Great cycle out of Murrayfield last night after Bruce Springsteen (free ticket kindly donated due to Covid)
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
The "I had a lovely ride today, thankyou" thread
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Posted 11 months ago #
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Went down to Roberton today via Carnwath (espresso and pink panther at the Pie, bunting out but Gala next weekend). Then carstairs, Hyndford Brig, turn right up the least used cycle path ever on A70 above the Clyde, the grass is reclaiming it then Left just before Rigside, sign posted Wiston. Superb descent. Then at bottom of valley, good way before Wiston a right turn down to Roberton. Lovely wee village. Saw the church with one bell that has its photo on the front of the John Martyn album of that name. We then headed on to A73 and just before the M74 took a sharp right across country and finally down under the M74 and back up to the NCN route 74 towards Crawfordjohn. Stopped to chat with two elderly gents out on their e-bikes. They bemoaned the surface at the abandoned Red Moss Hotel. We then headed to the mighty Douglas Bakery (Danish and espresso and treacle scone taken home). 45 miles in.
Learnt that people in Hebden Bridge call a stool a Buffett. You pronounce the T. The 40 miles back were via Douglas Water, kirkfieldbank with its big descent ascent, Cleghorn, braehead, auchengray, Tarbrax and Whang. One puncture between two (well 2.25 as amigo three came as far as the Apple Pie on way out tho it was largely his route).
I might adapt to going to Crawfordjohn them up to Glespin and into Douglas from the West as that would be approx 100 miles.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Firat cycle home in more than a year (and embarrassingly I think first time on any bike this year.
Anyway really enjoyed it and it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be (I was quite nervous last night thinking about it).
Few observations...
There are a few more white boxes in Barnton.
My neck and shoulders are weak.
Hillwalking is good cycling prep, my legs coped much better than expected. (Lungs another matter).
The upgraded path between Dalgety Bay and Aberdour is a thing of beauty.
The path between Aberdour and Burntisland is still a cesspit, and not fit for bikes.
I need to eat more if I cycle, ran out of calories at Inverkeithing and needed to stop for a sandwich at Aldi.
I still enjoy cycling, even after an 18 month break. :)Likely to be sore tomorrow...
Posted 10 months ago # -
Well done.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Despite Mrs G's protestations that it would be dangerous and full of drunk people, I took the cargo bike from Morningside to Inverleith Row* at 2330 last night to collect daughter from a party. Google recommended routes involving bike paths, but, having being advised to 'stay off the moors after dark' I just rode the route of the 23 bus and it was fine: little traffic and not many drunk people wandering into the road.
After a delay from being roped into helping tidy up, we returned homewards at 0030 with her as a pillion passenger. The e-bike made easy work of Dundas Street and the Mound, even with a 60kg passenger on the back.
The only interaction we had with drunk people was a woman who shouted 'Mega Rad!' at us on the Mound, which was quite fun.
Overall a very pleasing outing, which, even if it started yesterday, finished this morning.
*Yes, I know what this might lead you to conclude about me. If it helps, pretend I said 'from Pilton to Sighthill'?
Posted 10 months ago # -
One thing I've noticed recently is that https://cycle.travel/ has a night mode that cleverly avoids the isolated paths.
Posted 9 months ago # -
We don’t conclude anything about you Lord Greenroofer but how did mini Greenroofer get old enough to go to a party and why did it end so early? Nice tidying up action. Wait til they wreck your pad and no one helps you tidy up.
Also I recommend Saughton carpets if you have a wooden floor as the dancing and vomiting is best contained on one of their very cheap carpets, round the back of the jail, but you know that.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Joined some friends in Bearnock (between Drumnadrochit and Cannich) over the long weekend and got there by train and folding bike (as there were no bike spaces to book).
Train was quiet and found a cosy spot for my folded Dahon and rucksack between the seats. Gloomy, rainy weather over Perth heading north on Sat morning increased trepidation but everything cleared up by the time I reached Inverness. As I'd allowed plenty of time in case of train disaster I had time for a very long lunch in Whisk Away cafe on Queensgate. I am happy to report that the all-day breakfast there contains link sausage, square sausage, black pudding AND haggis! With chips and bottomless cups of tea.
Strapped my rucksack onto the front carrier with the help of a Lidl shopping bag to contain all the dangly straps and headed off. Rather than braving the A82 I decided to head towards Beauly and then turn off onto the A833 before picking up the A831 in Glen Urquhart to head in the Cannich direction.
Warm sunny day, slight crosswind off the Beauly Firth, light and (mostly) well-behaved motor traffic. Perfect. Even the breakfast wasn't weighing me down that much.
I knew the route was lumpy but at least from the Beauly side it's a steady climb up once you turn on to the A833. The bit around Ardendrain was something of a drag - the gearing on my laden Dahon being just a touch too high for comfortable riding of anything over about 7% continuous. The tarmac is perfect though. Smooth all the way. No potholes at all.
