A Roslin ramble

Today's ride saw a welcome return to our traditional format: a full-day run of twenty or so miles with a proper lunch stop. This was after two months in which, because of Covid restrictions, we limited each ride to half a day with no cafe or pub stop. It was gratifying to see 24 riders, including many of our regulars, turn up for today's event.

The ride was led by Iain Pearce, making his debut as a 20-Milers ride leader. Our destination was Roslin, but because the direct route to that village is only about 16 miles round trip, Iain decided to add a few interesting wiggles to make up the length. It's always good when we can find unfamiliar bike routes, and today's ride succeeded in doing just that.

After the usual briefing and safety advice, we headed down Middle Meadow Walk and across Bruntsfield Links before tackling the stiff climb up to Hermitage Drive. A bit more climbing took us up to northern flank of the Braid Hills, where we paused for a few moments to take in the view over the city. The weather at this point was uncertain, with a weak sun struggling to emerge from the clouds, and while it was not actually raining, the air had a definite dampness to it.

Almost immediately after reaching Alnwickhill Road, we cut through a diminutive gap between some houses to emerge on a path running alongside Liberton Park and what used to be the Alnwickhill Reservoir, now a housing development. This was the first of several parts of today's route which were new to me, and I suspect to many others in the group.

Back doubles

After crossing Liberton Gardens, we continued on a wiggly route through the back doubles of Gracemount and Gilmerton Dykes – again, unfamiliar territory for many of us - before reaching the City Bypass at Gilmerton Station Road. From here, the route followed the more familiar Roslin bike path, which uses the old railway line through Loanhead and across the Bilston Glen viaduct. We reached Roslin a few minutes after noon. About a third of the group found some nice spots for a picnic, with most of the others heading for Dolly's Tea Shop.

For the return leg, we retraced our steps as far as Gilmerton Station Road. The bike path here is well-surfaced and almost completely flat, and with the wind behind us it made a pleasant start to the afternoon. After crossing back over the bypass, we stayed on the path for another four miles or so, heading towards Shawfair (lots of new housing) and Newton Village. Until a few years ago, this path was little more than a muddy track alongside a field, but it has been upgraded into a wide, well-surfaced path with good lighting. As a bonus, this part of our route was gently downhill the whole way.

Leaving the path, we followed the road through Danderhall, and then through Little France Park and Craigmillar Castle Park. At this point, we were hit by two minor inconveniences: a sudden heavy rain shower, and a mechanical problem involving a recalcitrant chain. Fortunately, the rain stopped almost as quickly as it started. The mechanical problem took a little longer to sort out, but before too long we were on our way again.

The final leg took us across Peffermill Road, through the Peffermill Industrial Estate and on to the Innocent Path. After heading up the Innocent Tunnel, we made our way back to the Meadows. At 21 miles, it was a very pleasant run, with several innovative sections of route, a good lunch stop and a successful debut for the leader.

Leader: Iain

Report: Mike

Photos: Glenn

 

Full-day ride this coming Saturday

 We've got our March ride coming up on Saturday (12th). I'm pleased to say that, with the Covid situation improving, we can now resume our usual full-day rides. I hope you'll be able to join us.

The route

Iain (Pearce) will be leading this ride. Iain has come up with an attractive (and unusual) route to Roslin. The outward leg, which will mainly be on quiet roads, will involve a certain amount of climbing, especially near the start. But we will be rewarded with some nice downhill runs in the afternoon, almost entirely on well-surfaced bike paths. The total distance will be about 21 miles.

Lunch arrangements

Despite the easing of of Covid restrictions, we would still prefer not to take a large party into a cafe or pub. We will therefore ask the group to divide between the two lunch venues in Roslin. Please bear with us if you don't get your first choice of eating place.

Dolly's Tea Room offers a range of soup, sandwiches, toasties and panini, at reasonable prices. If you haven't visited Dolly's since before the pandemic, you will be agreeably surprised by the recent improvements in the service, food and decor there. The Original Rosslyn Inn also offers a good selection. It is somewhat more up-market (and more expensive) than the tea room, but might be a better choice if you want a more substantial cooked lunch.

A third option is to bring a packed lunch. There are some pleasant picnic spots near the chapel and castle. You can also pick up a take-away sandwich and hot drink from Dolly's.

Time and place

As always, we will set off at 10:30 from our usual spot at the north end of Middle Meadow Walk. We should get back to the Meadows around the middle of the afternoon.

And as always, the ride is open to all, and is free of charge. There's no need to let us know in advance that are coming. If you would like to join us, just turn up at the above time and place.

One last thing: Please do bring a spare inner tube if at all possible. It really makes a difference if you get hit by a puncture. If you don't know what size or type of tube is right for your bike, you local bike shop will be pleased to advise. And if your bike doesn't have quick-release hubs, please also bring whatever tools are needed to remove the wheel.

