Half-day ride this coming Saturday

 We've got our February ride coming up on Saturday (12th). Like last month's run, this will be a half-day ride, finishing by 13:00. But unlike last month, we won't try to squeeze a full-day's mileage into the morning. This time we will be doing just 13 miles. There will be a couple of stiff climbs around the middle of the morning, but no other difficulties of any kind.

For this ride, Graham has come up with what looks like an interesting and attractive route. We'll be heading out on NCN 1 as far as Davidson's Mains, then looping back round the western slopes of Corstorphine Hill before returning to town via Carrick Knowe and the Pinkhill railway path. The ride will include a short stop at the delightful walled garden on Corstorphine Hill (twice featured in BBC Scotland's The Beechgrove Garden).

Time and place

As always, we will set out from the north end of Middle Meadow Walk at 10:30. And as always, the ride is free and open to all. There is no booking system and no need to let anyone know in advance that you are planning to come.

Keep in mind that with all our rides, the advertised route is subject to change, depending on conditions on the day. But the meeting time and place are always the same.

Why only half a day?

Since our January ride, Covid restrictions have been relaxed and the "three household" rule no longer applies. Despite that, we feel that it would still be unwise to take a large group into a pub or cafe for lunch. Nor is the idea of a February picnic likely to be popular. Hence the decision to finish the ride by lunch time.

All being well - and assuming no new Covid outbreak - we hope to return to our normal full-day format in March.

Other bike rides

If you like the idea of a short, sociable ride, you might also consider joining EasyCycle's ride on Sunday 27 February. This will be a half-day run, leaving at 10:30 from in front of the Söderberg café in Middle Meadow Walk. As with our own rides, there is no advance booking, so just turn up on the day.

For those who prefer a more substantial outing, Spokes have a run on the first Sunday of every month, leaving from the Usher Hall in Lothian Road at 10:00. Spokes rides tend to be around 45 miles, finishing towards the end of the afternoon.

You can find further details of these and other local bike rides on my website: www.cycling-edinburgh.org.uk.

That's all for now. I hope to see you on Saturday, or whenever.