Near Fa'side castle. Went out coast road but turned to go up inland on bridle path. Then Birsley Road with lovely views. Met a couple of cyclists.
Fa'side Castle by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr
2016-03-20_05-28-55 by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
The "I had a lovely ride today, thankyou" thread
(2695 posts)-
Posted 8 years ago #
-
Near Cockenzie non-power station. Went out coast road then had to buy a bottle of water since I'd left mine at home. I turned back using the even-more-coastal path, around the back of the power station site, that I was pleased to find hadn't been shut.
I'm not sure it necessarily counts as a lovely ride, as a muscle in my left thigh hurt all the way home, and I was sort of in a rush. But it was great to ride in shorts and just a couple of layers on top.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Daughter and I set out this morning with a vague notion of going eastwards from Musselburgh for a 'bicycle picnic'. On the road, well the John Muir Trail, this morphed into 'Let's ride to Cockenzie and see what's left of the power station'. Daughter readily assented...and then five minutes later asked if it was far. 'No, not very far...' her disingenuous father replied.
Inevitably it took all day - this is accounting for hills, descents that looked Much Too Steep, umpteen friendly dogs, beaches laden with Shells We Must Take Home (plus a whacking great orange float/buoy that we left well alone), a funny black rock out at sea that turned out to be a seal, some Pooh Sticks opportunities, picnic and impromptu nature study at Prestoungrange etc. All in all, an object lesson in Why We Ride Bicycles - 'cos it's fun!
Posted 8 years ago # -
Cracking ride yesterday up to Dunfermline then along the old railway line to Clackmannan, down to Kincardine across the bridge and the Forth and Clyde Canal to Glasgow.
Saw two teams out tarmacing the cananl towpath and my friend who I rode with had done the canal in reverse about a month ago had seen real progress- could soon be 100% tarmac west of Falkirk.
Tonnes of people out cycling, walking and running and on the most part good humour from all.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I took the big climb out of Stow - past the cafe, turn right - up past the windfarm and on towards Blainslie. There's a great view from the hilltop where the Southern Upland Way crosses the road. On a clear day you can see the Eildons to the south, the Minto Hills in the far distance and closer, tree covered Yair Hill. The sun had brought out patches of celandine and coltsfoot on the back road to Lauder. The Spotted Dog was open which I think does better coffee than the Flat Cat Gallery. Climbed over Lauder Common and back to Stow. A nice loop that I hadn't ridden before.
Posted 8 years ago # -
On my return commute this afternoon I bumped into someone I had met on a bike maintenance course last year.
Had a nice leisurely blether all the way home, along the canal towpath, about what we had and hadn't put into practice, interesting routes we'd been on, general chit chat etc.
Although we did ride side by side much of the way, we regularly went single file to allow passing and every single overtaker was quite genial. Quite a nice change from flying solo and a good way to top of a regular Monday.
Posted 8 years ago # -
First commute this year without a jacket :) Shorts too :)
Posted 8 years ago # -
Minipaddy (7yo) had her first ride into Edinburgh from Dalgety Bay today - managed 34km overall on 20" wheels- very impressed by her determination and good humour throughout.
She wants to cycle in to PoP as well, though I think we'd need a very early start.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Well done her! that's even further than mini-SRD's longest ride on her 20".
Great accomplishment.
Edit - just realised this was Km not miles - stil, fabulous ride for 7yo. And what a great route.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I'll second that. That's something to remember. The bridge is quite a big bump for small legs to get over. The rest is far from flat too (except if you're Super Randonneur DaveC ).
Posted 8 years ago # -
@paddyirish did you see a big group of cyclists going the other way?
edit: on the bridge.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Thanks folks, she's full of beans and already plotting her next route - round Loch Leven and Glen Tilt are possibilities.
The original plan was to stop in Queensferry for cake and take the train home, but she really wanted to ride into town. It is a great route to take little ones on, right to Haymarket. There is a cycle path/pavement option the whole way, but enough quiet stretches of road for her to practise road riding on.
@Erob
Yep was it a Ronde CC ride? Good to see such a big group out. We met them coming over the crest of the bridge and shifted over to our right to stay out of the way. Assume you were in the group?
Posted 8 years ago # -
@paddyirish
Respect is due to your girl. That's no mean feat.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Yep, my first proper ride with them. We were just starting a loop around Powmill/Cleish Hill.
Minipaddy was doing a lot better than I was on the way back.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Nice ride from Morningside down to the canal and out to the The Bridge Inn, Ratho in company with micro Twinspark. He got a lift back in the car... I got to pedal back in the rain!
Posted 8 years ago # -
Excellent that is more trammelling of the loose stones for mass CCE trip on 16/04/16
Posted 8 years ago # -
I had a lovely ride today from Dunfermline. I went along the fantastic railway path to Clackmannan, then wiggled along the NCN to Alloa. Just below the tower I headed towards the railway station where I picked up the route along the hillfoots to Dollar. From there a delightful back road to Saline and then to catch the railway path again and back to Dunfermline. The promised heavy rain held of. Even an a puncture two miles from the end didn't put a downer on the ride even though I forgot my pump and had to walk back
Posted 8 years ago # -
I spent yesterday wandering around Edinburgh on my bicycle. It was lovely.
Highlights;
* First visit to Figgate Park
* Discovered new bits of NEPN (still no idea where I was)
* Spontaneous chat with lady on a smart hybrid about where I was going (answer - I don't know, we'll see how it goes..)
