http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: The Clubbiedean Big Puddle en Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:48:13 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384917 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:14:54 +0000 steveo 384917@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@greenroofer thanks for that. Glad someone told Scottish water they couldn't just shut that bridge! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384916 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:13:29 +0000 steveo 384916@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The deck on the Green one at torduff is concerning with narrow tyres but I'm not going to bring that up lest they condemn it too.</p> <p>Gravel road is fine, better than what was there. The gate closest to the farm was still shut but the pedestrian gate was still available. Be interesting to see how it holds up, the section between that gate an the metalled road got a bit sketchy at times. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384914 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 22:32:43 +0000 gembo 384914@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Now is a good time to go up to check as the new road is good and the gates are open and the workmen are away for the trades. One of them told me the road they were building was to repair the Reservoir. The bridge being repaired is a wee one just at the reservoir. I have asked Scottish water about the bigger bridge round at Torduff. They haven’t answered yet. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384913 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 22:19:17 +0000 Greenroofer 384913@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>So I hear from a reliable source that...<br /> 1) Scottish Water were thinking about fixing the sluice for Clubbiedean reservoir sometime before 2030<br /> 2) As part of this, they had a structural inspection of the bridge, which found that it was unsafe for motor vehicles, so they closed it. They didn't plan to do anything about it until 2030, once they'd decided about the sluice.<br /> 3) They were quickly told by that they couldn't just do that because there are legal rights of access (for example to the Cafe and as a Core Path).<br /> 4) So they commissioned a further inspection, which confirmed that the bridge was safe for pedestrian and cycle traffic, hence it reopened.<br /> 5) I believe that a temporary vehicle bridge will be installed in the next few weeks.</p> <p>I now think the new gravel (and the death of The Big Puddle) is unconnected. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384911 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 21:54:32 +0000 gembo 384911@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@steveo. There is a little bridge which is maybe over the stream coming out of Xlubbiedeans Reservoir. It is being fixed and yes bikes and peds can get past but there is a car stuck at the top (though it could probably drive on the new gravel round to top of Currie. And yes looks like the cafe people are parked a bit further down and have then had to walk in. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384910 Mon, 29 Jun 2026 21:39:39 +0000 steveo 384910@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not sure, what's going on at Clubidean, looks like the road is closed at the bottom of the reservoir. Still passible by foot/bike but residents parked where the trees were cut back. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384790 Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:49:30 +0000 MediumDave 384790@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good work. </p> <p>We sometimes see the Kinleith farmer about and if we do will ask him too as presumably Scottish Water had to tell him what they were up to before rebuilding the road. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384784 Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:47:55 +0000 gembo 384784@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Emailed Scottish water </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384783 Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:57:59 +0000 gembo 384783@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ok spoke with four cheerful road workers. They are creating the access road to Clubbiedeans Reservoir where works will last four years. The cheeriest who was supervising the digger claimed that Scottish Water have condemned the Torduff Bridge (the green railing one west end of reservoir). I said surely just to motor cars he said maybe. Time I think to approach Scottish Water. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384773 Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:16:24 +0000 gembo 384773@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>At the Currie end behind the farm cottages I did spot some blue cones indicating overhead power lines. I will maybe ask the cafe owner </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384766 Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:11:41 +0000 MediumDave 384766@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Someone has chopped a load off the cherry trees at the bottom of the Clubbiedean dam where the road makes a right turn to go up to the cafe. So something is happening. Pity, as I was looking forward to eating some of the more accessible cherries that were forming. </p> <p>The bridge I think we're discussing is the one with green railings and a wooden deck near the waterfall at the southern end of Torduff. That's on a core path (CEC-20) so can't really see how they'd justify closing it to bike+ped. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384762 Thu, 18 Jun 2026 08:05:04 +0000 bakky 384762@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Is this the ‘Torduff Road Bridge’ at the southern tip of the reservoir? Surely it would only be closed to cars rather than completely? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384759 Thu, 18 Jun 2026 07:07:49 +0000 gembo 384759@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That would be a shame given the bridge is integral to my route as published by Spokes. The path before the bridge is not really suitable for bikes. The path at clubbiedeans is a maybe. The cafe’s business might suffer. There never seems to be much activity to the west with most people coming up from the carparks at Bonaly. The cafe ownwer’s is the onl6 actual house. The anglers also have a key to the gate at the east end of Torduff. Will probably do a recce tomorrow. