She thinks it's pretty horrible and warned me about it. Afraid I chose to go that way as I wasn't sure I'd make it up the hill out of Colinton, which is how we normally go.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
The "I had a lovely ride today, thankyou" thread
(2695 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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@srd not 100% sure which bit of route 75/Lanark Road you did, but have you tried the Balerno to Union Canal wol section of 75? Brilliant. I only discovered it yesterday (in other direction). Puncture Fairy visited me though at Balerno so had to make a roadside repair, because my spare tube was the wrong size! How did that happen? So, returned full length of Lanark Road to be near bus route just in case. Awful road. Managed to nurse bike back to Newhaven. Two new (right size) tubes for me today.
Posted 9 years ago # -
we took the B7301 rather than Long Dalmahoy. have done some other bits of it other times.
we were rushing terribly so as to get to our 5pm show.
Posted 9 years ago # -
This route which starts and ends for me in balerno can be accessed via WoL Path or canal towpath from Edinburgh. I would submit it to spokes competition but the format does not work on an iPad. So for example - take WoL path to its end point in balerno then ...
Leave balerno on the A70, take right down ravelrig hill. Note this is a very steep hill. Whizz down with care to the long dalmahoy road. Take a left turn along towards kirknewton, keep going straight on past the quarry and round to the kirknewton turn, ignore this, go on down the hill a little and go under the railway line at the bridge, take the left, comes up quickly and this even quieter road descends nicely through humbie to the A71. Number of blind corners so be careful. This takes you to a very short stretch of the a71. Turn left towards East Calder. On Saturday morning at 9.30 I saw one car. Fifty metres on take the right turn (there is a lane for this) on the road to east Calder, fifty metres on this road and the entrance on the right to Jupiter art land, cycle through the earth mounds and right up to the cafe. The bike stands are just at the estate office but nearer the shop/cafe than the car park. Have a flat white or other beverage, cake too if you have come some distance. Leave via the road that cars can't take through Bonnington cottages, sometimesgate closed but will open for you. Take road to the junction. Turn left then quick right towards ratho. Road straight descent to ratho. from here you can take the canal towpath back to Edinburgh. Or if me the dalmahoy road on the right for half mile then left along towards ratho park golf course. Tricky wee junction here on right that takes you back to a71. Lasts five hundred metre stretch (there is a pavement). Take right at junction towards currie hill station( another option for those not wanting to cycle too far is to take train to currie hill or indeed kirknewton) return to ravelrig hill via warriston farm road on the right them long dalmahoy road on the right. I saw two cars on the way to the art land and a few more on the a71 on the way back. This was a fab little circle for me. Almond ell country park is also just along from the artland If the art land is not your cup of tea (prices are dear but you can go to cafe without paying and indeed cycle through the earth mounds and see the amethyst cave, and ballroom before the ticket office. Fifty quid for year family ticket though summer is really only time it is properly open)
Posted 9 years ago # -
My commute home today will mark me breaking last year's distance record. I'm no Tommy Godwin.
It had better be a lovely ride.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Yesterday I had a fantastic ride through the countryside east of Den Bosch.
My employer is sponsoring a team of riders who are to ride from Swindon to Den Bosch, next September (2016). As such employees are allowed to join in and a 'training' ride was organised. The riders are from the Dutch Police. We were around 80 strong including half a dozen of my colleagues and I. As the bulk of the riders were dutch police, they brought their colleagues in the form of 8 motorcycle police riders, so we could ride as a peleton on the roads. The ride was brilliant as a result. The motorcycles would ride off in front and close the junctions so we could sail through without stopping. They would they come past on our outside to close junctions ahead and stop and vehicles which looked like coming out of junctions. As such we were able to keep an average overall of 30kph. Lunch was provided at 55km and we then continued back in a large circle to the Den Bosch office along smaller roads withe motorcycles stopping all on coming traffic so we could ride through. It was one of the best rides to date with lovely weather and smoothdutch roads to pedal along. Now I know what the pro riders feel like! :0)
Pictures to follow.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Nothing so exotic for us but the 8yo and I cycled down to Cramond to do the 'park run' 5k. on the way back she had to wait for me on the hill (!) and then we just powered on down the Roseburn path, cycling side by side, and chatting. perfect way to start a Saturday.
I can remember when she found that ride a challenge!
Posted 9 years ago # -
I was on foot, but Minipaddy (aged 6) had a really good go at climbing a steep hill out of Limekilns (good use of gears) and Micropaddy (aged 3) finally got it with her balance bike. A big step forward for both.
