Cycling: Haymarket vs Waverley « CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum

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Cycling: Haymarket vs Waverley

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Started 10 years ago by UtrechtCyclist
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UtrechtCyclist
Member

Dear all,

my girlfriend and I are moving to Edinburgh this summer from the Dutch city of Utrecht (which is a truly wonderful place to be a cyclist!). Firstly a big thanks to all the cycling campaigners in Edinburgh for your hard work, it's really great to see that things are improving, albeit slowly, for cyclists and pedestrians in the city.

I'm just looking for some advice on where to live if I want to commute by bike. I shall be commuting to St Andrews by train every day while my girlfriend will be doing a PhD at the university (main site just by the meadows). We're looking to live somewhere where she can walk or have a mainly segregated cycle route to the university, while I can have a quick ride either to Waverley or Haymarket which ideally wouldn't be too stressful.

Sensible places seem to be either the east end of the meadows, where I could cycle up Nicholson St. to Waverley, or the west end of the meadows where I could cycle to Haymarket. Does anyone have any feedback on these routes? Or other suggestions for sensible places to live? It seems like the area around Haymarket is a bit of a mess for cycling, but maybe this is just because streetview is out of date?

Posted 10 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

Quite a lot of 'us' live/have lived in the South West - Shandon / around Harrison Park. Good access to haymarket. I have lived off nicholson/clerk/mayfield and definitely prefer the South West. also cheaper rents!

haymarket's a mess if you're trying to go past it, but should be fine for what you describe. I don't do that daily, but occasionally, and no problems.

(i'm presuming that trains for st andrews stop at haymarket?)

Posted 10 years ago #
bruce_mcadam
Member

I travel to work from Waverley, and cycle home from Haymarket.

Although I live further south, I pass through the Marchmont area (South of the Meadows, popular with students, maybe expensive) in both directions. It's easy and quiet to get to the Meadows and University from there. From the Meadows you can get to Waverley along George IV Bridge, or along Nicholson Street; and to Haymarket via Gilmore Place, crossing the canal and on paths to Morrison Crescent and Dalry Place.

Any of the streets around Nicholson Street and Clerk Street (Newington area, cheaper than Marchmont) are also ideal for the university and access to Waverley.

Posted 10 years ago #
I were right about that saddle
Member

Welcome to Scotland!

The arc of the city from the Commonwealth Pool to Tolcross is very much 'studentland', so you should be fine living anywhere there.

Neither Waverley nor Haymarket are accessible by segregated bicycle lanes from the South side of the city. If you wish to cycle, you'll have to mix it with motor vehicles, other than the crossing of the Meadows. The climb out of Waverley to the Southside is a steep one. Reaching Haymarket means crossing the West End, which isn't necessarily fatal, but no one enjoys it particularly.

Keep your speed down, your eyes up and ride on the left and you'll be fine. In Scotland, the bicycle is not king. I'll be interested to learn what you make of our cycling 'facilities'.

Posted 10 years ago #
Instography
Member

Welcome. If you're taking the train to St Andrews I'd recommend going to Waverley. The station itself is easier to access with a bike and, assuming you would take the bike on the train, has a better chance of getting a bike space on the train.

I travel home to Fife in the evening on the trains that go to St Andrews and would always go to Waverley even though Haymarket is closer to my office.

Posted 10 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

haymarket used to be a pain with bikes - but new lifts make a difference.

insto makes good points re bike spaces though - but would travelling out in AM and return in PM be as problematic?

Posted 10 years ago #
cb
Member

This route takes you from pretty close to Haymarket to the canal, pretty much traffic free:

http://edinburgh.cyclestreets.net/journey/40908772/

Although it does go via some infrastructure that would make a Utrecht resident weep.

In the next year or so Edinburgh Council will link the canal to the Meadows with a new cycle route so that would give a reasonably long 'cycle route corridor' to try and live along.

I prefer Haymarket to Waverley for bike access as trains at Waverley can often dump you a long walk from somewhere where you can actually get on your bike and start cycling.

I assume you're aware that the railway doesn't actually go all the way to St Andrews although there is a campaign about that too.

Posted 10 years ago #
UtrechtCyclist
Member

Thanks for all your help guys, I'll check out the places you suggest. I was expecting to hear lots of negative things about Nicholson St / Clerk St but maybe it's not as bad as it looks on google maps. Great news that the meadows will be linked to Haymarket via a cycle corridor, looking at the maps you'd expect it to be easier to make good infrastructure there than on the big roads into Waverley.

I lived in Coventry for seven years so I'm prepared for what UK cycling infrastructure looks like, I just need to spend some time readjusting...

I have a beautiful but very heavy Dutch city bike, so my plan was to leave that overnight in the cycle boxes at Leuchars station and cycle the five miles from Leuchars to St Andrews on that, this is all flat and completely segregated. Incidentally, the cycle boxed at Leuchars really look quite impressive! Then I'd have another cheapish bike for using around Edinburgh which I would leave at the train station every day when I go to work. Is bike parking okay at Haymarket/Waverley?

Posted 10 years ago #
cc
Member

Personally I would not cycle on any main roads in Edinburgh more than I really had to, but I know other people do. I'd avoid Nicolson Street / Clerk Street. Very busy traffic, lots of buses, and lots of parking in the bus lane. It's chaotic. Fun if you're young and aggressive but if you want a quiet life avoid that and go for quiet routes instead.

