined up this month: our fifth and last Extra for 2018, which will take place on the 15th. I'll let you have more details nearer the time.
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