Beyond Memory Lane

I finished my last post here saying "... I think may as well start writing about some cycling miles soon ...". I've recently purchased a new-to-me reconditioned Matts Merida hardtail from The Bike Station here in Edinburgh (great place, great people), I've got thoughts about mixed cycling-running expeditions in my future, but today is our first outing together and I've decided on an easy (i.e., slow, flat) route.

In October of last year I wrote about the route I used when I started running three years ago, my Memory Lane, mostly along the side of the Union Canal from the Lochrin Basin in Tollcross. I'm starting late morning (la grasse matinee, encore), on a lovely sunny Sunday morning, with a little roadwork and then onto the canal at the end of Memory Lane, then beyond. I've written about the next seven or so kilometres (coming in the opposite direction) early in January of this year. I'll not repeat today, so fast (or, not so fast) forward as I approach the Gogar Station Road bridge where I joined the canal on that day. Really, not so fast this morning, I'm taking it easy, and the musical distraction is chants of Om, I'm feeling very relaxed indeed. Not so fast is the best plan here this morning, the canal side is very crowded. There are lots of cyclists (most of those coming in the same direction overtake me), lots and lots of runners (some of those coming in the same direction overtake me), no doubt many training for EMF in a couple of months time, and very many walkers, it's always good to see folk getting outdoors on a fine morning.

Starting at the end of Memory Lane on a fine morning.

Approaching the Gogar Station Road bridge.

This section of the canal will take me to the village of Ratho. There are fine views over to the Pentland Hills on my left. The northernmost group are clear of snow at the moment, the higher hills wear delightful white caps. To my right, not so good, we have the M8 and traffic noise, it disturbs the peace of the Om. There are some folk here, not as many as the city section, the water is still and I enjoy the reflections. Soon I reach the Addiston Bridge, a kind of landmark for me because it means Ratho is close, but also because the asphalt ends for a while, the towpath becomes muddier, softer, a bit harder, slower, work on the bike. I'll have a good line of mud splatter up the middle of my back soon. The sky has clouded over, the wind had picked up a little but at least its to my tail, and we have light rain showers.

Fine views over the Pentland Hills on my left ...

... not so nice the noise of the motorway from my right.

The canal side quieter here, and liking the reflections in the still waters.

The Addiston Bridge, Ratho approaches, and the surface becomes softer, muddier.

Splish splash and Ratho is reached. I'll take a brief water stop here at the picnic area with the model of a horse pulling a barge. The Bridge Inn has a reputation for serving a good pint and excellent food. There are always barges moored on the canal. Not far along the towpath and the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena is above to my right. Apparently, "The World's Largest Indoor Climbing Arena". I've been there, it really is impressive. There's a good cafe as well, and I'm a bit tempted to be honest, but its a little early for lunch (breakfast was late for this old sleepy head) ... so, on with the pedal plod.

Brief stop at the picnic area in Ratho

The scenic Bridge Inn

Always like the colourful canal barges

The World's Largest Indoor Climbing Arena

The next section of canal side will take me to Lin's Mill Aquaduct. The scenes along the way are starting to become a little "same old, same old" ... canal, towpath, sometimes asphalt, sometimes stones and dirt, trees, bridges ... and then an amusing sight. There's a small side-channel and a little island in the canal, with a "castle", haha. Not a clue what is the story here, but gave me a bit of a chuckle. Soon the aquaduct comes into view. I've been here before when I ran around the Almondell and Calderwood parks in my Calder Canter in September of last year, and it feels good to be here again. There are no canoes on the water today to distract me from the views down to the River Almond crashing below. Looking toward the other side, the distorted reflections of railings in the water bring to mind zebra, and memories of a jolly jaunt up Corstorphine Hill nine or ten months ago. I've written about the next short section along the canal here before, so once again, I'll not repeat ... oh, wait ...

The castle on the island

Lin's Mill Aquaduct approaches

River Almond crashing around below to my right ...

... and to my left zebra hide distorted reflections of the railings.

