Does anyone do it?
My wife and I are considering moving out to the Wilds of West Lothian and I'm rather terrified by the costs of a Train Season Ticket. Does anyone do the ride from Linlithgow to Edinburgh on a regular basis - any suggestions?
Cheers,
D
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
Commuting Linlithgow - Edinburgh
(15 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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Canal is doable. Proper surface near Ratho. Can be muddy beyond Ratho. In ice would need some spikes on frontntyre. Not fast. Depends where in Edinburgh you are heading.
I think there was a thread before about road routes and places to drive to, park and then cycle?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Of course it depends partly on exactly where you start and finish, and how much you 'like' traffic.
The 'obvious' answer is the canal, but wouldn't be particularly quick.
Have a play with http://linlithgow.cyclestreets.net/journey/10437631
The good thing is that you wouldn't have to do it every day, so even starting one day a week would save a bit of money.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Weirdly, didn't think of the canal as an option.
I'm coming from the east end of Princes Street, so it's probably close to a 90 minute ride each way. I'd love to think I could do it properly, maybe 3 days a week, but don't know how realistic that would be. I'm slack enough about riding into work at the moment as it is, with a 2 mile journey.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Try out the canal then on your possible commuting route on the weekend to see if you like it. Some folk hate all the bridges and gates. A hybrid with 700x30 tyres would be fine. You can come off the canal at various places e.g. Cultins Road and use road / stenhouse path for instance if you are rushing but nearing school opening times, the canal is congested after aqueduct. Some folk do it one way and train back. Etc. If the bug gets to you and you end up doing it all the time you will need a bright front light, but dip it down to left of course.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I've done the commute from Broxburn into Edinburgh a good few times (by the A8 cycle path, Corstorphine, Russell Road etc), which is generally great on the way in with a tailwind but can be something close to agonising on the way back. There's a fine line between invigorating and exhausting....
Sounds very much like a good reason to get another bike. My wife will be delighted.Posted 11 years ago # -
You may have to ride a slower pace on the canal, but there aren't any lights or junctions to stop and wait at. So for the city section at least, the canal is often quicker than the roads.
Plus it is perfectly flat, so you'll have more energy to spend going a wee bit faster elsewhere
Posted 11 years ago # -
IMO forget all about the canal, it's fine in town, but takes a massively circuitous route, about 5 to 10 miles extra to Falkirk(!) Also part way to Linlithgow there is a 5 mile+ stretch of rough surface which was extremely unpleasant on a Long Haul Trucker with a sprung Brooks, it would be purgatory on a skinny tyred hybrid.
It's a fine route for a leisurely tour with no time constraints, it's a complete red herring as a regular commuting route once you're past Ratho.Posted 11 years ago # -
Guy at my work (Gyle) does it on a road bike 3 or 4 days a week. He comes by roads, although I'm not entirely sure which ones, think he swings through Kirkliston then down to Newbridge and then along A8.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Makes a lot more sense, some cheeky hills (to someone as slow/weak as me at least!) but a lot, lot faster and less frustrating. Falkirk to Edin can be done sensibly in two hours by road, I'd expect to take *at least* three going by the canal and to me that's not a viable length of time to spend riding before & after a days work.
Ten journey flexi-passes are convenient and cheaper than filling your car with diesel, though in the summer I suspect bike spaces may become scarce as the number of people commuting by bike & rail seems to be rising all the time. Of course Scotfail *could* provide more spaces in response to the increased demand...Posted 11 years ago # -
I wouldn't recommend the canal myself. The path surface outside Edinburgh is terrible and it takes longer than the road route due both to it being longer and the fact you constantly have to slow down for walkers.
The road option is fine until you get to the road between Kirkliston and Cramond, which is very scary. That said, if you're heading to Princes Street, you might go from Kirkliston up to the Airport road, on which you can ride on the pavement. Ultimately, do anything you can to avoid Kirkliston to Cramond on the road.
The wind is the biggest factor, tbh. You generally get a tailwind heading East, therefore going from Edinburgh to Linlithgow is a real struggle if the wind is over 10mph. There's a guy at my work who is really fit and he cycles the 20 miles from Linlithgow to Edinburgh pretty much every day, but constantly gets the train back (with his bike) because of the headwind going back to Linlithgow.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I moved to Linlithgow about 2 months ago and working in the Dean area of Edinburgh have finally found the perfect route:
17 miles each way
Lithgae to Edinburgh usually about an hour or just over
Edinburgh to Lithgae about 1 hr 20 minsI have only been cycling this route for 2 weeks now but really enjoying it.
I'm 48yrs and ride a hybrid
the route is Lithgae to Winchburgh and on through Kirkliston and once through take the left road to Cramond until you meet the main road where you can join the cycle path route 1.
My route has 3 sets of traffic lights not counting pelican crossings.
But anyway the route is very doable as I'm not fit although am a keen cyclist
Posted 11 years ago # -
Welcome
Don't know if this applies to you -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3860
Hope you'll keep posting about things that interest you.
Wildlife? -
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643
Might have some suggestions for this -
Posted 11 years ago # -
But anyway the route is very doable as I'm not fit although am a keen cyclist
You're fit enough if you're doing that distance - good effort!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Yeah I was going to suggest going via Winchburgh. Then either continue on via Kirkliston, otherwise there are a couple of possibilities: turn right down to Broxburn and pick up the shared use path down the A89/A8, or take the second right and go via Niddry castle, then right again down the narrow road past the railway which emerges just after Broxburn, again take the A89/A8 path.
Posted 11 years ago #
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