* A charm of Scotch canaries following me along a path
* Great politesse from all path usersLowlights;
* Followed two guys up a track in Brunstane. It went nowhere, one of them on a flimsy road bike punctured and I had no tools for the first time ever and could not help
* The Figgate swan was nesting, but her egg was sitting at the bottom of the pond
* Tried for lunch at Roseburn, but...what is going on there? Cycle track = death and enslavement of our chidren?
* Also at Roseburn, a taxi driver telling a traffic warden 'I was just gettin' ma lunch ya c***'. Maybe a cycle track would chill them out?Posted 8 years ago # -
On Saturday did a figure-of-eight-ish route on Arran, covering the String in both directions, the Ross and Lochranza. There were > 30 bikes on the 7am ferry, a friend counted 60-70 coming off the 9.45 ferry and when we went back on a full ferry later there were 45 cyclists and probably 2 dozen car mounted bikes. When we went to the wee cafe by Lochranza ferry terminal there were about 15 cyclists there.
Weather was perfect, dry and sunny (apart from a 3 minute hail shower) a little ice and a Northerly breeze meaning air quality was superb and we could see well down the Irish coast. Road surfaces were better than last time I visited and, while quite hairy on some descents not a massive problem. Car drivers were superb, not a single honk or an excessive rev of an engine, with patiently waiting to overtake until either we waved them through or they could see clearly that it was safe to do so.
Can't recommend it highly enough.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Sunshine, no wind, lots of people crossing-the-road-without-looking-but-a-red-light-up-ahead-so-on-you-go-squire with pleasant thank yous exchanged.
Waves of acknowledgment to drivers who were ceding priority and otherwise being patient were greeted with reciprocal waves and smiles.
Pleasantries exchanged with lollipop ladies. Brief chats had with owners of dogs. Joggists seemed happier than usual.
Really the only black mark on teh day was the impatient cyclists on the morning commute on the NEPN.
Posted 8 years ago # -
That sounds great paddyirish - one for the list of things to do. I've ridden Lochranza-Brodick-Lochranza and that was excellent.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Went in to work via Ratho again today, it was mighty fine. Came back up the WoL path, surprisingly dry (only one unavoidable puddle!
Posted 8 years ago # -
@cyclingmollie - lots to do over there, if you are in audax mode a combo of exploring Arran and 5 ferries route could be a great DIY.
Similarly pottering mode would allow you to stay locally and sample the local produce...
Have been very lucky both times I've been over- would be no fun in nasty weather...
Posted 8 years ago # -
Having not had much opportunity to take advantage of the better weather this week, I decided to commute via the back lanes around by Carrington and Rosslynlee and Roslin this morning. What a beautiful ride - loads of birds calling. Saw yellowhammer and tree sparrow for first time in a few months. The beaut of a climb into Roslin was somewhat spoiled by incontinent traffic but this was offset by the wonderful track from Roslin to Gilmerton. Just by the bypass a antlered roe deer stood on the path just looking at me (are they hi-viz blind) for a good few seconds before panicking somewhat when I got to a couple of metres.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I've had a long-standing ambition to cycle over the unclassified road from Farr to Garbole. It's the ninth-highest road in Scotland and a great place to see young eagles and other raptors that have escaped the high-velocity lead particles that also proliferate in that place. On the summit I spotted a guerilla tribute to some French person who also seems to have loved the Monadhliath.
At Garbole I sat and watched a young golden eagle being teased by four buzzards, one of which nearly got killed as it had forgotten it was missing half the feathers off one wing (mistaken for a grouse by a sportsman?) and drifted below the eagle into the death zone.
Posted 8 years ago # -
IWRATS where is Garbole? Google maps can't find it.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@fimm
Ha! Not surprising - it's a loose hamlet at best. On the Findhorn, upstream from Tomatin.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I did my first ever circuit of the Forth this morning (crossing at Kincardine rather than Stirling: I'm still a newbie at this cycling lark).
Cramond looked lovely in the sunshine, but smelt of jet fuel.
The trip through Fife was glorious, with snow-covered hills in the distance, blue sky and more sunshine. I was impressed with the level of off-road bike path provision in Fife: there was more than I'd expected.
Grangemouth was an eye-opener in the early morning. The three lads on the pavement who dropped and smashed their bottle of vodka as I passed didn't look as if they needed any more, and nor did the woman weaving towards me on one of the bike paths.
At Bo'ness two terriers outside a farm made a semi-serious bid for my ankles until a woman in a leopard print dressing gown emerged from the house to call them off.
I saw a steam train.
I crossed paths with the Stirling Bike Club Saturday ride twice. They offered me a tow the first time, but were a bit quick for me to want to take up the offer. When they overtook me the second time, the chaps on the front on their carbon bikes were chatting amiably and zooming along, but the people at the back were redder of face and harder of breathing.
Nobody told me and my road bike that the path from Blackness to Hopetoun was through a wood and wasn't tarmac. It was very peaceful but a bit bumpy on 28mm slick tyres.
On the way back through Barton, a chap coming the other way in full roadie lycra was riding no-hands and talking on the phone.
A very pleasant long morning...
Posted 8 years ago # -
Riding back from Islay I have discovered Argyll secret coast. Early morning breakfast in sleepy Tighnabruaich with a great sunshine over the Kyles of Bute made me wish I wish I could have stayed there forever.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@robyvechio, it is lovely over there on the day a year when the sun does shine
Posted 8 years ago #
Reply »
You must log in to post.
posts
