@IWRATS: we completed a swoosh down the Liberton High School MTB track
Don't think I'm familiar with that one. Care to share?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
The "I had a lovely ride today, thankyou" thread
(2697 posts)-
Posted 4 years ago #
-
@ejstubbs is a pump track up the back of Liberton High School
Posted 4 years ago # -
@ejstubbs
Yes, is a very nice skillz trail running round three sides of the perimeter of the high school. There is a pump section on the western edge and some berms higher up. 40cm drop-offs? Rooty singletrack through the trees. Good for confidence building. I think anybody but a full-on uplift body armour warrior could have some fun there.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Probably the shortest trip of the day, but took advantage of the low spring tides to scratch an itch and ride the full (3.5km) length of Porty Beach.
Posted 4 years ago # -
a very nice skillz trail running round three sides of the perimeter of the high school
You mean round the playing fields? How does one access it? (I would have thought one could not get in to school grounds...)Posted 4 years ago # -
Through the main gate. Or here for the pump-track bit.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Liberton main gate always open. Maybe lets on the playing fields. Most of the high schools don’t have gates that close, their perimeters being quite a bit larger generally. And more permeable.
New schools like boroughmuir don’t have much room so pitches on roof. No access.
Liberton High School wants you to use the track. The Janny won’t chase you.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@IWRATS & gembo: Thanks, I shall make a point to check it out.
I know that at one time a number of the more central primary schools had a policy of leaving their playgrounds open outside of school hours. Stockbridge Primary was one. I think the idea was to provide a bit of open-air running-around-like-a-mad-thing and finding-out-all-the-different-ways-to-fall-off-your-bike play space for the local wains, away from internal combustion engined risks and disapproving adults.
Kids out here in the 'burbs are luckier, with recs and associated patches of rough woodland for kids to go wild in and collect all the scratches and grazes they could possibly want. The other week I found a wee MTB trail running in the wooded bit alongside Cockmylane, between White Lady Walk and Pentland Primary School. It has jumps and berms and even a rather tricky fallen tree obstacle, as well as a muddy stream that you can tumble in to if you lose control. Heaven.
Posted 4 years ago # -
the wooded bit alongside Cockmylane, between White Lady Walk and Pentland Primary School
I remember when Pentland Drive stopped at the banana flats, and the woods were much more extensive. There was a path, no longer fenced off (we used to jump our bikes over its steel cables), leading up to what was the Pentland Hills Hotel, which was boarded up. That path became the continuation of the road. There must've been a spring somewhere near the top, maybe up at Caiystane, because there was always a little river running down through the woods, and it used to disappear into the ground somewhere south of the flats.
Posted 4 years ago # -
My lunchtime Bimble today may be of interest to adults and children this half term. Firstly
the Clubbiedean reservoir cafe is open All week. Usually Friday-Sunday. To be on the safe side I am saying the open8ng hours are 11-4 but will check their facebook page which is apparently Clubhiedean’s - will have to clean the bike first.Anyway one way to get to the cafe is to drive and park over the bypass beyond Bonaly primary school, a very nice school. You can then walk or cycle up the virtually closed road. Steep of course, (I am imaginging trying to wrangle kids).
Another way which is more challenging is to cycle up the WoL Path. Not too muddy at the moment. From Edinburgh at the former splash bathroom warehouse (stealer of roads) at Junioer Green, cross the footbridge and work your way up to JK Rowling’s stables. Once you achieve her road with the lovely beech hedge there is a steep cinder track that takes you up to tipperth (the camphill Centre for adults with learning disabilities) on the Torphin Road. There are two very similar little hippy ish centres on the same road both called Tippereth. So can be confusing. Anyway you then can choose to go and look at my quarry and come back via shouty farmer at Easter Kinleith and down the poets glen or cross the disused golf course and take the path that leads to torduff reservoir and the road up to the Clubbiedean cafe. This is higher but you can then return to the poets glen along the road and bypassing the farm.
All of this is easier walking than on a bike (I mean the steep bits are very steep but you can push) JK has put in cinder paths, Easter kinleith more a mud track. Tipperlith has tracks and a corrugated metal road as there is work ongo8ng on the pylons.
I have pieced all these routes together during lockdown. Clubbiedean has nice paths on both sides, paths also loop back to Bonaly or go on up into the pentlands
Posted 4 years ago # -
This is where I walk with my boss when we do an outdoor meeting.
It is lovely.
Posted 4 years ago # -
What does the farmer shout about?
Posted 4 years ago # -
Probably all these loud would-be thespians down the glen, reciting Burns in an effete and achingly foppish manner.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Not sure it's physically possible to recite Burns in a foppish manner. Just too earthy.
Wouldn't stop farmers shouting about it mind you.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@gembo: I've never found the farmer at Easter Kinleith particularly shouty. Maybe I've just been lucky.
Is the "path that leads to torduff reservoir" to which you refer the one that starts at the equestrian gate just up the road from Tipherth (ex Colinton Community Compost)? That one takes you up a short cinder track (steep but straight, and wiggly but less steep options provided) from where you can drop down to a wee pond and then up another cinder track to Torduff Road, whence you can achieve Torduff Reservoir and on to Clubbiedean.
