I cycled across the Forth Road Bridge and it was HORRIFIC (in a good way)

I attended the Spokes Bike Breakfast a couple of weeks ago and was sharp enough to be an early attendee. As the fifteenth person arriving, I grabbed myself a free copy of Spokes’ West Lothian map. I was armed with this useful navigation device when I decided to explore some of the quieter roads surrounding South Queensferry.

I started out well, planning on following the NCN1 out to the Forth Road Bridge. However, upon finding NCN1 at the old Cramond Brig I was informed via a large yellow sign that the cycle path was out of commission and I’d have to be re-routed along a diversion. I put faith in the signage (anyone who cycles regularly will know how much of a gamble that is!) and took the detour.

Dalmeny Estate

I was taken through the Dalmeny Estate via roads I hadn’t previously explored. One of the main bonuses, other than the gorgeous rural views, was the fact that this route wasn’t alongside a busy feeder road into Edinburgh.

I enjoyed several beautiful miles through the estate, with sheep and lambs to keep me company alongside the road, several pheasants and even a deer in one of the fields. Sadly, my poor iPhone wasn’t the best at capturing the deer moment so you’ll just have to take my word for it!

Upon leaving the Dalmeny Estate at the end of the diversion the signage didn’t help me out much. After consulting the Spokes map and a bit of help from a friendly driver, I figured out where I was supposed to be going. A quick right turn took me to Dalmeny where I found the NCN1 route signage again and followed it to the Forth Road Bridge.

The cycle path along the Forth Road Bridge

I was really looking forward to cycling over the bridge. This would be my first time over the famous Scottish suspension bridge and was excited to see it loom up ahead. I had previously cycled the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fran and thought it was an amazing experience.

But once I started it I got properly scared. The bridge encapsulates everything I am terrified of. I could feel the traffic’s vibrations. It was really bloody high up in the air. The bridge has an arc (obviously, it’s a suspension bridge), which stressed me out. There are Samaritans signs for people who are in distress, and that distressed me more. Worst of all, there are seams along the path with quarter inch spacing and I swear I could see the water below. Oh dear goodness me I was terrified. The wind whipped against me and I found it all quite awful  – even thinking about it now gies me the boak.

But I made it over.

Triumphant crap photo from Fife to Edinburgh!

Of course, the problem with my plan was that once I was over I had to come back. Bit of a flaw really, seeing as the Forth Road Bridge should actually be called the Bridge of Doom.

A quick Mars bar to give me some suger and calm my nerves and I made the return crossing. It wasn’t pretty (well, actually it was gorgeous but you know what I mean). I had to start talking to myself to get over without having a meltdown. Or maybe I did have a meltdown because I was talking to myself?

Bike was not fussed by Forth Road Bridge

There’s no denying the views were spectacular, but I was too scared to get off the bike and take any photos. I thought I might drop through the railings or be blown off the side or crash or be too nervous to get back on the bike again. Or the worst fate of all, lose my phone to the watery deep below me. So I didn’t stop.

In a nutshell I crossed the bridge and almost immediately came back. It was windy and terrifying. But good views when I could bear to tear my eyes away from the path, so silver linings and that.

Still scarred and sweating from my bridge adventure (disaster), I decided to do a loop rather than a linear route so came back to the city by way of Kirkliston. This little place has many, many new houses; I was impressed by the sheer number of them. I took a right turn in the village and ended up back on quiet rural roads. No sodding suspension bridges to navigate here! Bliss.

Farmland between Kirkliston and Cramond

Being in exploration mode I took a little turn off the route and ended up at the back of the airport, which was a dead end. So I had to come back again, but not before taking a photo of the river Almond. Ooh, so pretty.

Standing on a regular stone bridge at the River Almond

The woods around the airport

The rural roads were practically empty. There was hardly anyone about, and on a sunny evening in summer I couldn’t imagine many better things to be doing with my time.

Rural roads like this a stone’s throw from the city

The loop took me about three hours in total and was about 27 miles. I would have been quicker if I’d had any idea about where I was going. And of course that stupid bridge didn’t help what with me freezing up in fear and pedalling like the walking dead.

