We can get to Bridgend Farmhouse pretty much off road, but not sure where to go from there.
Pavement to Cameron Toll then Lady Road then ...?
Inch Park then ...?
(Kids are 8 and just one adult accompanying so on road cycling limited)
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help
Porty to KB with Kids
(12 posts)- Started 5 years ago by urchaidh
- Latest reply from I were right about that saddle
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Posted 5 years ago #
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I'd seriously consider just walking from Inch Park, but I think the best cycling route is probably:
Inch Park > Gilmerton Road - use the pedestrian crossing to turn right onto Gilmerton Road if needed.
Turn right from the left hand lane of Gilmerton Road onto Liberton Road. Stay in the bus lane (or use the pavement).
Turn left onto Gordon Terrace. Be very mindful of drivers overtaking at the corner/junction with Esslemont Road.
Turn left from Gordon Terrace to...er...Gordon Terrace.
Depending on where you're going in KB, turn right onto either Hallhead Road or Ross Road. It's probably easier to cross Mayfield Road if you go along Ross Road.
@Roibeard might be able to provide some better advice, though.
Posted 5 years ago # -
One of the many surreal features of Cameron Toll is the concrete slab set in the car park with the embossed legend 'Braid Burn Walkway'. If it existed that would be ideal.
As it is, from Bridgend you are in the south Edinburgh free-fire zone. There is no crossing to reach Inch Park, so do that on foot and with great care.
Then head for Glenallan Drive, cross Gilmerton Road on foot, Double Hedges is traffic-calmed so pretty much alright and walk from the end of that.
There's really no safe approach to KB.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Is the South Suburban route still being used for anything?
I was unwrapping some glasses the other day and found a newspaper from many many years ago touting the imminent approval of the SS route for interurban passenger rail. Obviously it never happened.
If it were converted to cycle/pathways as the northern lines were, it would make a nice way round the south side.
Posted 5 years ago # -
You could go Innocent to Newington, across the Meadows then route 6 (I think it is) and approach from the south. Might be slightly better if much longer.
Posted 5 years ago # -
What the others said, effectively...
My experience has been with a fairly tight family peloton, or a carefully shepherded PoP feeder (for a bit of the route).
Come out of Bridgend Farmhouse and into the Inch Park estate road - yes this involves crossing the Old Dalkieth Road, which might be done on foot.
Watch the vicious speedbumps through Inch Park and beware of drivers who may not expect to use the passing places for cyclists.
At Gilmerton Road, turn right into the bus lane. This could be facilitated by someone activating the pedestrian crossing just to your left. However beware that the entrance is narrow and, although drivers turning into Inch Park are few, they may expect cyclists to get out of their way.
Turn right into Liberton Road from the left lane at the next junction (make the turn with a large radius, that is, do not go straight over into the Liberton Road bus lane and turn 90 degrees - to prevent overtaking "in lane"), or dismount and climb the steps through the gardens. The latter option takes you directly to Gordon Terrace.
If cycling along Liberton Road, stay in the bus lane and turn left into Esslemont Road - beware this kicks up sharply so get in gear! Then turn left (straight on) into Gordon Terrace.
Take the side street in Gordon Terrace to be closest to your preferred KB entrance. Probably personal preference as to whether you turn right on to Mayfield Road and left into KB or vice versa. I tend to turn left on to Mayfield Road and then use the right turn lane into KB.
An alternative would be to continue up Esslemont Road, but this is steep and use the toucan crossing at the top to get into KB, however families will be slow up this and there will be pressure to drop into single file, with potentially close passes, so I'd suggest the Gordon Terrace.
Happy to ride the options with you some time for a recce.
Robert
Posted 5 years ago # -
Is the South Suburban route still being used for anything?
Fair bit of freight.
What a disgraceful indictment this thread is.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I take the left at the top of Gilmerton Road and then take the right turn onto Gordon Terrace.
In theory right hand turns should be hard on that road, but I seem to cycle at just the right pace for the traffic light sequence to give me a big gap every time to move to middle of the road. (I'm quite fast though)
The junction from Bridgend farmhouse to Inch Park is a shocker and Inch Park has a surprising number of cars in (for a park). The trick is to ride at cars to make them slow down and move over to their left.
proper cycle lanes down Niddrie Mains Road and Peffermill Road would be amazingly useful..
Posted 5 years ago # -
The trick is to ride at cars to make them slow down and move over to their left.
Mibbes aye, mibbes naw.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Thanks for all the help - excellent as always.
Have left it 'til the last minute as usual as was thinking of doing this tomorrow, will have another look at the map tonight but might just stick with the 42 bus for now.
Posted 5 years ago # -
I'm chicken on the roads so I'd personally do as @paulmilne said and head south from the Meadows.
At the end of last year I watched from the bus as a forlorn child and parent on bikes tried desperately to cross from Bridgend. They gave up and pedalled the pavement towards Cameron Toll.
Posted 5 years ago # -
@urchaidh
Send up a smoke signal if you want a native guide.
Posted 5 years ago #
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