I've not long passed the small town of Broxburn and looking out to the bings. There are thoughts of lunch, and that cafe at the climbing wall, they've been gnawing away at my mind for a wee while, and I'm hungry. Time to stop for a brief snack, the squashed energy bars are hiding somewhere in the bottom of my backpack, so a bit of a rummage. Good news, one squashed but edible energy bar found. Bad news, no bike lock present, I've left it at home. This kind of spikes two elements on my plan for the day. First: a cafe lunch stop, can't lock the bike. Hmm, could get away with that, wouldn't be the first time. Second: a train back to Edinburgh. I'm such a cycling virgin, I've never taken a bike on a train. I read the Scotrail terms and conditions and one point was very clear, the bike owner must lock the bike on the train. I've no idea what happens if you turn up without the lock. I'm not prepared to take a chance, I have to be home for tea-time. I must turn around here and back-track, ho hum, camera away and a bit of a down-hearted slog back

The turning point, looking at Broxburn and the bings.

I hated that slog back home, the only good thing was ticking off the landmarks for the second time, because it meant I was a little bit closer to done for the day. The wind, now into my face, seemed to showing a bit more muscle, but perhaps that was in the mind more than the air. My soaking wet feet were very cold, a bit frozen, there are "cyclists dismount" sections and the walking was more than uncomfortable. My hands were very cold, my fingers got a little bit frozen, operating the brake levers was ahem interesing. I got cold, I should have stopped and pulled on my jacket. I was just too focussed on getting this thing over and done with. I got a bit light-headed and a bit wobbly riding, and I was moving very slowly. One very sprightly walker overtook me. I lost track of time a bit, my garmin watch had run out of charge already, but at last I made the final turn onto our street. I was spent, I dismounted and pushed a couple of hundred metres, such a small distance, but such an effort. I arrived at the front door a shivering gibbering mess. My frozen fingers were unable to undo my helmet strap clasp or my shoelaces ... God bless Mrs, she removed the helmet, and the shoes, and the sodden socks, she wrapped my shivering body in a warm duvet, and fed me hot tea and toast.

So, in the end of the day, I rode 38.4 fairly flat kilometres in about four hours, the first half slow by design, and very pleasant, the last quarter slow by necessity, and very unpleasant. I need to make some adjustments to this bike, I have a very sore posterior (figure out the solution later, more padding perhaps), and such a sore neck (maybe raise the handlebars).

Enjoy!

Three Burns, a Castle, a Tunnel, a Loch, and a Beach

I've had a pleasant Sunday of mixed-terrain mixed-mode (walk/jog) exploring some paths unknown, and some known, around Edinburgh today. I did not arise early as planned, I was Mr Sleepy-Head this morning, for no particular reason. Around 10am I took my usual breakfast of raw vegetable soup and pulled on cold weather running kit and trail shoes. The plan is to catch the #4 bus heading toward Hillend and alight on the Biggar Road before crossing the city by-pass. I'm disorganised, and miss the intended bus by a couple of minutes, I can see it in the distance as I approach the bus stop. Sunday service, ah, I have a chiily half an hour to wait, oh well, never mind, a short jog to keep warm, and more than enough time to grab a cappucino and warm ham-cheese toastie from the petrol station as a bit of extra breakfast. The #4 arrives, eventually, and its nice and warm inside, about thirty minutes later I'm out at the stop opposite Swanston Avenue and waiting for the Garmin to sync up with the satellites.

I wait, and I wait, perhaps I'm impatient, I don't know, but this sometimes seems to take forever ... oh please hurry up Garmin ... looking around I can see an enticing strip of dirt through the trees on the other side of the wall here, and I noticed a gap in the wall about ten metres uphill from the stop, not part of the plan for today, but looks like there's a better plan already. Soon I am on muddy tracks around the farm fields and there are distinctive studmarks in the ground, methinks the Carnethies have been here recently. The rain and the wind have started, much more than forecast, a brief stop to pull on the jacket and get some directions advice from friendly horse grooming ladies. Turns out I will have a bit of a jacket-on jacket-off day today. There's an interesting looking, obviously old, stone built tower thing to the left. I should research what that's about some day, there doesn't seem to be anything marked on the OS Explorer here. I'm alongside the Swanston Burn (number one, in case you're counting) and noticing the fields here which in places are quite flooded. Good views to the hills only slightly marred by overhead electrical lines (anyone spot the scarecrow?). Reaching Broomhills, which turns out to be a small business park, I have before me about a mile of roadwork before I reach the Burdiehouse Burn (number two). Oh well, these two burns are one and the same water course, just the name changes. Anyway, time for a drink and divert into the bushes near the footbridge for a moment. Same time, rain stopped, sun is out, I'm getting warm, jacket off time.

