Announcing our next cycling weekend

Photo: Walter Baxter

This year's 20-Milers cycling weekend is now fixed for 21 -22 May. Our destination will be Dunbar.

There will be 35 - 40 miles of cycling each day. We'll leave Edinburgh on the Saturday morning, taking an inland route via Pencaitland, Gifford and Garvald. On the Sunday, we'll return by way of North Berwick and the coast. You can expect a few hills on both days, but none of them as severe as those on our Peebles weekend last year. The pace will be similar to our normal monthly rides.

There are several hotels, B&Bs and guest houses in Dunbar, with a range of prices. You will be responsible for booking your own accommodation, but we will all meet up for a meal on the Saturday evening.

If you are interested in joining this ride, please let Glenn know. This doesn't commit you to anything. It's just to give us an idea of numbers, and also so that we can keep you informed of any changes in plan.

Please reply direct to Glenn Brearley, glenn.brearleyATTforestry.gsi.gov.uk (replace ATT with the usual AT-sign).

A canal, a river bank, a university and a shopping centre

Unlike our two previous rides, today's run proceeded according to plan. It was an overcast morning with a fresh breeze, but it was free of the hazardous ice that stymied our January and February outings.

Twenty-four of us – including several newcomers (welcome) - set off under the leadership of Michael Law. We ambled down Middle Meadow Walk, across Bruntsfield Links, and onto the canal at the Leamington bridge. Continuing the gentle pace, we left the canal at Harrison Park, then headed to Russell Road and Roseburn Park. Then came a couple of miles along the river bank towards Slateford. Somewhere on that stretch one of the riders had a puncture; a few of the group stayed to help him fix it, with the whole party re-assembling a short while later at the Water of Leith Visitor Centre.

After leaving the river in Currie, we crossed the Lanark Road, and took a series of back roads to the west gate of Heriot-Watt University, which was our planned lunch stop.

The cafeteria at the university is an ideal venue for a 20-Milers lunch. The staff are used to dealing with large numbers of hungry students and conference delegates, and were not at all put out by the sudden arrival of two dozen cyclists. And given that this was a Saturday and therefore relatively quiet, there was plenty of room for us to spread out.

Lunch finished, we left the campus by Gogar Station Road, and weaved through to Edinburgh Park. With most of the office buildings empty for the weekend, this area was looking particularly bleak, but at least we had the roads and paths to ourselves. By contrast, the Gyle Centre was teaming with Saturday shoppers.

The final leg took us past South Gyle Station and the Carrick Knowe golf course, then onto the Corstorphine railway path and so back to Roseburn and the Meadows. At just a smidgen more than 20 miles, it was another very successful ride.

(A special word of thanks to Neil Miller, who volunteered to stay with one of the group who was afflicted by a debilitating migraine, then helped her find her way home.)

Leader: Michael
Report and photos: Mike
Map: Jim

March ride on Saturday

For this month's ride (this coming Saturday), Michael Law will be leading us on a tour of bike paths in the south west of the city, heading out to the Juniper Green / Currie area. Our lunch stop will be the Heriot-Watt campus in Riccarton. This has an extensive cafeteria where you can get hot snacks and sandwiches. There's also a nice picnic spot there, overlooking the loch.

The meeting place and time are the same as always: 10.30, at the north end of Middle Meadow Walk.

The dark afternoons are now receding, so you won't need to bring lights for this ride (unless the weather is bad and visibility poor). But do give your bike a check-over to make sure it's road-worthy. And please bring a spare inner tube if at all possible.

There's no need to book a place on our rides. Just turn up at the appointed time.

Quick, we need a Plan B!

For the second time in as many months, today's planned route to Musselburgh (with the promise of some hidden gems and little known parts of the Honest Toun) fell victim to treacherously icy conditions. The writer (who should have been today's leader) grew increasingly concerned with the under-wheel conditions as he made his way towards the start from Musselburgh. In the interests of safety, the decision was made to think up an alternative route at short notice. The depth of knowledge of Edinburgh cycle routes within the group paid dividends. After the briefest of head-scratching, a new route was hatched and the group was ready to roll with a stand-in leader. Ice and snow may have been a problem further out; but within the city centre it was merely cold and wet. Twenty riders braved the conditions to make the start. This made a single group managable. At least that was the theory. Breaking with tradition, we made our way onto the busy roads that would take us across the Royal Mile, down the Mound and across Princes Street. A combination of traffic lights and Saturday morning traffic soon had the group well and truly split up. After several stops to regroup, we headed through the Rodney Street Tunnel and onto the Warriston Path to Leith. A combination of bumpy cobbles with wet old railway lines sunk into them led to hairy moments for a couple of riders. We then skirted Ocean Terminal and meandered around quiet back streets by Western Harbour Breakwater. A short spell on busy roads around Newhaven followed. That wasn't pleasant, especially as it turned quite wet. It was nice to leave the busy roads behind and make our way through Granton on cycle paths. But there was no improvement in the weather. Via the Telford and Roseburn paths we made our way to our lunch stop at the Gallery of Modern Art. In the final few minutes of our approach the rain-cum-sleet had turned to light snow. The wetness of the roads and paths were the reason it didn't settle.