Here’s the route I took. I suspect there are better options for riders as I did take a busy road into Kirkliston, but the majority of it was very quiet and lovely. If you have an issue with heights, falling off high things, vertigo, a watery death or are generally risk averse to batshit crazy things to do, feel free to avoid the bridge if you want.

Happy cycling selfie in the sun

There is nothing better than exploring the world around you on the bike. Especially in summer! If you have any route suggestions for me in this area please do let me know – excluding the bridge. I won’t be doing that solo again any time soon! 🙂

A stunning cycle to South Queensferry

I’ve been out and about on my bike quite a bit these last few weeks. I’ve been out to East Lothian to do a fabulous route around farmland and quiet rural roads with the Belles on Bikes, looped down to Portobello and up to Morningside and been pootling down my regular paths around Roseburn, Drylaw, Corstorphine, Trinity and Davidson’s Mains.

Suffice to say there’s been plenty pedalling. Sadly, not so many photos. Being conscious of a lack of updates, I thought I would share a gorgeous route I did in November out to South Queensferry, complete with photies. This is a really good one.

It’s another road-free lovely, especially if you’re starting in the west of the city like me. Much of the north section of the ever-wonderful Innertube links to NCN 1 and 76, which is what you want to get onto for this cycle. So whatever way you choose, get your bike down to Cramond. I did it via the cut through path at the back of Barnton.

There’s a wee side street off the main road at Cramond, following NCN 1 and 76. Incredibly, there are Shetland ponies in a field, in Cramond, in the city, in Edinburgh. I had no idea these guys were even here and I only live up the road!

Past the ponies there’s a stone bridge crossing the River Almond. It’s well worth stopping to take in the sound of the river and the views. It feels like Hobbiton. Very beautiful indeed, and it was doubly pretty with all the autumn colours in the trees on my last jaunt.

After the bridge, NCN 1 and 76 diverge. You pass the Cramond Brig, go through a wee metal gate and the NCN 76 is all yours. This route takes you through farmland to the Dalmeny Estate and eventually out into South Queensferry and it’s really quite a stunner.

It’s about 8 miles in total one way, mostly on unmade road or unmade path so ideal for the MTB, cyclocross or hybrid bike, but your skinny road tyres will definitely not appreciate the terrain! Also, as an added bonus, when I did the route I didn’t see a single car.

After a couple of miles the route takes you through the Dalmeny Estate. By this time you’ll be able to see the Forth estuary, with the bridges peeking out now and again. The coast is juxtaposed by manicured lawns and plenty of woodland, with the estate’s house quite the impressive sight.

The route continues to be reasonably well sign-posted through woodlands and muddyish path, and you hug the coast until eventually coming out almost on top of the Forth Bridge!

 

There are loads of places in South Queenferry to load up on tea and cake. There’s bike parking on the main street, with Sheffield stands to keep your trusty steed safe while you scoff. Ideal!

I believe there are a lot of routes from South Queensferry over the Forth Road Bridge and into Fife. So far I haven’t ventured across the bridge yet, but that is up for exploring now that spring is here. I will definitely do it when it’s not too windy!

If you fancy having a go at this cycle I’ve mapped the route for you starting from west Edinburgh, but you can add your own route in front to stretch it further. Check it out. It’s very easy, hardly any gradient and bursting full of views and perfect spots for picnics and pit stops. I heartily recommend it! 🙂

A glimpse of Edinburgh’s many faces by bike path

Glorious weather in winter is reasonably rare in Edinburgh. We’re much more accustomed to driving rain, wind and the occasional dump of snow. So when I tweaked the curtains this morning to see the city squinting from solid, unrelenting sunshine there was only one thing to do. Go for a ride.

I plotted out a route with my trusty SPOKES Edinburgh cycle map (well worth the six quid price tag!) and set out in the late morning with a belly full of porridge and tea.

Starting at the Union Canal, I pootled along the towpath. There were loads of other folk out enjoying the weather, so the going was slow but idyllic. Anyway, the towpath is hardly the place to be tearing along at a rate of knots and is the perfect route to soak up the urban scenery. The house boats at Harrison Park are a particular highlight.

You can stop here at the Zazau house boat for a cuppa and cake.

