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Seven Hills Ride Report

(28 posts)

Started 13 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
Latest reply from I were right about that saddle

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Wilmington's Cow
Member

1/7 Arthur's Seat

When one is setting out on a strenuous day's mountaineering it's important to set up a secure basecampe at the foot of any summits, and thankfully, a mere 15 minutes out of the door at home, some of those delightful stands from Sheffield have been placed at Dunsapie Loch on the slopes of Arthur's Seat.

Perhaps the best known of the Seven Hills of ~~Rome~~ ~~Sheffield~~ Edinburgh, also the highest at 251m, the straight line wander from the base camp posed no significant problems. None that couldn't be solved with a brief pause to take in the view, a trick taught me by Sir Ranulph Fiennes which he had perfected on the slopes of Everest.

The view confirmed it was grey and windy, and that my outward leg, taking in the first 5 hills, would be into a virtually constant headwind. Of more concern, however, was the dawning realisation that I had no flapjacks, nor Kendal mint cake, with me. It was a chilling thought, but not more so than wondering, if it came to it and I found myself stranded with no other option, could I eat the bicycle....?

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

2/7 Blackford Hill

Headwind confirmed I pressed on. Some might say heroically but I couldn't possibly comment. Fountainhall Road funneled the wind into my very soul after the freewheeled descent down the Queen's very own Drive.

But this was nothing as to the incline that awaited, hidden behind a couple of residential switchbacks. A short sharp shock to reach the home of the viewers of celestial matters, and a car park seemingly devoid of bike parking (though I may not have looked very hard, or perhaps they never expect anyone to be able to ascend of their own effort), a fence obligingly supplied security as I ~~walked~~ struggled valiantly against the growing wind to the summit.

The greyness was getting... greyer. And rain had begun to fall, almost obscuring the view of my first conquest.

It was here that I saw two horrific sights. The first was a golf course; the second the climb that awaited my attempts at a third peak, in the Braid Hills.

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

3/7 Braid Hills

Taking a secret back route through the trees to Blackford Pond turned into a long shortcut, but back on tarmac on Hermitage Drive it wasn't long before the road pointed upwards once more. At this point, dear reader, my geographical knowledge was being tested. These previously unconquered hills were, naturally, unknown to me and so heading up (and up and up and up) Braid Road, past the delightfully salubrious-looking Braid Hills Hotel complete with parked busload of tourists happily taking in the sight of such an intrepid explorer, I was searching for any possible route away from the road. And it presented itself to me a short distance past Braid Mount.

Sadly the fences and posts did not seem conducive to bicycle security, and so I was accompanied on the arduous ascent, whereupon beasts were encountered such as you can only imagine the ferocity of.

With the wind still howling, the greyness still grey, but the rain slightly abated, I considered it time to rectify the parlous state of the area in my bag set aside for snacks. Pondering my route to the fourth mountain of the morning, and the chance thereupon to take luncheon, all the blasted bicycle seemed capable of doing was pine in the direction of home.

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

4/7 Craiglockhart Hill (West)

Cyclocrossing from the Braid summit, and provisions procured, I set for the formidable seat of learning with clung to the slopes of an equally formidable mount. More formidable than both, however, was negotiating Glenlockhart Road. A narrow strip of land, rough going, with danger lurking round every corner. But eventually I found myself in the hallowed grounds of Napier University, and here I found a camp that surpassed the quality of even the stands by Dunsapie Loch all of those many miles long and feet high before. Safely under cover, the bicycle seemed happier with its lot, and so leaving it a bone to gnaw on I made my way upwards.

The going here was steeper than before, but a shorter climb opened out a view which had just begun to include blue sky. This did nothing to lessen the danger however as I found in the territory of hunters.

Undaunted I took luncheon as the patches of blue sky found themselves once more consumed by the encompassing grey. The sustenance, however, had put a spring in my step. As did the knowledge that I was about to pass through a river-lead valley to my next obstacle, and the last of the outward leg.

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

5/7 Corstorphine Hill

It is always best, as an explorer, to havine contingency plans to take account of the unexpected. Fluidity is the key, and so it was as I dropped down Craiglockhart Avenue and joined the mighty flow of the Water of Leith. The initial plan had been to find myself on Gorgie Road, and thereafter meander through some streets towards the next summit.

Instead I stuck by the river as far as a skatepark for young ruffians whose trousers don't fit, taking Balgreen Road through what turned out to be bandit country.

Punk-haired viking invaders successfully negotiated I suddenly found myself behind schedule and set about a direct ascent of the target. Corstorphine Road turned into Kaimes Road, and if I may be so bold, that street is a pain in the proverbial. I declare it to be the longest and steepest in the city, and so it was with some joy that I can report that the street has now been conquered, making it safe for people to live there (though why anyone would wish to perch houses on such an incline I haven't the foggiest).

To damper my glow of success it is at this point that the heavens opened, but taking shelter under a tree the bicycle and I contemplated the success of this towering feat (see what I did there? hmmm?).

Suit yourselves.

At this point I knew, for sure, that the headwind was now, literally, behind us. Time to move on.

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

6/7 Castle Rock

Wind at our heels civilisation was swiftly met, and complacency entered our heads at the worst being over, with the two smallest peaks remaining (this was no random planning at work...). Johnston Terrace, however, has a kick, and that kick is in the teeth when rain is added to the equation.