What a relief to get into the cafe at the Gallery of Modern Art. It was so busy that we were forced to spread ourselves over several seperate tables. Before long we had the place looking as if it had been invaded by a bedraggled group of rufugees - we did get some funny looks!

Working with such a flexible and ad hoc route; had the weather been more agreeable, we may have taken a meandering way back to the finish and added a few extra miles. As it was cold and still snowing as we departed our lunch stop; no one argued with the wise decision to head back via the shortest and quickest route. We carved our way through various back streets to the west end, through Festival Square and back to the Meadows.

At a mere 13 miles, this was one of the shortest 20 Milers rides for quite some time. Given the weather, no one was complaining. Thanks to Mike for stepping in at the last minute and coming up with a worthwhile route. That run to Musselburgh will happen at some point. It probably owes us a warm day of wall to wall sunshine!

Leader: Mike
Report: Glenn
Photos: Michael
Map trace: Jim

A chilly, damp ride - and a change of plan

Today started very cold, with the temperature around zero and with icy patches on the roads. We had planned to go to Musselburgh, but a communiqué from our agent in that town told us that the paths there were particularly treacherous. After a hasty re-think we opted for a shorter ride within Edinburgh.

Under Alan Orr's leadership, 19 of us set out, cautiously pedalling through Polwarth and Dalry, and then to Ardmillan Terrace and Russell Road. We zig-zagged up to the Roseburn Path, and then headed north west on the familiar NCN 1. By the time we reached Cramond Brig, the thermometer had soared to 3C, and most of the ice had disappeared. So we pressed on, reaching Craigies Farm about 20 minutes later. The café at Craigies has been enlarged since our previous visit, so we had no difficulty finding tables for an early lunch.

 As we were finishing our soup and sandwiches, the rain started, so we headed straight back to town, arriving at Craigleith just before 2 pm. At that point, our leader declared the ride over.

Thanks to Alan for coming up with this route at short notice. As it happens, it was similar to the route we were planning for February. So we'll probably revert to Musselburgh next time - weather permitting, of course.

Leader: Alan
Report: Mike
Map: Jim
Photos: Michael and Mike
 

January ride this coming Saturday

We'll be having our first ride of 2016 this coming Saturday (9th). Glenn will be leading us on a tour of some of the lesser-known parts of Musselburgh, with a pub lunch in Whitecraig. It looks like an interesting route, with only a few moderate hills. But be prepared for one or two muddy paths, as well as a short stretch on a busy main road. The total distance will be 21 miles.

Our meeting time and place is the same as ever: 10.30, at the north end of Middle Meadow Walk. The ride is planned to end at the Meadows well before dark, but you should bring lights anyway in case we get delayed.

Christmas morning in the city

Nine and a half miles in a little over two hours is not exactly a reckless pace, even by 20-Milers standards. But our Christmas morning rides are meant to be sociable rather than speedy, with several sight-seeing and refreshment stops along the way. Today's event was no exception. Eleven riders turned up (including one Santa impersonator), on an overcast morning, with the Middle Meadow Walk thermometer-cum-bike-counter showing 6C.

Our first stop was the Castle esplanade, where we enjoyed fine views to the north and south (a dusting of snow was visible on the Pentland summits). We then had a rapid descent of Ramsay Lane (very steep) to Market Street and Waverley Bridge. Next came a double traverse of Princes Street – westward as far as Castle Street, then back the other way to Waterloo Place. There were a few buses and taxis around, as well as a couple of council cleansing vehicles, but almost no other traffic.

In Regent Road, we paused to look at the Stones of Scotland Monument (a circle of 32 stones, one from each of Scotland's local authorities, commemorating the rebirth of the Scottish Parliament). Then came the hard work of the day: the ascent of Calton Hill. At the summit, we lingered to take in the panoramic view. This was our main refreshment stop, with mulled wine, home-made mince pies and chocolate truffles all in evidence.

We left the hill by way of the path-cum-steps that goes down to Greenside Church. We then weaved through the back doubles to St Marks Park and the Water of Leith, then headed west via King George Park, Canonmills, Stockbridge and Dean Village. After the recent rains, the Water of Leith was unusually fast, and the path was muddier than usual.

At Roseburn, several members of the party went their separate ways. The remnants of the company headed back to town via Haymarket Terrace, West Maitland Street and Rutland Square. By the time we reached the Usher Hall, only three riders remained, so we declared the ride officially over. Judging by the feedback along the way, it was another successful event.

Leader, report, photos and map trace: Mike