CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

Re cycling in windy conditions - is the forth and clyde canal sheltered?

(6 posts)
  • Started 12 years ago by modaniel
  • Latest reply from Greenroofer

  1. modaniel
    Member

    Hi,

    I am going to be working at Heriot-Watt for the next few years and i am trying to decide where on the map between herriot and town to live and so i am thinking of the commute distance. My concern is that the wind will pick up in the winter and make the commute significantly harder. So my thought is, does cycling along the forth and clyde canal (e.g. between merchiston and hermiston) provide significant shelter from the wind or is there little difference when compared to cycling along the road i.e. along the a71 (calder rd)?

    cheers,
    Dan

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. Smudge
    Member

    Hi Dan,
    Heriot Watt is an easy cycle from pretty muc anywhere on the west of the town imho, cycling along the canal provides a little protection, but can be busy during the "rush" hour, so if you are a fast cyclist you may wish to choose an alternate route. Commonly we have a West wind so at least you'll get a tailwind for the run home :-) As to it being windier in the winter I'm not sure, it can be windy in Edinburgh at pretty much any time of year, but it's certainly rare for it to be too windy to cycle.
    Whereabouts are you coming from?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. modaniel
    Member

    Hi Smudge, when you say whereabouts you are coming from, if you are referring to the are in edinburgh that i will be cycling from, the answer is that i am considering the areas between herriot and town and trying to decide which one in terms of the commute to work and the distance to town. In terms of the wind i am trying to work out how much additional time to factor in when the wind picks up. in terms of the canal, and "rush hour", what times are these?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. Smudge
    Member

    I was mainly meaning do you live in Edinburgh now or somewhere comparable?
    I wouldn't personally worry too much about the extra time needed for the commute as even from the centre of town it's only about ten miles so the difference is likely to be measured in minutes rather than hours. As to the rush hour on the canal (btw, I think you mean the Union canal ;-)), I'll need to ask a local expert to help you out there as if I go that way I normally hit it about six in the morning and it's plenty quiet then lol

    My commute takes me from Haymarket up to Colinton and taking it pretty easy by road (easy enough not to need a shower/change!) that's about half an hour, if there is bad west wind it'll maybe add five minutes, so not a major drama. (That's going out Gorgie Road, Slateford Road and up the hill at Craiglockhart)

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. gembo
    Member

    @modaniel

    We are talking Union Canal - goes from Lochrin Basin to Falkirk where it meets the Forth and Clyde Canal (via a large wheel or lift). You come off it just before the hamlet of Hermiston then cycle through that hamlet to Heriot Watt. It is slightly sheltered from the wind except on the Slateford Aqueduct where signs tell you to dismount and push.

    the rush hour on the union canal towpath is 8-9. The traffic is all heading into town from the aqueduct east. If you joined the canal after the aqueduct at the lanark road you would not encounter traffic. If the towpath was wider you would be going against the flow but this is not really helpful as the path is not two lanes.

    THere are various lecturers and students at Heriot Watt I recognise from my commute into town as they are coming out. As the route is entirely flat you will never have the issue of cycling uphill into the wind. I would go with 12mph as a speed once you are beyond the aqueduct. If you stay in Colinton then it would be 30 minutes, if you stay in Polwarth then it would be more like 45 minuites as you would have the aqueduct and some traffic.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. Greenroofer
    Member

    I do this route every day. As people have already said, it's very rare indeed for the wind to make a huge difference to the time it takes: it's literally just an extra minute or two.

    In the morning, I travel the route westbound at 0730, and it's pretty quiet everywhere. I come back in the 'rush hour', but it's still not hugely busy.

    I'd agree that you should expect an average speed of about 12mph, particularly if you're coming from east of Craiglockhart.

    Posted 12 years ago #

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