@PS & Steveo - I've been along Peniel Place before and it worked OK for me to link into the Bathgate Alps. Route here:
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
Bathgate Alps
(71 posts)-
Posted 8 years ago #
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@murun, yes, nice one, I know a f w folk who have that one and cycle on islay
Posted 8 years ago # -
Did the peniel place route today, there is very big puddle at the start. Bikes can get through it but it is deep. Niddry castle seemed less ruined from this angle. Some nice quiet roads, smooth, and some shelter from vicious wind.
Posted 8 years ago # -
ressurectify :)
Anyone recom. good coffee / snack places in around this area, am planning a route over either sat (windy!) or sun (more likley) if my bike build goes ok....
Ta.!
Posted 6 years ago # -
So Strawberry in Linlithgow is pretty good for cakes, scones and breakfast rolls, and coffee of course.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Oh and @rider73 - you might be interested to search for 'Forth Bay Wheelers' on facebook - it could mean you have the option of riding companions from DB on Sunday mornings. It's an informal group and we only get out occasionally as a group, but it's good to see new faces.
Posted 6 years ago # -
thanks @panyaqua - i'll look them up on FB and see :)
if not might see some out Sunday and of course at So Strawberry with scones in hand :)
Posted 6 years ago # -
Cupcakes just west of torphicen is where we go if not in linlithgow
Posted 6 years ago # -
Trying scones at said cafe. Tootle ride with no alps for me today as man flu has returned...ugh... Stunner of a day or there...
Posted 6 years ago # -
Was in said cafe 10.30a.m. Certain scoundrel owner of very specific bike shop also there with cronies three cours meals extra coffee not much cycling by the look
Posted 6 years ago # -
must have missed each other by 5 mins, max, may have waved to you as i headed back to FRB along the B road out of L/lgow.??
Posted 6 years ago # -
We went east from torphicen along the ridge below cairnpapple passing group of three men cycling together. We did have to numerous singletons too.
Posted 6 years ago # -
An unusually large detachment of five Forth Bay Wheelers rode out yesterday from the Bay along to Kincardine Bridge and over to Linlithgow. I had push on without coffee as needed to get home for 12 ish, but the other four were in So Strawberry from about 11. Beautiful day with cyclists everywhere.
Posted 6 years ago # -
...there seems to be plenty of coffee options in linlithgo! :)
Posted 6 years ago # -
...so i'd only planned to go to the coffee shop in Lyn. today, but i felt so good and without a cough i went south at winchburgh, then west along the very long road taking in :-
FAUCHELDEAN
OCHILTREE
HILLHOUSE HILL
and down LINLITHGOW'S PRESTON ROADas a first time Bathgater - these roads and hills were stunning - still some colour on the trees and sun on the face.....
some icy patches around Hillhouse though :-/after dropping into Lyn and then back east along the B road to FRB my lurgy had returned a bit, so cruised back thinking of bacon butties back at the flat.
thankfully post shower/lunch/coffee the chest is still clearwill have to return to these Alps more - although i'm guessing they will get // retain black ice through the winter???
Posted 6 years ago # -
although i'm guessing they will get // retain black ice through the winter???
The roads do get icy after a hard frost, but I haven't found that to be so common as to prevent me heading out that way. I tend not to go out on my bike if there is a reasonable risk of ice and I still get a lot of Bathgate Alps rides in over the winter.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@rider73 we went along the road you describe in the other direction today around 11a.m. We had been in the newish cafe anth beecraigs visitor centre. Very nice. Before that we had very gingerly come down from cairnpapple lot of melting ice on the road and then in a particular dip a frost pocket at tricky spot but taken slowly was fine.
Nowhere near as much ice in the Alps today as there was around the five sisters Bings or the back road from Balerno through the hamlet of Glenbrook. Given the state of these roads prior to the Alps we approached with trepidation but seems to have been a drier night up there than down in the valleys of west Lothain.
You could see the Bass Rock from the cafe at Beecraigs, somclear was the mornng.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@rider73 the next road to the south of the one you were on (goes past Binny Craig etc) is even better. Together they make an excellent loop.
Posted 6 years ago # -
that @marun - will add it to the next ride :) :)
Posted 6 years ago # -
West bunny decent is a great we schlep
Posted 6 years ago # -
last second decision to head to the Alps today -- and was not as enjoyable as last time, not the Alps fault.....
straight out the box my rear mech was playing up and could not get all my gears, jumping around too....plus for some really bizarre reason that i've never had before, my right foot at the base was tingling and really uncomfortable....felt in a grumpy mood ! :-/anyway route wise - took @Murun advice and went along southerly road from Winchburgh to West Binnie into the wind , Chapel hill, right onto Bangour Hill, the Johns Hill, Wall of Wairdlaw (excellent climb and views!) - stopped at 11.11am then down to the north side and turn back on myself to take in Hay Hill - during all this my gears and my general lazy legs feeling i decided to turn around and head into Linlithgo (which was busy today!) and speed along the B road back to Dalgety Bay via FRB
some sections were frosty and icy, rear end stepped out a few time no a descent :( and some places were covered in mud from farm fields .
not too many riders around, yellow and black club colours for 2 riders, and a couple of others about .
Posted 6 years ago # -
Yellow and black colours will be west Lothian Clarion. If you shout Boots at them they are supposed to reply Spurs, though some do not seem to do this despite it remaining Clarion UK rules. Dates as many may already know to when The Clarion (leftist newspaper) was delivered by horse. the Clarion is still the largest cycle club in the UK (amalgamation of all the smaller clarion a around the country). Though ERC might give them a run for their money these days?
Posted 6 years ago # -
Winter evening can be well spent plotting adventures.
Someone in West Lothian Clarion has mapped the 27 climbs of the Bathgate Alps. (They even went as far as producing a T-shirt with them all on).
So after a bit of topology I came up with a 100miler from Cramond Brig to tackle them all.
Any one fancy it? https://www.strava.com/routes/16653830
All the Bathgate Alps by HankChief, on FlickrAnd for those who want to practice, here are the 1st & 2nd halves
(I have vaguely agreed the 25th August to tackle this with the Cramond & Cammo Cycling Club but I'm wondering about a reconnaissance mission before then)
Posted 5 years ago # -
Crackers. Absolutely crackers.
I'm in.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Oooooft I know all the climbs and have done as many as four of them in the same ride.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Good piece of Strava art there. We shall call it The Wonky Turtle.
Posted 5 years ago # -
What sort of turtles have you been seeing?
Posted 5 years ago # -
Hi HankChief, I would be interested in doing this at some point
Posted 5 years ago # -
Turtle?
There's an electron microscope image of a sperm bursting on entering an egg somewhere but I can't find it. That is the image we need.
Posted 5 years ago #
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