Delightful dirt discovery

Muddy tracks beside the farm fields

Must find out more about this tower

Great views toward the hills 

Running along side the wee Swanston Burn

There's a lot of flooding on the fields

Footbridge over Burdiehouse Burn

The wee Burdiehouse Burn is pretty enough where the litter is light, but alas there are enough dead shopping trolleys and such here. There's a track of asphalt but plenty of opportunities to avoid the black stuff and I'm surprised to find a heron, startled by my footsteps it takes flight. I see catkins in the tree here, for the first time this year, spring will be with us soon, oh please hurry up and arrive, wonderful spring. Soon I've found more bona fide dirt in the charming Ellen's Glen, and then through Moredun Wood. Hmm, imagine speaking that name in the voice of Gandalf ... just a thought which came into my mind here.

Burdiehouse Burn

Heron takes flight

Catkins ... hurry up spring!

Nice dirt in Ellen's Glen ...

... what a little gem.

Mooorrreduun Woood ... watch out for orcs?

Right so, another mile or so of somewhat tedious roadwork through Moredunvale (Gandalf voice again) and Little France (strange name, come back to that later) but soon my feet have some relief as I stand at the edge of Craigmillar Castle Park. What's this in front of me? Some nice path across the earth and a wee bit of a hill, looks great, much much better than the sidewalks. And there's a reward, at the top, a castle! I had intended to visit, and a bit of a romp around the ramparts if its possible, but I've changed my mind, I want to press on along the dirt trails downward, and I'm really enjoying jogging down here through the trees letting gravity do the real work. This castle was the home of Mary Queen of Scots, her french servants lived in a small hamlet at the bottom of the hill, hence the name "Little France".

Craigmillar Castle Park, and relief from the asphalt

Cresting the hill, a castle, the home of Mary Queen of Scots

Descending on delightful dirt through the trees

The delightful dirt deposits me in Craigmillar and a short section of roadwork toward Duddingston brings me once more to the Innocent Railway Path. The last time I was here, I made right, toward the coast. Today I make left, back toward the city. More miles on the blacktop but now with a purpose, I want to go through the long old tunnel on the Innocent, leading toward St Leonards near Holyrood Park. To my right the bulk of Arthur's Seat, in my mad mind its teasing me, whispering to me "Lyndon, how do you feel today, are you strong, will you try to scamper up to my summit?", well no, thank you, I can't be bothered today. To the left there's some wetland enjoyed by the swans, and then the tunnel. Why do I find tunnels such a fascination? The end of the tunnel is an anti-climax in an area of boring modern housing, but after a wee bit of huff puff up a few flights of steps I'm happy back on the dirt heading into Holyrood Park.

Innocent Railway Path heading toward the city

Arthur's Seat looms above to the right ...

... and swans enjoy the wetlands to the left.

The famous Innocent tunnel is approached ...

... no need for a torch the tunnel is well lit.

More delicious dirt heading back into Holyrood Park

Time to decide time now, I'm not going up to the trig point, but I could ascend a bit more then run down through Hunter's Bog, or perhaps on the stony Radical Road underneath the crags, or take the easy option and just run down on the grass slopes. The rain has started again, its kinda heavy, the wind has picked up, and I'm getting cold ... its jacket on time again. I'm also feeling hungry, breakfasts were a long time ago, so excuse me while I get lazy and take the easy option ... very nice letting gravity do the hard work again at the moment. I leave the park, Holyrood Palace and the ruins of the Abbey to my left, as I head across
playing fields. This is such a familiar place, I used to live here on the edge of the park. I trot down one of the old roads of Edinburgh, called Clockmill Lane, under the main railway line and out onto the London Road near Meadowbank Stadium. Now, I really am hungry, and mostly I am thinking about my stomach, and wondering where to stop for lunch. Well, I had not planned this part of the excursion well, not at all. I'm passing the hated McDonald's on London Road ... hmm, backtrack, I never hated the McD as such, it was the boy racers revving the engines and blasting out the music late at night waking my infant son that I hated. Hang on a moment, McDonald's, that's a kind of food isn't it, and it will be warm inside, and I really need the toilet, I really really need ... ok, here I go, its alright, its an experiment ... chicken legend with mayo (hey, there was a bit of lettuce, must have been some protein and carbs, no fries for me) with a cappuccino, and it was warm, and there was a bathroom.

