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Summer Solstice 2021 bike hike to The Covenanter’s Grave

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  1. gembo
    Member

    In 1666, Bloody Tam Dayell led the troops up the Kirkgate in Currie and over to Rullion Green where the Covenanters were routed.

    The surviving Covenanters dispersed throughout the Pentlands.

    The next day the Shepherd on Blacklaw above Dunsyre, Adam Sanderson buried one unknown Covenanter he had been tending gently to his end in sight of his native Ayrshire hills.Canmore Reference 49005.

    That reference is to the Gravestone. On the side of Blacklaw Hill. Adam Sanderson himself is buried in the graveyard at Dunsyre Kirk. His descendants I think lived on into the 19th century At least.

    The proposal is a cycle trip leaves Balerno around Summer a solstice. Date to be agreed, could be the nearest Saturday like the a ride to the sun event. The hope is we are able to ride as a group or at least as a loose collective of like minded travellers strung out along the Whang. The destination is Crosswood Reservoir. This can be found a little west of the B8005 road turn down to West Calder. Cycle a little beyond that turn maybe 100 metres. There is then a turn into a road that serves a small house whose owners perhaps have grown tired of cars in their drive and have put up signs. We can ignore these as we are cycling beyond them. Follow the road up past the farm, the imposing Laird’s House (maybe holiday residence now, we will find out) and continue on the road a little on the way up to Crosswood Reservoir, our route veers South and west from the road and the bikes will be locked at this point, reference to follow.

    We then walk in following the way pole markers. The grave is always further than you expect. Indeed when the second path joins from Tarbrax turn and the path becomes defined for a while do not get your hopes up. The southern half is easier and eventually you reach the gravestone which is a good spot for luncheon. There might be music and clothed dancing also,

    We then retrace our steps. This is easier with the sun behind you. On returning to our bikes we saddle up and cycle home. A long day but the wind will be a taiwind home, generally speaking.

    Dates, times references to follow.

    On a very clear day you can actually see some dim and distant Ayrshire Hills. Or you can tell yourself you can. As Adam and the dying Covenanter did.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  2. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Well with that level of route planning, historical and geographical detail I can hardly say no, can I?

    Should we not go to watch the sun dip below the horizon and sneak back up?

    Here is the Trundholm sun chariot.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  3. gembo
    Member

    If the weather is fair and we can bivvy on the Heather that is possible but we now stray into the tricky territory of declaring the solstice.

    According to the Old Farmers Almanac the sun reaches its highest point in the Northern Hemisphere at 11.32 pm on Sunday 20th June. So that is quite unhelpful and the Old Farmer is North American so that might be wrong or from a North American time zone of 11.32pm or maybe the old farmer runs on GMT?but would mean the RTTS would be Sat 19th into Sunday 20th and then there is the longest day.
    Sun rise to sun set on the Solstice.? UK sites presumably Greenwich gives start of Solstice as 04.31 Mon 21st June.

    So if we are having a festival, just hanging about, camping, whatever then probably Sunday into Monday, with options for returning Sunday even8ng?

    Or if just a cycle whichever day is nicer Sat or Sun?

    Posted 3 years ago #
  4. chdot
    Admin

    “just a cycle whichever day is nicer”

    Is that CCE policy??

    Posted 3 years ago #
  5. gembo
    Member

    Is it not universal? Check forecast take stab, if shocking retire to pub, return later?

    I was once forced to do some Munro Bagging in the Mamores in a blizzard which was stupid.

    In Mallorca there is a good shop in Puerto Pollensa called Pro Cycle Hire. Has a cafe attached.

    A couple of easters ago we were returning bikes at end of our trip, cycling up from Sineu in the middle of the island, was rough day, the waves coming over the road at Alcudia etc.

    The Guys and gals picking up their bikes sitting in the cafe despondently were super gloomy. No warm up ride to the Lighthouse that day, the whole holiday spoiled.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  6. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    The traditional way to set dates is for me to wave my hands in the air and for @steveo to decide and then we all agree on that date.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  7. chdot
    Admin

    “Check forecast“

    I find this is increasingly unreliable these days.

    Last week, looking a few days ahead, the big rain dump (northern England) was supposed to be on Thursday. Seems to have arrived a day early.

    Minor inconvenience for cycling, but must make planning for flooding more difficult.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  8. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @chdot

    Can we keep this thread on topic please?

    Posted 3 years ago #
  9. chdot
    Admin

    Dunno

    Ask gembo.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  10. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @gembo

    What is the actual topic here?

    Posted 3 years ago #
  11. gembo
    Member

    ‘Sake. Now you want an actual topic. Very picky these days old boy.

    Is a general theme on going cycling, checking forecast, looking out the window, getting the map, consulting the calendar for solstice/longest day.