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384756 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 22:48:12 +0000 Greenroofer 384756@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I heard a brief rumour that this work is in preparation to closing the bridge at the end of Torduff Reservoir (i.e. it's an alternative vehicle route for the residents of the Clubbiedean Cafe and the anglers) but can't find any evidence that that rumour is any more than a rumour. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=4#post-384751 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 18:23:34 +0000 gembo 384751@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Lot of workies up there paying attention to the surface for sure but in a winter or two the CBP will return (unless drains have been dug) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-384739 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:41:39 +0000 MediumDave 384739@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Big puddle no more!</p> <p>RIP. </p> <p>Entombed under a thick layer of blaes compacted by steamroller</p> <p>:( </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-384063 Mon, 04 May 2026 21:28:17 +0000 gembo 384063@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Traversible on stepping stone and fence side. More puddly through the middle. Tonight. 1745pm </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-383978 Sun, 26 Apr 2026 16:52:39 +0000 gembo 383978@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The puddle is a dried up husk. Two tiny splodges of mud like where the elephants would congregated if it was a watering hole on the Zambezi. Straight through the middle this afternoon. Some shocking potholes though. Something should be done about them instead of spending money on bike infra that nobody uses. Oh wait this is a tremendous bike route. Even the angler ceded to me on the descent. Gembo Rules. As SAHB nearly saiid. I hope Markus Stitz has put it in his gravel routes book but with an added climb of Everest to make it hard enough. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-383478 Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:34:28 +0000 MediumDave 383478@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was there yesterday. </p> <p>Someone has dug a small lett on the fence side of the Big Puddle. Some of the water has indeed drained away, allowing the stepping stones to be revealed. </p> <p>Sacrilege! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-383472 Sun, 15 Mar 2026 20:05:58 +0000 LaidBack 383472@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66067108@N08/55148391017/in/datetaken/" title="Spokes &#x27;Clubbiedean Big Puddle&#x27; page from Favourite Rides Booklet"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55148391017_aa59fe62ea.jpg" alt="Spokes &#x27;Clubbiedean Big Puddle&#x27; page from Favourite Rides Booklet" /></a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-383463 Sat, 14 Mar 2026 20:47:17 +0000 gembo 383463@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ok, so it has been considerably downplayed [or if you like watered down from my original copy boom boom] but Spokes have deigned to mention the Notorious Puddle in their new booklet of Edinburgh and Livingston and haddington rides. Route 7 is where the puddle features. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-382605 Sat, 03 Jan 2026 11:49:58 +0000 gembo 382605@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>No vandalism. Just the way the puddle has frozen with most of the ice to the south so a path has developed on the North side of the stepping stones and gives the stepping stones a clearer definition </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-382604 Sat, 03 Jan 2026 09:34:30 +0000 gembo 382604@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Reports coming in of vandalism at The Big Puddle, More later </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-382033 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 21:16:18 +0000 mcairney 382033@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Handy knowledge for future reference </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-382032 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 20:54:30 +0000 gembo 382032@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@mcairney, you were therefore lucky to get a coffee before it closed </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-382031 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 20:26:16 +0000 mcairney 382031@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Alas I was considerably later in the day arriving just after 2pm </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-382030 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 18:30:14 +0000 gembo 382030@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@mcairney, I was there a tad after 10am the queue was such that looked like coffee would arrive a tad before 11 am. I do scan for bikes and faces but your many bikes and single coupon did not register. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-382029 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 18:25:17 +0000 mcairney 382029@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I finally made the pilgrimage trying to follow Strava/Wahoo's approximation of @urcaidh's route. Queue was massive but I endured. Scone was as good as described although I couldn't finish it! Coffee was also pretty good too! Surprised I didn't see you @gembo.<br /> My foot did indeed get wet despite using the stepping stones. Doggers and walkers out in force in the Pentlands and Blackford but no drama to report. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-382027 Sun, 16 Nov 2025 14:48:53 +0000 gembo 382027@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Back to full glory. Stepping stones merely way markers.<br /> Big queue at Cafe.<br /> Of note - AI just got the puddle’s location wrong. Saying it was after Clubbiedeans Reservoir but before the cafe.<br /> Further a request has been made to Spokes for a gpx of the route. Spokes have their ever popular maps. But none of this moderne gpx rubbish.</p> <p>Oh yeah and I HAVE AN ORDER for one of @Urchaidh’s t-shirts - size large but in Ladies. @urchaidh Canopy a week Friday?? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21673&page=3#post-381257 Sat, 20 Sep 2025 19:24:19 +0000 gembo 381257@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@redmist my entire pitch for the Spokes Competition First Prize. Requires the puddle to be extant. There Iis a marked difffernece between the land that has tenant farmers on Primrose Roseberry land and when you get to Zara Philips properties which are maintained to a much swisher standard. </p>