That's the way I usually go, but in the other direction, to get from Bonaly to the WoL path via JK's place. Or you can turn left along Woodhall Road and pick up the Blinkbonny path (passing the ?1930s? mansion block where my other half once had a damp flat), then on to Kirkgate and the Lymphoy track, with a choice of return routes via the WoL or the reservoirs.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@ejstubbs. Yes you are saying back to Me in your own words what I said. Not sure about pond? I came down from the house at Torduff on the path then went along the metal tracks to the other tippereth which was clubhouse of defunct Torphin Golf Club I think.. needs a map I think for those who haven’t been out that way.
Anyway from the easterly version of tipperwth you can take a cinder path to the quarry. A section of fencing has fallen down so you can go in and re-enact the ashes to ashes video, there is another gate takes you back to Easter k8nleith farm, no cinder. The farmer maybe only shouts at me. He is BB and I know his brother AB also farmer and I once gave his other brother CB a fair amount of Jack Daniels which made him happy. In his defence I had gone up. To the transmitter instead of sticking to the path which 20 years ago incurred rath.
I like the ashy pAth from blinkbonny but that is harder to spot if yo7 don’t know about it.
At Clubbiedean there is a path into the fields that takes you back towards Edinburgh and a fantastic view of the reservoir and the city.
I normally just go up to Harlaw round behind Easter kinleith and down to Bonaly then back JK boulevard and the ash6 path then lymphoy or WoL path but I had time today and not raining so I filled in the missing piece of the jigsaw. Though still got that pond to find.
Jk has turned a puddle into a pond at the ashy path..
Posted 4 years ago # -
Ah, that was the path you meant. All is now clear, thanks.
(It makes me uncomfortable to think that someone might know of a path that I've not found! My missus is always going on at me about my habit of disappearing off down unmarked paths when we're out walking, just to get an idea of where they go.)
Posted 4 years ago # -
Was on the Clubbiedean Cafe Facebook page. No actual opening times but some interest8mg photos of a high wire that appears to have been over Torduff last weekend with what looked like several Blondin wannabees
Posted 4 years ago # -
Clubbiedean cafe open 10-4, the high wire tight rope walkers pretty wild.
Will shut early if very bad weather
Posted 4 years ago # -
Went to Ikea and back for a new dish drainer and wardrobe organisation paraphernalia. Found the Shawfair end of the Shawfair-Roslin path without issue, very little conflict on that same path, found the back way into Ikea (which I forgot I had already successfully found on at least two previous occasions) and got back as far as Abbeyhill before I experienced any dingbat driving, despite having been along Dalkeith Road.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Don’t suppose Froomey will be posting in this thread any time soon.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Into the wind today, was heading for the netherurd double valley ride but skirted down to Harburn route from Livvy out of the wind a bit. Close to the Linnwater falls then put in pointless climb on the new tarmac other side of the golf course. Then took llamas route down to carstairs and over hyndford bridge and Carmichael to Tinto tea room where a salt of the earth type fellow asked us if we raced competitively.
Turning for home we encountered an incredible tailwind. I freewheeled from crest at Harperrig to the Kirknewton turn. Total Goose count over 500. Many white coloured versions in field next the Clyde.
Posted 4 years ago # -
After 8 hour shift of teams meetings blasted up west kip to the nice wee herring bone bunnet on the gatepost. Been there several weeks. Many grouse, a hobby like bird of prey, then the buzzard pretending to be a Merlin.
On my descent I decided I had struggled into the wind to get up so I was Bally well going to get the tailwind and retraced back round to Harlaw.
Most magnificent two thirds moon over green cleuch in the half light something truly lovely to observe.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Tried to cycle in the biggest circle I could today without leaving Edinburgh (city, not council area).
Fairmilehead, Wester Hailes, Cammo, Cramond, Silverknows prom, Leith, Porty Prom, back along the Brunstane path and then along The Wisp to Gilmerton. Technically I was in Midlothian at least some of the time I was on The Wisp, as the boundary is mostly along the middle of the road, but meh.
Also walked over to Cramond Island for the first time, spotting a couple of herons.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@frenchy are you on the Julian calendar? You can get all the way to just before the Kirknewton turn and still be in Edinburgh, though you will have cycled 5 miles beyond the lovely blue wooden Edinburgh Festival City that sits on the Juni Green / Currie border.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Went on a nice wee loop along the railway paths in East Lothian (Pencaitland and Haddington). Good mix of on and off-road so suited the CX bike shod with Gravelkings to the ground.
The path conditions are in surprisingly good condition for November with only a couple of muddy patches.Posted 4 years ago # -
@gembo - doing the council area was the original plan, but it would have clocked in at ~100km and I only had time for ~50km. Leaving it for another day.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@Frenchy, as the mighty if deeply flawed The Who opined You Are Forgiven
Posted 4 years ago # -
Went for a spin around the on-road hills of Balerno and Kirknewton yesterday afternoon. Managed 40 miles without ever going beyond Harperrig. Weather utterly glorious, calm and crisp and with spectacular interactions between low sun and cloud.
There were many other people out riding their bikes, particularly around Harlaw. While a very few were, like me, in close-fitting Lycra on a road bike travelling at some pace, most were dressed in more relaxed style, travelling slowly and not giving out an air of particular confidence. I suspect they had brought their bikes there on the back of a car.
But who cares? Whatever you ride, so long as you do. That, above all, made my ride lovely. It's nice to see people out on their bikes...
Posted 4 years ago #
Reply »
You must log in to post.
posts