Corstorphine delight

Just like last month, it was decided that today's ride would go ahead without a pub or café lunch stop. Instead, it would take the form of a half-day ride aiming to finish by 1300. The leader plotted a route of 13 miles to fit the format. But within that relatively short distance, we were promised some unfamiliar locations and ways of getting to them. The highlight of the ride was visiting a walled garden that few of the riders even knew existed.

The day dawned dry and quite windy, but nothing like as bad as earlier in the week. That was the way it remained for the duration of the ride, except for a couple of very brief light showers. A turnout of 17 riders was quite good for a windy February day following a rather unsettled week. It was great to see a smattering of new faces for a ride so early in the year.

Following the customary route-details and safety briefing, we rolled away from Middle Meadow Walk and headed for the Leamington Bridge via the familiar route taking in Bruntsfield Links and Leamington Terrace. After a brief pause at the bridge, more familiar paths and roads took us onto the Roseburn Path at the zig-zags. At Craigleith we took the Blackhall Path and what seemed like the familiar route to Cramond Brig via Barnton. But a surprise left turn took us along East Barnton Avenue and through Davidsons Mains Park to emerge beside the busy-as-ever Queensferry Road. With everyone safely across, we headed through the quiet backstreets of Clermiston and cut across Clermiston Park. After a bit of climbing, we paused briefly outside St Andrew's Church before continuing. Soon we were on a cycle path alongside Clermiston Road. Crossing the road, we climbed a dirt track and we were at the delightful Corstorphine Hill Walled Garden. Most of us didn't even know this community garden existed. Leaning our bikes against the wall, we trooped in. There is something special about walled gardens, and this one certainly didn't disappoint - it was lovely. February may not have been the best time to visit, but it made many of us vow to return. In spring and summer it will be an absolute treat. Having explored the garden, we headed back down the dirt track to the road. From there, cycle paths weaved between the houses and quiet roads saw us arrive at the busy St John's Road. We crossed the road and left it behind as we rode along Corstorphine High Street and made our way through St Margaret's Park. More quiet roads and we were soon on the path that runs behind Silvan House on Corstorphine Road. The path took us to Balgreen Road, we crossed the Water of Leith and rode alongside it past Murrayfield Stadium and through Roseburn Park. From there we made our way to the zig-zags, before retracing our outbound route back to the Meadows where the leader declared the ride officially over.

For the old stagers of the group, it's very easy to think we've been everywhere. So it is great to be led somewhere completely new. All credit to Graham for doing that, especially in a shorter-than-usual ride, and to take us to somewhere so delightful. 

Hopefully our March ride will return to the usual format to include a lunch stop and be around 20 miles in length. It would be nice if we could have some spring-like weather, but we'll have to wait and see.

Leader: Graham

Report: Glenn

Photos: Glenn 

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.

A half day January meander

Despite the rapid increase in Covid cases, it was decided it would be safe for today's ride to go ahead, but without a cafe or pub lunch stop. Instead, it would take the form of a half-day ride aiming to finish by 1300. Given this is January in Edinburgh, a picnic outdoors lunch option was quickly discounted. The leader decided to plot a route that would be quite meandering, but never too far from the centre of town for those wishing to peel off early. He also opted to stick with the full 20 miles distance and see how that panned out.

Given the change in format and forecast of changeable weather, a turnout of eleven riders was not overly surprising. As it happened, the weather was kinder than we had dared hope. It remained dry, was cool rather than cold and we even had some pleasant winter sunshine. Following the customary briefing, we took the familiar route to the Leamington Bridge via Bruntsfield Links. We remained on the canal, leaving at Ashley Terrace. We passed George Watson's College Recreation Ground on Myreside Road before turning left into Craighouse Gardens. Apart from the leader and back marker, no one else was familiar with the route. Making good progress on a flat stretch of road was fine until we turned off and were confronted with a stiff little climb into Morningside Park. Many were caught out being in too high a gear. We pressed on through Greenbank and the new housing development built on the site of the former City Hospital. At this point, a senior member of the group said, "I know all the places we've been to, but don't think I could easily thread them together into one ride". We joined the path through Colinton Mains Park, before heading through Oxgangs and finding ourselves on the quiet residential roads of Swanston. After crossing of the busy Biggar Road, quiet roads and muddy paths saw us emerge onto Frogston Road West. A fast downhill run and we were at the Mortonhall Garden Centre. 