Only downside was that I was bitten by a dog, which was off its leash - was not impressed at all at the lack of control from the owner, whose apology rang pretty hollow.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I had a lovely ride up the Innocent today.
It looked like the verges had recently been mechanically trimmed back about a foot. Very impressed with path at full width. Thanks, verge trimmers!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Posted 9 years ago #
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Another nice family ride here. I took the kids out to Prestonpans to cheer on MrSRd in his first sportive. Used the new infra to get to the innocent (more about that elsewhere), and then a lovely ride along the coast (tried the bumpy shared use path, but had to go back to road because of idiots parked on it). Then back, with a stop at the beach, and burritos at Illegal jacks. 38km. Not bad for the 4yo (tandem) - perhaps a bit tame for the 8yo....
Posted 9 years ago # -
@SRD we're feeling a bit of the same problem here: anything that micro-Greenroofer is capable of is now so far below the capabilities of mini-Greenroofer that she's not really interested. Rides to Spylaw Park don't have the same level of challenge that they used to. I think perhaps it's time we got a tandem too...
Posted 9 years ago # -
2 cracking rides at the weekend- yesterday a 6am start and a circuit of the Lomond hills (mist over Loch Leven at sunrise was beautiful ) + a brief excursion over the bridge.
But, even better was the family cycle on Saturday - minpaddy (a 6yo who has been inspired by tales of MiniGreenroofer) did 18km on her own on a tough section of the Fife Coastal Path to Burntisland (don't tell Mrs Paddy that, according to Strava, she hit 40km/h on one descent) and micropaddy behaved well on the back of my bike. Stops at playgrounds and cake/ice cream were the reward.
Great to hear of all the kids doing so well above...
Posted 9 years ago # -
"Great to hear of all the kids doing so well above..."
Sad thing is that only because of 'us', and "PLU", that do this sort of thing. And WE/us are very much a minority.
It's partly why I have done lots of stuff in schools over the years. Get the kids enthused and some parents will give in to 'pester power' to take them cycling.
They/family might even like it!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Agreed, but minipaddy will be telling her friends about it in school today and have already discussed one of the Dads a family circuit of Loch Leven.
If that family enjoys it and they tell someone else...
I bet miniGreenroofer and mini SRD have inspired some of their friends at least to badger their parents for more opportunities.
It is a start...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Seems to me the issue is twofold.
1. parents don't think their kids can/will ride further than spylaw park - the good examples of minipaddy et al will help that, but it does take some attitude/behaviour shifting on the part of the parents. (e.g. it helps if they don't express their doubt in front of the kids).
2. parents unwilling to let their kids cycle anywhere near a road. any number of people on here have expressed their unwillingness to let their kids ride on the road (even on tagalongs etc), and/or their spouses' unwillingness. sure there's much we can do about that. there are some off-road routes that can be driven to, but that makes cycling 'an event' rather than just rolling out of the driveway.
I suppose a third point might be that many kids bikes are not suited to riding reasonable distances or up hills, but the spread of islabikes and frogs seems to be putting a dent in that.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I got eleven and a quarter miles out of the wingpiglet on Sunday by going to the Botanics then detouring first to George V park then the Trinity tunnel on the way back. Whilst the bulk of the route is on the off-road paths there are a few places where he's happy enough to go on the road, which is handy when there's either no dropped kerb at a logical crossing-point (Eildon St, Warriston Cres, Arboretum Ave) or loads of street furniture or loads of parked cars blocking our views of each other.
"many kids bikes are not suited to riding reasonable distances or up hills, but the spread of islabikes and frogs seems to be putting a dent in that"
The wingpiglet (a medium-sized 5½) has complained a couple of times about tingly fingers on longish rides on his IslaCnoc 14 - glubs have been administered and his position altered but there's a limit to its handlebars' adjustability. Stem raisers only seem to exist in 1 1/8" so I've fished out my old stem raiser and ordered a 1"-1 1/8" shim.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@wingpig my medium-sized 4 3/4 year old is now riding his big sister's Beinn 20 small. might be worth considering an upgrade ?
although tingly fingers needs another thread...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Minpaddy's cycling took off when she got a Frog 20" for an early 6th birthday present a year ago. Before she was on a 14" Halford's bike which weighed more.
We are lucky to be right on the Fife Coast Path with a number of other cyclable paths around Dalgety Bay between home and school.
At the minute Minipaddy is still working on controlling her bike and staying on the left of cycle paths and looking out for pedestrians and especially dogs. I think it will be at least a year before I take her on roads, although her rate of learning is very fast, and she may surprise me. I just don't want to bombard her with instructions, more let her absorb the most important things slowly and enjoy riding her bike.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"parents don't think their kids can/will ride further than spylaw park"
And they probably can't if it's a 'once a year ride'.
