July Extra this coming Saturday

 We've got the third of this year's Extra rides coming up on Saturday (27th). Neil will be leading us on what looks like a very pleasant route through West Lothian countryside and coastal paths. Our lunch stop will be at the historic railway station at Bo'ness. I can't promise that we'll see any steam trains, but you never know.

Compared to our usual "Second Saturday" runs, this ride will be long - about 38 miles for the round trip - with an earlier start, a later finish, a somewhat faster pace and fewer stops. Please keep all that in mind when deciding if your fitness level will be right for this ride.

Most of the route will follow quiet roads and off-road paths, including about four miles on the canal towpath and a similar distance along the coastal path through Blackness and the Hopetoun Estate. There will be a few hills, but none of them particularly difficult. We will be on reasonably good surfaces most of the time, with only a couple of short rough sections.

Lunch

The railway station at Bo'ness has a friendly cafe that serves a good range of snacks and light meals. You can either eat inside the cafe or at the picnic tables outside. Of course, you also have the option of bringing your own food for a picnic lunch. Alternatively, you could pick up a sandwich at either the Tesco or the Lidl, both of which are close by.

Time and place

Please note that the ride will start at 10:00, which is half an hour earlier than usual. We'll set out from our alternative meeting point at the Craigleith path junction - see here if you need directions. The ride will end back at Craigleith towards the end of the afternoon.

As always, the ride is free and open to all, with no advance booking.

Looking ahead

For August, we again have two rides planned: our standard run on the 10th and another Extra on the 31st. In both cases I'll post he usual details here in good time.