But save for some red-jacketed officialdom (see the Esplanade thread...) the summit was achieved with time to spare watching tourists paint on smiles so that their relatives didn't know they'd had a miserable time gettign soaked in a cold country.

Me? I was smiling, despite encroaching soakingness. Although that smile was almost wiped from my face as the juddering on the cobbles leaving the castle caused my rear gear changer thingy (the technical term for those of us who regard the French with suspicion) to interact with the spokes in the rear wheel in a way unintended. First fears of a premature end to the adventure with a broken chain were allayed. A broken spoke, bent and curled round the remaining intact spokes, would see me up the last summit and onward to home.

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

7/7 Calton Hill

The wet cobbles provided a cautious, rather than exhilirating, freewheel down the Royal Mile, turning onto North Bridge to once more mix with the traffic, before it almost disappears, as is its wont, along Regent Road.

I knew the last kick would hurt. It was still raining, and the top of the next mountain turned me once more into the headwind that had been my tormenter for much of the day.

I arrived to an utterly deserted summit, and messages on my phone presuming I was sheltering somewhere from the rain and would likely be abandoning the endeavour.

Far from it, I replied, today was a good day. A day for the soul.

The bike and I had both performed better than expected (especially after doubts crept into mind on the very first hill), and each deserved a well-earned rest.

Of course only the bike got the rest, as I was home, showered, and on a bus to go out for drinks then dinner. But I did so happily. And have plans for at least one day such as this a month from here on in.

Maybe just with a few less hills next time.

Maybe.

Posted 13 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

Anth, there's something up with your camera. It appears to be stuck on retro mode. A good sharp tap with a rubber mallet should sort it out!

But apart from that, great report, love the shot of the Kestrel and the comments about Kaimes Road - I have to negotiate that when going to see the folks.

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Hehehehe! Hipstamatic app on the iPhone, kind of a loce it or hate it thing. I love it personally and use the camera on the phone a lot more than I used to. Kept the big lens on the main camera for the wildlife shots (and that Kestrel and the Waxwings were most obliging - went back to see the Waxwings again the next day and get some shots in much much better light).

Posted 13 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

I love the hipstamatic effects but hate that they're such a pain to achieve using GIMP etc. I want my photos to look all Kodachrome at the press of a button!

Posted 13 years ago #
Min
Member

"The view confirmed it was grey and windy"

Character building then?

"It was a chilling thought, but not more so than wondering, if it came to it and I found myself stranded with no other option, could I eat the bicycle....?"

Best to take your cue from the polar explorers of old and eat your shoes instead. Or, next time take a friend and eat them.

Looked great. And waxietastic! :-)

Posted 13 years ago #
ruggtomcat
Member

*applause* great report, I wanna come on the next one!

Posted 13 years ago #
Cyclingmollie
Member

Great report Anth. Between this and the cobbles thread my Spokes Edinburgh map has seen a fair bit of use.

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Next time I do this it'll be in summer with more daylight available for meanderings... :P

Posted 13 years ago #
chdot
Admin

Next 'challenge' is to think of route(s) joining up a selection of Edinburgh's lochs (+ Straiton).

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Nice idea. Hmmmm, must get onto that one.

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

If anyone wants the route, I've done it as a loop route starting and finishing at the car park by St Margaret's Loch at Arthur's Seat.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/gb/edinburgh/973128929665130581

Posted 13 years ago #
thebikechain
Member

Anth - do you have this in a wordpad/normal format that we could use on our site.

i might even give you your own page on it to do stuff...

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

:) I don't, but I can get one this afternoon and fire it to you?

Posted 13 years ago #
thebikechain
Member

sounds just perfect.

Posted 13 years ago #
chdot
Admin

Another idea -

Industrial heritage trails - http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1676

Posted 13 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"Friends tackle all seven of Capital's peaks in one day"

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Friends-tackle-all-seven-of.6687706.jp

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Should have sent my ride report to the EN it would seem... ;)

Posted 13 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"Should have sent my ride report to the EN it would seem"

YES!

Posted 13 years ago #
chdot
Admin

Today is the Seven Hills of Edinburgh running event -

http://www.seven-hills.org.uk

They go via Easter Craiglockhart Hill.

Anth went up Wester.

Clearly there are eight hills!

Posted 11 years ago #
Arellcat
Moderator

Clearly there are eight hills!

They've been known as "The Craigies" for as long as I can remember. Though Edinburgh has also been known as "the city built on seven hills" for as long as I can remember.

Posted 11 years ago #
ruggtomcat
Member

Just trying to be Rome basically ;)

Posted 11 years ago #
I were right about that saddle
Member

Such a lovely day and with Madame IWRATS being away with her coven I set out to try this ride.

I set myself rules;

1) The bike to arrive and be photographed at the seven checkpoints of the foot race.
2) The bike to be cycled as close to the summit as possible before pushing. That is, no hike-a-bike scrambling through bushes and up cliffs on the foot race route.
3) OBEY THE LAW.

Turns out you can cycle all the way up Calton, Castle, Costorphine, Craiglockhart, Braid and Blackford. But I underestimated the calorific burn of so doing and last night's light supper had not filled my liver with glycogen. I realised I was going to bonk carrying the bike up to the summit of the Seat and ditched the effort for a trundle home and a cream cake.

Great afternoon out though, even if it was bewilderingly slower than running.

Posted 7 years ago #