Perhaps more to the point parents don't think they can - unless they cycle often.
Then there are all those who don't cycle - even though 'they want to' because 'the roads are too dangerous'.
So 'better infrastructure' really is vital.
Posted 9 years ago # -
(And a big move away from the 'car culture'...)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Well, yesterday.
Weather was pretty much perfect. Warm, sunny, no wind.
Breakfast on Porty Prom, followed by a Ride to Tweedbank via Musselburgh, Gifford, Longformacus and Kelso.
From Redstone Rigg to Kelso, the route was completely new to me. Some of the scenery was just stunning.
Still a lot of climbing after RR, but mostly very long dragged out stuff rather than RR steepness. Some really exhilarating descents if you like that! By and large, road surfaces were excellent.
The real treat of the day was Rutherford's Micro Pub in Kelso. Lovely, friendly wee place. Really impressive range of cask brews and bottled foreign beers. I accompanied mine with a wee platter of chilli venison chorizo, artisan cheese and home made pickle. The platter definitely made the effort of the day worthwhile. Highly recommend a wee visit if you are in or around Kelso!
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Bikeablilty sounds fabulous!
a) What route did you take from Redstone Rigg to Kelso and b) How did you get back from Kelso?Posted 9 years ago # -
Well, I think I can safely say that I have had a lovely ride every single day this week. Thank you Early Autumn. You are always my favourite time of year.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Reckon Bikeability is still in Kelso. Enjoying the micro pub...
Posted 9 years ago # -
From RR, I went due south (not the Whitadder Road)
That ran straight into Longformacus, then on past Duns Golf Club through Gavinton and on an A road to Greenlaw.
From Greenlaw, hit a B road through Hume and onto Kelso.
From Kelso, I headed to St Boswalls, then Melrose. From Tweedbank, I let the train take the strain!
A grand day out.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Mini-Greenroofer, Micro-Greenroofer and I went along the towpath to Krispy Kreme. It was very pleasant (the ride, I mean: Krispy Kreme was exactly as expected in every respect). Anyhow the children enjoyed it. It was surprisingly accessible by bike because we looped round to it from Gogar Station Road and under the bypass, and because it had three Sheffield stands near the front door.
We're not going again.
It was nice out on the bikes though. Micro-Greenroofer started shouting "ding dong" loudly under each bridge, which prompted wry smiles from passers by. Mini-Greenroofer hasn't lost her PfS skills and was motoring along, with me struggling to keep up towing the tagalong. On Craighouse Hill I had to verbally restrain her from overtaking the adult cyclist in front (mainly because I couldn't have kept up with her).
Posted 9 years ago # -
As alternative to RRTY (which I hadn't heard of until recently), I've been doing an imperial century ride each calendar month. Seeing the forecast for today, I decided to seize the day and get it done early in the month.
A lunch appointment meant I had to have a pre dawn start but that just meant I could see (another) colourful sky as I approached the granites.
Leaving the house the temperature was okay but thankfully I was well wrapped up as it was around freezing in Innerleithen. I headed South and over Talla (the easy side), seeing the front groups of the Snowball Sportive heading towards it.
2nd breakfast was in Broughton before the Lang Wang home.
106miles and home for lunch. A great ride with fantastic scenery and only a few cars and quite a few of those formation flying birds.
Only 2 months to go...
Fitting in 100miles is bad enough, so hats off those that attempt RRTY.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Our fietsclub did one of my favourite routes again today. An inauspicious start sees us heading out of Balerno (but on the LA-di-da glen burn Tarmac) towards the west Calder turn on the Lang whang and from there to fauldhouse. Titter not missus. The fala hill road from fauldhouse to harthill is lovely as is the heights road from blackridge to Westfield. From there the road is fast to torphicen where the cupcakes cafe is an excellent refuelling stop. Bit of climbing after that on fairly quiet road to dechmont. There is a grand design development just past torphicen that looks like a sewage works. From dechmont head to uphall station and then after pumpherston a lovely half mile of brand new Tarmac. We then took a bit of a loop as I think the crossing at kirknewton was closed today. So beyond Jupiter art land we swung down to Ratho then on back road to a71 turn up to Currie and back to Balerno. 54 ish miles. Lovely.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@greenroofer and here I was pleased that I've managed to take he kids to decathlon several times w/out them realising there's a Krispy Kreme there....
Posted 9 years ago #
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