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not resolvedI'm planning on nipping over tomorrow to catch a Fringe performance on the Royal Mile at 6pm. Weather tomorrow looks OK, so I'm planning on cycling across straight from work (Faslane). This'll bring me in higher than normal - can I pick the collective brain for routes in from Falkirk?
Any of the cycle routes (754 or 1, going by cyclestreets) capable of consistent speeds around 25kph, or are they shared use/busy/muddy?
Cheers!
I'm not too familiar with the route - but 754 is the canal, so I would avoid this in Edinburgh as it'll be really busy with other cyclists, dog walkers etc. I'm not sure how busy or what condition the canal path is west of Ratho, but I'd imagine it's a lot quieter at least.
I come in to town from the airport every evening, and just take the main road through Corstorphine, Murrayfield etc. On a decent path as far as Maybury (I cross over at the west end of the Gogar roundabout) It's surprisingly quiet except through Corstorphine itself. The west end is a nightmare though, badly potholed and narrow streets.
Bits of the canal path between Ratho and Linlithgow are muddy. The tarmac only starts quite near Edinburgh*. The road from Linlithgow through Kirkliston to Edinburgh is fine for weekend cycling, I can't comment about weekdays. From Kirkliston head to Crammod Brig and the railway path. I don't know about west of Linlithgow.
*I have mixed feelings about the tarmacing of the canal path, as it makes it a harder surface to run on, although a better cycling surface, and I personally want to run along the canal path and not cycle on it (see much discussion elsewhere...). Obviously the world should revolve around me ;-)
Darksider, are you travelling by conventional bicycle or have had your trike repaired? Some of the canal bridges would be (I think) worryingly narrow for a wider vehicle.
I'm only a two wheeled low down chap, so narrowness isn't a problem (and yes, it's happily back on the road!)
Main roads it is, I think.
I'd head to Bo'ness, along the coast path through Hopeton House, onto South Queensferry, then along the number 1 route to Cramond Brig, then follow Route 1 through Barnton and Silverknowes along the path to Craigleith, then in on Queenferry Road into town over Dean Bridge. I'll try and get a route for you to click on.
Dave C
Edit, http://edinburgh.cyclestreets.net/journey/3395354/
Click on the Green Quietest route, but at Craigleith (in Edin) leave the path and head into town on Queensferry road).
Thanks Dave - the route doesn't display at work (archaic IT...) but I'll look when I get home
The path through Hopetoun House is quite slow and rough isn't it? I did it a couple of months ago, after a loop over the Forth Bridge and Kincardine...it was pretty demoralising following the fairly pleasant journey on quite country roads.
If anyone happens to be around after 6.30ish I'll probably be sourcing some kind of food and company is welcomed!
I would have loved to have joined you tonight, but I've unusually got other plans this evening - family commitments mean I need to go home at 1830, having come in early for PY...
Enjoy the show!
Robert
Ha! Turns out the main issue was with my route closer to home. Ended up beating along an utterly unused track, lifting over rust-seized gates, wading through a moderately large stream due to a collapsed bridge and generally having a great time
It does mean that I'm now on the train from Falkirk however.
That route looked to start near Rhu which is quite far from Edinburgh
I'm too late now, but for the benefit of others in the future, here's what I have found.
A couple of months back, I went from Edinburgh to the Falkirk wheel. I decided to get there on the canal path. It is excellent until you are outside Edinburgh, after which it is truly a nightmare. Note that I took my MTB not my roadie, because I suspected the path wasn't going to be smooth. And it wasn't. It was also littered with people and dogs, and the path was so thin, you couldn't get past them. Also, you cannot go more than 10mph ever, and even when you got to that pace, you had to slow down again (for people and dogs, which is fair enough, but the thinness of the path just slows you down). Frustrating, and arse painful due to the surface.
I came back on the roads. Fractionally less distance, and vastly faster. I took the direct route - Falkirk, Linlithgow, Winchburgh, Kirkliston, Cramond. I think it was the a803 and b9080 mainly.
I will never again take the canal west of gogarburn on a bike. Good for running, though.
Wicked, no shame in getting the train from Falkirk, that's a tidy run!
I hadn't thought of a coast to coast run before, that could be a fun day out :)
As to the canal path, Falkirk to Colinton by road is 20-27miles dependent on route, by canal it's 30 miles plus, fine, indeed very pleasant if you're not in a hurry and have a nice comfy Brooks, but a (literal) pita otherwise.
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