15% of journeys to be shifted out of your comfortable car on Lanark Rd and onto this... good luck with that!
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Upgrading WoL path to Balerno
(72 posts)-
Posted 7 years ago #
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I commuted along that path every day for five years. It wasn't a mudbath 365 days a year, but neither was it a skinny tyre environment – that's what roads are for.
I'd be happy for it to remain untarmacked, or relaid with proper hardpacked whindust.
Posted 7 years ago # -
I'd be happy for it to remain untarmacked, or relaid with proper hardpacked whindust.
It's been relayed at least twice in past 16 years
Posted 7 years ago # -
Lots of it was relaid recently (I want to say in the summer? but not sure of my years any more). Soft surface isn't the answer if we want to see significant use.
I mean, clearly you *can* cycle on it, but if we look at a disinterested party like SWMBO - she used to commute every day by bike from Newington into town, but she doesn't commute on the WoL path. I think actually it's as much about the lack of lighting / personal safety for her as the mud. For me it's just the mud.
So far we still only have one car. I could imagine though that we might end up with two at some point when you throw in the double child thing. Funny considering we are keen cyclists connected to our offices & nursery by the WoL path :)
Posted 7 years ago # -
<Major rant mode>
Personal safely. Grrr. We women are taught to be scared of <I'd really like to use a rude word here> everything. Makes me cross. I run up and down there on my own in the dark. Its like things you wear on your head. Statistically, who is the man in my life who I am at most danger from? BOFFOF. Then the men I know. I'm probably more at risk, statistically, from the men reading this post than I am from random strangers on the WoL path. But, oh no, women can't go down there 'cause its dangerous for goodness sake...OK, rant over. I do accept that each women has to make her own decisions about where she feels safe to go, so I hope Dave won't take this as a personal criticism of MrsD.
Lighting is more of a problem. I'm trying to remember how much isn't lit (I always take a headtorch if I'm going there in the dark, because I'll run some of the paths in the Dells which definitely don't have lighting). You need less ambient light to run than you do to cycle anyway (I don't bother with my headtorch when running on the canal towpath unless I want to signal my presence to another user but don't like cycling there with only my little "be seen" bike lights).
Posted 7 years ago # -
Lots of it was relaid recently
That was due to City Fibre trashing it
https://flic.kr/s/aHskyTF2GM
160419143931IMG_5154 by Paul fae Fountainbridge, on Flickr
160419145929IMG_5163 by Paul fae Fountainbridge, on Flickr
Posted 7 years ago # -
Traffic rammed this morning from between Balerno and Currie right up to gillespies crossroad for no reason I could see other than heavy traffic. A definite day where a Tarmac covered WoL path would have either eased congestion or eased my route to work
Posted 7 years ago # -
Only going to get worse when the developments at Currie Library and Kinleith Mill are finished.
Posted 7 years ago # -
The bit after the tunnel heading towards town is the worst, that takes ages to dry out. Between the tunnel and Balerno is usually not too bad.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Well, that was horrid. Had occasion to do parenting duties at Balerno & Slateford today so with some trepidation decided to use the WOL downhill.
Was very muddy with occasional icy patches. I was glad to have studs on as turning in the muddy patches would have been scary without them.
Needless to say my passenger arrived a little bit muddy for her party - note: put waterproof trousers on the outside of boots not the inside...
Water of Leith Path = Muddy by HankChief, on Flickr
Posted 7 years ago # -
I ran with the offspring down WoL to the canal (and back to Currie via Donkey Lane) yesterday. It was horrendously muddy IMO - like an inch thick at many points. I was worried at that I'd fall and send the trailer crashing off into the river.
Back in Leith today and the office runners are enjoying a quick loop on the NEPN. Doubt they'd go if it was like WoL.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Cycled up the WoL from the bridge over the A70 to Currie last night.
As Dave said above, completely muddy. I had to wash my bike as soon as I got home - bike sounding a bit worse for wear.
I enjoy the non-tarmacked surface for running, but it's horrible for walking or cycling on.
Posted 7 years ago # -
In other news, when is Donkey Lane getting re-tarmac'd and integrated into an off-road route to the Canal?