The boat house at Harrison Park, a local landmark.

Just past Longstone there’s a bridge connecting to the Water of Leith path that will eventually take you to Balerno. No cars, no junctions, no nonsense. Just straight up and over to the path.

The view back to the canal from the bridge. You’d hardly think you were in a city!

I took the Water of Leith path up along the river, which was gurgling away in the sunshine quite the thing. There are a few paths and such that lead off the route, so still plenty to explore there for another day. Then there’s a fabulous railway tunnel, dark and exciting and echoey and old.

Light at the end of the tunnel.

Just after the tunnel there’s a tiny wee pothole-laden road that takes you over another bridge and into Colinton. One right-turn onto Redford Road and then there’s another tucked away path that you’d go right past if you didn’t know it was there.

This took me through a part of the city I am very unfamiliar with and I got lost several times. In true tourist fashion I had to whip out my trusty map and make sure I was on the right track. Essentially, you follow the Braid Burn through Colinton Mains Park, then the Braidburn Valley Park and out into Greenbank. It’s all path the whole way. No traffic. Yippee!

Then on to the Hermitage of Braid. I only recently discovered the Hermitage and what a revelation it was. The route through makes you feel like you are in the middle of the wooded countryside, with a babbling burn and trees stretching to the sky. But you’re still in the city.

Beautiful burn in the sunshine.

Stately homes since gifted to Edinburgh are plentiful on this route. One example in the Hermitage of Braid.

The Hermitage takes you out to the back of Blackford. As a west-of-the-city girl my knowledge of the south is pretty poor. Even so, you don’t expect to see a huge tract of farmland and fields. So many different views and landscapes and less than halfway around the route. Edinburgh really is an amazing place.

This is still the city. Just behind Blackford, on Blackford Glen Road.

A quick traffic-light-controlled junction later and I was back on path again, taking a gander through Inch Park and then up past Craigmillar Castle (sadly you can’t see it from the path). The views were stunning, so I tried my best to take a snap with my iPhone. But it doesn’t really capture the vista to be honest.

Look at my stunning city!

I followed the path to its conclusion, took a right and (again all completely away from traffic) made my way down to the Brunstane burn to encounter more fields and countryside and wilderness… But still in the city.

This is an older photo of me on the same path. All the same fields and stuff!

Next stop was Portobello, where I filled up on lunch and had a cup of tea. Of course, after seeing extinct volcanoes, giant trees, rivers and burns, parks and fields I would have to take a snap of the beach.

Sun, sand and no sangria. But copious cups of tea in Portobello.

There was more path involved to leave Portobello and eventually come out at Granton. Path, path, path with only a small piece of road to negotiate before getting onto, yep you guessed it, path. You hug the coast all the way along to Cramond. It was glorious because of the views across the waters. Depending on where you are along the route, you can also see the Forth bridges in the distance.

What a great view to Fife from Edinburgh.

The beach on the way to Cramond.

A wiggle through Barton via more path and residential streets and I eventually made it home, one fantastic Edinburgh adventure under my belt. Thank you so much lovely, glorious bike!

The trusty steed triumphs again.

So there you have it. One 27 mile route from the Union Canal down to Cramond, taking in pretty much every type of environment or view you can think of. Desert and mountain didn’t feature, but a whole range of other sights did. Aren’t Edinburgh cyclists spoiled for some beautiful views?

Here is the route mapped. Try some of it for yourself.

It’s almost entirely off main roads. All those stunning views with no cars, no traffic, no impatient drivers or jams or engines revving. Absolute bliss for a pootler like myself. I’d say about 5% needs to be negotiated with a regular flow of traffic – namely Seaview Terrace (Porty), Lower Granton Road and Redford Road.

Route Pros

• Views and a big range of environments
• No major hills or exhausting climbs
• Very little traffic to deal with
• Never far from help in case of mechanical disaster
• Did I mention the views?

Route cons

• Very busy with dogs (sorry dog owners, but I fear dogs off the lead as they are unpredictable)
• Route is quite muddy in places – not suitable for skinny tyres

Have you done any of this Edinburgh route? Got any favourite parts? Let me know in the comments 🙂