Sadly there did seem to be a number of roadside pubs/eateries (Buckie's Bar and True North for instance) that had fallen victim to current economic pressures. There basically wasn't anything between Inverness and Cannich that was open as far as I could tell. Didn't affect me, but may affect longer-distance tourists.
Landscape wise it's mostly mixed farms, plantation and native broadleaf woodlands and higher up some moor. I did not see much wildlife but that may be because the higher part of the route was suffering from a terrible camper-van infestation. Probably because there's lots of forest roads and other places they can stop along there. As a result road conditions there were busier (and more alarming due to incompetent drivists) than the main Inverness-Beauly drag so I had to keep my eyes on the road not on the pretty scenery.
The descent to rejoin the A831 is quite hair-raising - 15% signposted but I'm sure it's steeper in places. Hairpins galore. Combined with the camper-vans this was the least fun part of the journey which is a bit sad.
The cycle along Glen Urquhart to the house was excellent. Really nice landscape. The next day I cycled with a friend to Glen Affric for the day (can recommend the Slaters Arms in Cannich for excellent beer too) and it only got better! I think if I were to go this way again I'd take the A831 all the way to Cannich first, then cycle from Cannich towards Drumnadrochit as I suspect it would be quieter even than the A833.
I was the first to arrive as there'd been several crashes on the A9 (spicy driving not confined to the A833 it seems) on Saturday so all my friends were caught in the traffic and didn't arrive until later.
Did the reverse route on Monday, with another friend for part of the way. After we struggled up the 15% bits we were treated to a long gentle sweeping descent towards Beauly which was much fun. My friend turned off at Foxhole to return to the Great Glen and subsequently had an extremely alarming time on the ~3 miles of the A82 they had to ride to reach Drumnadrochit and the relative safety of the A831. I am told 2 near head-on collisions due to stupid overtakes, some bizarre abuse from a campervanista and many close passes :(
My journey was uneventful apart from one convoy of imbeciles seemingly (from the flags and decals) connected to a French road rally. I do hope the driver of the oncoming car had some clean underpants after they all thundered past me forcing the oncoming car onto the verge! Apart from that, exemplary driving abounded.
Got back to Haymarket to discover that the bolt that holds part of the frame hinge together had sheared. Weirdly the bike was still rideable though getting the hinge aligned to unfold the bike again was a bit challenging!
Hopefully it's just a normal bolt and not some strange Dahon specific part. Given the bike is from 2010 getting a replacement might be challenging. Especially as Hollandbikeshop/Dutchbikebits no longer ships Dahon parts to the UK. Thanks Brexit...
Posted 8 months ago # -
@mediumdave Great to hear of your slightly mad folder based escapades. Might the Bike Station be a place to look for a bolt?
Posted 8 months ago # -
Decided on a night out in a tent on my own. So loaded up the mountain bike with tent, sleeping kit, small stove, etc, and headed out along the Pencaitland Railway Path. A bad choice of route through Saltoun Big Wood (an overgrown path causing much pushing) slowed me down. Once out onto the quiet roads heading towards Longyester I made better time, however when I got onto the dead-end road that climbs towards Lammer Law I was feeling it in my legs, so once I had got clear of the farm land and (as far as I could tell) out of sight of any houses, I stopped, pitched my tent, and had some food as the light left the sky.
In the morning, having watched the sunrise I went up over Lammer Law (much pushing uphill) and then took a big track heading south before following another track back north again past Stobsheil Reservoir and back to the road. I diverted to the Humbie Hub for a nice roll & sausage and then worked my way back to the Pencaitland Railway Path and home.
Posted 7 months ago # -
@fimm - sounds an excellent trip. So much decent stuff to do without going so far. Saltoun Big Wood is the path that continues from end of railway path?
Humbie cafe always worth a visit!Posted 7 months ago # -
@LaidBack, the quickest way into Saltoun Big Wood from the Railway Path is to go left along the road for a few hundred meters, over a bridge and turn right. It looks as though you are just going to some private houses, but there's a path to the left with a polite request to keep your dog on a lead, so they obviously accept that people can and do go that way. (This is suitable for off-road bikes only.)
If you go straight on from the end of the Railway Path there's a road to a place called Old Duncrahill and from there you can take a rough track (not that rough, I've taken my road bike along it!) which links to more minor roads and on to the B6371 to Humbie. I came back that way.
If you do Strava, here's my outward route:
https://www.strava.com/activities/9814187160
and my return:
https://www.strava.com/activities/9814194803Posted 7 months ago # -
It's tradition that I have one or two nice rides into town for the cherry blossom, can anyone comment on the situation in the meadows? The last few years this would have been a little early still.
Posted 1 week ago # -
The Edinburgh Minute says that it is out, on Coronation Walk at least
Posted 1 week ago # -
thanks!
Posted 1 week ago #
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