The route to Haymarket suggested by cb would be my choice. I extend that route south/east to the Meadows area by crossing the canal, going up Leamington Road (marked 'John Muir Way" on the map) and down Leamington Walk to Middle Meadow Walk. The latter two are both wide off-road paths which are segregated so one half is for cycling and the other half for walking. With that route you can get from the Meadows right to Haymarket without too much hassle. It's more hilly than going via Gilmore Place but I think less dangerous. My heavy Dutch bike copes with it fine - though it does have good gears.

I don't know of a similar hassle-free route which takes you close to Waverley.

Posted 10 years ago #
cb
Member

"Is bike parking okay at Haymarket/Waverley?"

Quite a lot at Waverley although it is a bit of a walk (no, you can't cycle) from the platforms.

Haymarket has reasonable cycle parking outside (so on your way past), but currently only space for 20ish bikes so you need to get there fairly early. However I believe there are plans to expand this to 80 odd spaces?

Posted 10 years ago #
I were right about that saddle
Member

I'd say both Nicholson and Clerk Streets are quite cyclable, especially if you're used to the UK's unique approach to vulnerable road users.

Your best bet for a cheap Edinburgh bike is here;

http://www.thebikestation.org.uk/edinburgh/

What's your field of expertise? I presume you're an academic?

Posted 10 years ago #
fimm
Member

@UtrechtCyclist, two bikes, how very Dutch... ;-)

I'd reccommend Haymarket over Waverley (though I may be biased as Haymarket is my usual station, and I only use Waverley occassionally). Haymarket is much smaller (even with the new building, which just makes it a sensible size, rather than inconveniently small). There's a reasonable amount of bike parking there (and I'm sure I read on here somewhere that they're planning on increasing it).

I come down the Dalry Road, get off onto the pavement on the left and walk round, to then hop on the bike for 20 meters down to the station entrance. On the way home I walk round to Dalry Road, walk across it and then start cycling.

From where I am (near Tynecastle) you can get to the canal not too badly - but if you lived the other side of Slateford Road it would be easier to get onto the canal (but cost more, I think...)

Edited to add: it actually takes quite a long time for the train to get from Haymarket to Waverley! For example this evening when I'm going to the Grassmarket I shall get off the train at Haymarket rather than wait for it to trundle through to Waverley and the faff about getting out of the place.

Posted 10 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

" both Nicholson and Clerk Streets are quite cyclable, especially if you're used to the UK's unique approach to vulnerable road users."

maybe, but not something I would chose to do daily.

Posted 10 years ago #
gembo
Member

There are cycle boxes at Edinburgh park but seems quite hard to get one. So if the leu chars box thing proves tricky then waverely far better for taking bike on train. If box thin fine then Haymarket is probably now a nicer station. Bike parking can get crowded.

As total wild card, Waverley has an east entrance at calton road, you could live parson green way, your better half could walk through Holyrood park to university, you could drink in the artisan and follow Hibs, hearts and rangers in the first division . Just an option

Bike parking is inside waverely near the east entrance. Bike parking is outside Haymarket on the street so you should keep a poly bag about your person for covering the saddle to protect from the rain.

Welcome to scotia

Posted 10 years ago #
wangi
Member

Surprised nobody's said it... but... why not split half way?

Places in Fife (Kinghorn?) will be be pretty much half way. Of course you're no in the city, but of course your not in the city. Much cheaper.

(don't even have to turn your watches back 10 years any more)

Posted 10 years ago #
gembo
Member

@wangi, quite a long walk for the better half to get to Edinburgh uni? The question does have a Southside bias with one partner cycling to station and other party walking to uni but the answers have pushed the envelope.

Posted 10 years ago #
UtrechtCyclist
Member

Thanks everyone!

@wangi, we had a serious thought about splitting the commute but decided that two half-hour train journeys were probably more painful than one hour long journey, particularly as I can work on the train.

"What's your field of expertise? I presume you're an academic?"

How did you know @Iwrats? Was it the fact that I'm on cycling forums in the middle of the day when I'm meant to be working! I'm a mathematician just starting a three year position at St Andrews.

"Fun if you're young and aggressive but if you want a quiet life avoid that and go for quiet routes instead."

I'm with you on this @cc, I had my youthful aggression knocked out of me on the A45 in Coventry, very much of the Dutch 'no need to go above ten miles an hour unless it's raining' school of thought these days.

I think the plan will be to live near the meadows, perhaps on the west side towards Bruntsfield, and take the back route to Haymarket, particularly if the boxes at Leuchars are as good as they seem. Thanks for all the help!

Posted 10 years ago #
crowriver
Member

I commute several times a week (not daily) to Dundee by train - same service that goes to Leuchars (for St Andrews).

I live east of the centre, in Abbeyhill. I used to cycle to Waverley but now I just walk to the eastern entrance of Waverley - much less aggravation than cycling on busy roads during peak time.

Abbeyhill or Holyrood are areas you may want to consider. Rents far cheaper than the Southside, Holyrood Park next door, just about everywhere central is walkable. Your girlfriend could walk to the Old College in about 15-20 minutes, you'd be at the station in less. Edinburgh city centre is really very good for walking, less so for cycling I'm afraid.

There is a partially segregated cycle route through Holyrood Park but it requires gears and a reasonable level of fitness going up the hill...

Posted 10 years ago #
Edinburgh Cycle Training
Member

I regularly commute east-west via the city centre. 2 days a week by bike, 3 by car on average.

If the weathers good and I'm not in a hurry, the largely off road route is beautiful.

If I'm on the road, almost every commute can be frustrating because of silly or inconsiderate driving, but rarely do I consider myself in danger or that I was lucky to get home in one piece. That does happen - but rarely!

I hope you enjoy cycling in and around Edinburgh. We have a gem of a city here - with bags of potential to improve cycling facilities ;-)

Posted 10 years ago #

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