Posted 7 years ago # -
When did donkey lane ever have Tarmac? It is a river bed? Dem progeny would
Have great larks getting pushed up it this weather.Used to like that route though from wester hailes up to the scotty dog kennels then left up to nether Currie,
Posted 7 years ago # -
I meant to put a question mark after "re" but it looked a bit weird. Feel like it must have been at some point judging by the surface now. Or maybe only metalled?
Posted 7 years ago # -
Donkey Lane is marked on older maps a being of road-width rather than the narrow track it is now. Don't know what surface it had then but was probably a better route than now.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Is there any reason why the council haven't tarmac'd the path through the woods at the top of DMains park and the route from the back of DMains Tesco to the Blackhall path?
Both are well used by foot & bikes but not horses...
Posted 7 years ago # -
@hankchief, do not quote me but I think there was debate about who owned the land and whether it were owt to do with Tesco?
Posted 7 years ago # -
After the West Shore Rd warehouse owner's decision to build a fence on the extreme of their boundary, surrounding the new improved prom access and picnic area, I suspect the council will be even more cautious of grey areas like this than they were before.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"I think there was debate about who owned the land"
Yes, but I think it was resolved YEARS ago.
Posted 7 years ago # -
After the West Shore Rd warehouse owner's decision to build a fence on the extreme of their boundary, surrounding the new improved prom access and picnic area, I suspect the council will be even more cautious of grey areas like this than they were before.
Weird! I drive past this on my commute (when I drive) and I thought it was something the council had done to stop people pitching up in caravans and living on the site...
Can you not access the prom here at all any more? Surely a compulsory purchase in order.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"Surely a compulsory purchase in order."
As previously discussed (generally) 'This is Edinburgh'.
Additionally, in this case, I suspect the land is 'worth' more than the Council thinks it's worth paying.
Posted 7 years ago # -
On a similar note any one know what the deal is with the dirt track that runs around the back of Forester between South Gyle and Broomhall? Its nicely tarmaced at each end but its a mess in between.
Posted 7 years ago # -
This from Forestry & Natural Heritage yesterday:
"we’ve got a 1km trial of Ultitrec surfacing going down on the Water of Leith path (also NCN 75) starting tomorrow in the Currie/Balerno area. Works should be finished by April 6th and the route will be open over the 4 day Easter weekend. Attachments give you a little more info on the closure."
Short notice as using up funding.
Report
MapPosted 6 years ago # -
Thanks McD I will not go down that way then until Friday. When they open it half way through might be a bit rought the surface, presumably they will be scraping the mud off the top layer.
The 1 km stretch ends at what was the one hole golf course but is now a construction site for one huge house or flats.
Posted 6 years ago # -
The ultitrec laying guide:
1. INTRODUCTION
ULTITREC is a 100% recycled pathway material that provides a more sustainable approach to footpaths and cycle tracks. Made from selected waste products from highway reconstruction and maintenance works, ULTITREC provides an inexpensive but durable footpath surfacing, especially in rural locations.2. RECOMMENDED SUB-BASE
ULTITREC should be laid on a well-drained, well compacted and stable sub-base such as Recycled Type 1 Granular sub-base from Tarmac. ULTITREC will provide a dense even pathway material similar to primary materials by following the recommendations in this guide.3. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Use of an asphalt mini-paver is strongly recommended where width and topography allows. ULTITREC must be laid with supported edges and the use of tanalised timber edging is recommended. Where hand laying is necessary, care should be taken to avoid segregation of coarse and fine materials.4. STORAGE
Where possible ULTITREC should be laid on the day of delivery. Should stockpiling be unavoidable then ULTITREC should be protected (sheeting or otherwise) from adverse conditions (rain and drying) to retain the mixture at the correct moisture content for handling and laying.5. LAYING
Target compacted thickness should be 100mm with a minimum of 50mm at any point.6. COMPACTION
The use of a type 120 roller is recommended to ensure adequate compaction, where other forms of compaction e.g. hand compaction are used the contractor should ensure ULTITREC is fully compacted.Posted 6 years ago # -
now a construction site for one huge house or flats. << the former I understand
Posted 6 years ago # -
I'm going to miss the mud...
Posted 6 years ago # -
The stretch just before Currie at the wold renowned international design centre ( or family home) in the former engine shed is often one very long puddle so will be interesting to see how ultitrec copes. I think mud will make some kind of return
Posted 6 years ago #
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