What would have been our lunch stop became a comfort stop instead. Past the caravan site, and we had some muddy and icy stretches of path to contend with before emerging on Braid Hills Drive. A right turn on Braid Farm Road, down Braid Hills Avenue and we arrived at the familiar Braidburn Terrace. Through Braidburn Valley Park and we joined the paths we had ridden earlier, but now in the opposite direction. At his point the back marker said, "we're now on the second loop". Someone was heard to say, "what? We're doing the whole ride again?" We made our way through Colinton to join the Water of Leith path. Onwards through Colinton Tunnel with its lovely murals, past the Water of Leith Visitor Centre, through Saughton Park, past Murrayfield and Roseburn Park and we were at the Russell Road zig-zags. A few riders peeled off there, with the remainder heading back to the Leamington Bridge. There the leader declared the ride officially over at just after 1330.

Thanks to Neil for leading us on a meandering, varied and interesting route that never ventured too far from town. And well done for adapting it at short notice to fit the half day format. Thanks also to Alison for her first stint as back marker.

Leader: Neil

Report: Glenn

Photos: Glenn

Half-day ride this coming Saturday

We've got our January ride coming up on Saturday (8th). But because of the Covid situation, it will be slightly different than usual. Let me explain.

Half-day ride

In the light of the rapid increase in Covid cases, we have been considering our options for this ride. We believe that it will be safe for the ride to go ahead, given that we will be out of doors and able to maintain good social distancing. But we think it would be unwise for the group to go into a cafe or pub for lunch. We considered asking everyone to bring a packed lunch, but eating in the open air on a Scottish January morning doesn't seem like a good option.

Instead, we have decided that this will be a half-day ride. There will be no lunch break, and we will finish by 1 pm at the latest. I'm sorry we can't offer you a full day out, but I'm sure you will appreciate the reason.

The details

Neil (Miller) will be our leader. At the time of writing, Neil is still planning the route, but I know we can rely on him to come up with something interesting. Details of the route will be announced at the meeting point.

As always, we will leave at 10.30 from the north end of Middle Meadow Walk. And as always, the ride is free and open to all, with no advance booking.

Looking ahead

It's too early to say what form our February ride will take. Obviously, it will depend on the Covid situation at the time and on any new restrictions that might have come into force. I will of course keep you informed.

I hope we'll see you on Saturday. After all, half a day's cycling is better than none.

A Santa-esque Saunter

 

This was our tenth Christmas morning ride. The first one was in 2011 and attracted just seven riders. Today, 15 cyclists turned up. So we are clearly moving in the right direction. In fact, 15 was a particularly satisfactory number considering today's conditions: a bright, sunny morning, but a bitterly cold one. The temperature was 3°C, but the freezing wind made it feel several degrees colder.

Our first stop was the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, where we took in the excellent views towards the Pentland Hills. We then zoomed down the Mound, then did a two-way stretch along Princes Street: first heading west as far as Castle Street, then doubling back to South St David Street. On passing the deserted Christmas Market, one rider asked if Edinburgh was the only city where the Christmas market closes for Christmas.

The next leg took us westward again, this time along George Street, passing the seasonal ice rink (also closed) and into Charlotte Square. Part of the rationale of these festive rides is that there is much less traffic in the city centre on Christmas day, allowing us to cycle in places where we wouldn't normally venture. At least, that's the theory. But today there seemed to be far more cars on the road than expected. It wasn't clear why.

After cutting through to Queensferry Street, we headed down Belford Road into Dean Village. This was busy with tourists, all looking in vain for something to do or somewhere to go to get out of the cold. I couldn't help feeling sorry for them. Our route then took us along the delightful path that runs by the Water of Leith to Stockbridge. This was also quite busy, but perhaps less so than on a normal Saturday.

We continued along Deanhaugh Street and into St Bernard's Row before cutting through to Inverleith Park. We stopped for a quick refreshment break on the hill above the pond, from where there was a clear view over the city towards the Castle. It would have been nice to linger for a bit at this pleasant spot, but the thermometer was against us. So onward we pedalled, along Inverleith Row and into Warriston Gardens, from where we gained access to Quiet Route 13, aka the Goldenacre Path.

Leaving the path a short distance later, we continued through St Mark's Park and along McDonald Road. From here, our route was to take us across Leith Walk and into Brunswick Place, but the current tram works made the crossing of Leith Walk rather challenging, so instead we dismounted and walked the short distance along the pavement to Brunswick Street. This gave us easy access to Hillside Crescent and London Road.

The last leg took us along the cobbles of Royal Terrace and Regent Terrace. The original plan had been to finish the outing with an ascent of Calton Hill. But by now the temperature was taking its toll. Several members of the group had already peeled off, no doubt in search of somewhere to thaw out. Those that remained were questioning the wisdom of climbing to the 100-metre summit where 15 mph winds were likely to waiting for us. So, without any dissenting voices, the ride was officially declared over. Two of us made it back to the Meadows, with the others going their separate ways.

Leader: Mike

Report and photos: Mike