    Possibly a peregrination around a topic?

    My professor of sociology wee Harvey once scored me high in an essay (70 per cent) given hiS SIDE bar comment half way through - Interesting to find the actual topic of this essay Gembo, here as one sentence IN PARENTHESES.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  12. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    There was none of that in chemistry. 'These atoms are correct.' 'These numbers are incorrect.' We had a professor (Evelyn Algernon Valentine his actual names) who a) had a double Cambridge first in chemistry and English and b) asked us to write essays comparing nitrogen to phosphorous but even now I am unsure why.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  13. fimm
    Member

    IWRATS nitrogen is vertically above phosphorus in the periodic table so it would be logical to compare and contrast the chemistry of the two.

    On topic, this sounds like an interesting expedition. Gembo, is the turn off the road at 051579 or 047571?

    Posted 3 years ago #
  14. gembo
    Member

    @fimm 0557 on the OS Explorer map of the Pentlands. A great map so the former grid ref.

    Basically heading west maybe 200 metres beyond the B7008 road to west Calder. Goes past three dwellings on way up to reservoir. Any turn off the A70 beyond that grid ref that will I think just go to a farm or the massive shepherds hut Craigengar that stood in for the highlands in the Xmas special of Two Doors Down, filmed one summer day in a Hoolie.

    You do see Craigengar the Massive Shepherds Hut sleeps 16 costs £2k to rent for week high season on the walk to The Covenaters Grave, from the rear.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  15. AKen
    Member

    I walked the route from Crosswood once. Take your wellies, or flippers - if you prefer.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  16. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @fimm

    Periodic acid is my favourite acid. (Meta, preferably but I'm not big on detail.)

    Posted 3 years ago #
  17. gembo
    Member

    @aken, it is not so bad at the moment as frozen. Also maybe one more time at summer solstice following long dry spell

    Posted 3 years ago #
  18. acsimpson
    Member

    timeanddate.com says the solstice occurs at 4.32am BST on the 21st of June. Although as sunrise (in Tarbrax) is only 4 minutes before that the sun will obviously not be at it's highest point in the sky.

    There's some more background and a map including what I think is gembo's route here: http://pentlandfriends.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Map.pdf

    Posted 3 years ago #
  19. gembo
    Member

    Yes route starts square D9 but shows the other southern Pentland tracks out of west Linton at North slipper field and indeed the Little Sparta route across the south west end that starts at the Poetry garden both these routes can be traversed by bicycle. Alas the descent from Cauldstane Slap down to carlops is not very bicycle friendly

    Posted 3 years ago #
  20. steveo
    Member

    Do you reckon any of route from crosswood reservoir is rideable?

    Not sure I'll be able to join, had a busy few weeks and I can't get a pass for a bit.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  21. gembo
    Member

    No not from Crosswood

    You can get over from Listonshiels and Borestane down to Carlops. Though that descent is rubbish,

    I am going up the red road then down East Side then swinging over to Eight Mile Birn than a mile on thenA702 then Ninemileburn back road the. Another half mile of a702 then Roman road from Carlops to Gowfie then the hydro road to the grave. Probably retrace this route home the next day as lot 9f the tracks look strong then fizzle out

    Posted 2 years ago #
  22. gembo
    Member

    Looks like the Rapha Gumball Pennies Rally left Gamma Transport Division yesterday and went up the WoL path to the Balerno route we have been recce-ing and swung south towards the drove roads.

    One rule encourages wild camping but only where legal

    Another rule was Leave No Trace.

    Rapha gave you the route and tracker and a croissant for £130

    Posted 2 years ago #
  23. chdot
    Admin

    VERY strung out

    https://live.opentracking.co.uk/rpr2021

    Posted 2 years ago #
  24. neddie
    Member

    What's happening? Can someone explain?

    Posted 2 years ago #
  25. chdot
    Admin

    This?

    https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/stories/the-pennine-rally

    Or

    Summer Solstice 2021 bike hike to The Covenanter’s Grave

    Or gembo?

    Posted 2 years ago #
  26. SRD
    Moderator

    i don't think the message got thru:

    "Five days may seem generous, but this is a rally not a race. Riders are encouraged to enter with the spirit of adventure in mind, not a fast finishing time. The going will be tough at points so you might travel slower than expected on some sections."

    Posted 2 years ago #
  27. amir
    Member

    No 24 has taken an interesting turn

    Posted 2 years ago #
  28. acsimpson
    Member

    They seem to have taken the turn on minor roads though which suggests they were still on their bike.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  29. chdot
    Admin

    Heading for the exit?

    Posted 2 years ago #
  30. acsimpson
    Member

    Seems to be heading back to the course now. He was in Gateshead an hour ago but he is now closer to Hexham.

    Posted 2 years ago #

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