Gravity doing the work down the grassland

Passing Holyrood Palace and the ruins of the Abbey ...

... across the fields in search of lunch

Just a tiny bit of revitalised roadwork and then my next stretch of dirt through Lochend Park. The Loch here (there's your Loch) is nowadays a haven for wildfowl, swans, ducks, geese ... but long ago was the major water source for Leith. There's an old pump-house, and a long disused dovecot. From here I'm back onto old branch railway line cycle paths heading toward the coast. I'm not delighted with the graffiti but I do like the plaque on this 1900 bridge. Soon I leave the asphalt, the cycle path would take me to Leith Links, another excellent piece of grassland with some interesting history, but I'll turn right on the dirt and down steps which seem to be made from old railway sleepers ... very slippery in the wet at the moment ... by the old Eastern General Hospital buildings.

More good dirt in Lochend Park

The 'Loch' is a haven for wildfowl

The old dovecot

The old pumphouse, this 'Loch' was once the water source for Leith

Back on the old branch railway line cycle paths ...

... nice plaque, not so nice graffiti

Off the asphalt onto the dirt ...

... and down the slippery sleeper steps.

I'm in this part of Edinburgh now between Leith and Portobello, its not a pretty place. Lots of industrial/commercial, a sewage plant, a rubbish dumpcivic amenity siterecycling centre, but I am turning a blind eye because I know that soon I will be over the firm sand along the beach at Portobello, joy. There is freshwater running over the beach, an ahem river ahem crossing ... the dog walkers are picking their way through the water, I just charge through, I've got wet feet by now anyway. I knew this would be low tide, but I had not realised how low. The water is below the groynes, this is a super piece of luck, I can just plod along the sand without diverting or clambering. I can see the two towers of the power plant at Prestonpans, and the Law at North Berwick, in the distance. There are good paths to these places and fine coastal scenery, I must run along there one day. Portobello is a Victorian sea-side resort, as usual we witness the tackiness of amusement arcades, but some of the buildings (at least, in my eye) are beauties. One to mention is the red brick of the swimming pool, a very fine victorian bath-house and well recommended. In fact, this is my landmark today, I must leave the beach here and head along the roads for the next stage of my journey.

The beach approaches, yippee!

At last, firm sand, lovely underfoot

Unplanned stream crossing in the sand

Low low tide and the groynes are clear, excellent

Views to Prestonpans and North Berwick in the distance

The red brick of the Victorian bath-house

I've been a little intrigued by a short section of path on the city cycle maps marked as the "Christian Path", so I'm seeking that little stretch out now. Its more asphalt, alas, but I'm satisfied because there's a plaque providing a smidging more information. "This path once took you to Portobello Station, closed in 1964. It is named after Major Hugh Christian, Portobello Provost 1882 - 1888". Just a little more roadwork and the last stretch of dirt for today, and the end of the excursion, through perhaps amusingly named Figgate Burn Park (burn number three). There's another pond here, another wildfowl haven, and a troop of bright white swans in the foreground with Arthur's Seat in the distance. In places there are weeping willows without leaves, and I am imagining these sights in the spring and summer, oh hurry up and come along spring, please. The footpath climbs away from the burn, one last peek through the trees, and then up to the roads and the bus stop for the #4 to whisk me home - luckily a mere seven minutes to wait this time.

Christian Path

Yay! Some more grass in Figgate Burn Park

Another wee haven for the wildfowl

This will be an idyllic sight in leaf, come on spring

One last peek through the trees

That was a good long Sunday of walk/jog and exploring paths new and old to me around the city. So the Garmin says, 27.4km distance, ascent/descent 455m/560m (again, not altogether believing this part), time 4:18:35. The uphill today was almost all walking, the downhill was almost all jogging, the flat was mostly jogging before lunch, and mostly walking after lunch. Well, I think may as well start writing about some cycling miles soon ... I'll need to come up with a new name for this place.

Enjoy!