So - at a loose end today and the sun shone fair with almost no wind. Bike ride it is.
Its a loop I do now and then but I decided to try it the other way today. I'm a rebel me ๐
So off out into east Lothian from Leith via the coast so along Porty prom
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5491778161_60d9b51046.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5491778161_60d9b51046.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/5491778161/ ]01 Porty Prom[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr
and past the ash lagoons
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5294/5492377572_09d4b5fd09.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5294/5492377572_09d4b5fd09.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/5492377572/ ]03 ash lagoons[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr
and along the odd concrete thingy on the Cockenzie foreshore
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5491785875_ac3762e754.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5491785875_ac3762e754.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/5491785875/ ]04 cockenzie shore[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr
Along to Longniddry and onto the old railway in the direction of haddinton and then to Butterdean woods
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5491802371_37aa318fcf.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5491802371_37aa318fcf.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/5491802371/ ]08 butterdean woods[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr
and winton woods
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5491808135_5df485a355.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5491808135_5df485a355.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/5491808135/ ]09 Winton woods[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr
to the pencaitland railway walk. I missed the small bit of woodland with the shore in it. I will have to have another look next time.
Cut down the hill thru Elphinstone and Carberry estate and on to the River Esk
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5215/5491816015_6307839644.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5215/5491816015_6307839644.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/5491816015/ ]11 river esk[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr
Down to the shoreline and back home again.
Around 40 miles, only a few hundred feet of climb, 4 hrs ride time.
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5213/5492412394_c40d534010.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5213/5492412394_c40d534010.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/5492412394/ ]12 east lothian route[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr
The main loop is 25 miles, two different routes in and out of the city at least posssible - along tyhe shore or down the innocent railway. It would also be easy to use the railway to or From longniddry to get the milage down for a night ride.
Only a couple of miles of road in total and all the riding is easy - even the bits of singletrack have easier options.
A grand day out
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/sets/72157626056980505/show/ ]A few more pics[/url]
Looks like a nice ride and a good day for a bike ride.
When i started riding a mountain bike in early 90's, i thought that sort of ride [i]was[/i] mountain biking! Looks lovely. ๐
I was off work testing helmet chin guards, you should have dropped in.
You should have popped in for coffee... we're opposite the lagoons....
i've kissed a girl from Longniddry
Sorry RD but there are no girls in Longniddry, take it it was dark and you'd had a few?
I take it you have experience GW?
loads! what would you like to be taught now? ๐
You taught me something before โ
Avoiding Longniddry munters please!
TJ - that looks like you had a fab day for it!
Lucky sod - I was stuck in an office all day ... ๐
Lovely day to [i]flounce[/i] about on a bike for a while! ๐
I meant to put that as another alternative title..
"TJ flounces around East Lothian"
๐
Looks lovely tj. Lucky bugger on a great blue sky day!
Do you think that route would be doable for a midsummer Wednesday evening group ride?
took me over 4 hrs but you could loose ten miles by getting the train back from longniddry or driving out to musselburgh
Looks nice. We had grey clouds until about 4pm.
When i started riding a mountain bike in early 90's, i thought that sort of ride was mountain biking!
It isn't??
๐ฏ
GW - MemberSorry RD but there are no girls in Longniddry, take it it was dark and you'd had a few?
ma folks moved there when i was Ni Ni Ni Ni 19 and have to say there was alot of [s]dirty[/s] nice woman there back then...though i didnt have a "helmet" cam then ๐
oh nice route!
Looks like you could do it on a road bike. No offence like.
Jeez Al. Give it a rest. Seriously. It's not all mortal combat you know. Just folks sharing nice stuff!
I took that as a comment about it being "mountain biking" (and in relation to Elfs comment too). Nowt nasty. TJ would probably agree as we were discussing "what constitutes mountain biking" only a couple of weeks ago.couldashouldawoulda - Member
Jeez Al. Give it a rest. Seriously. It's not all mortal combat you know. Just folks sharing nice stuff!
I took that as a comment about it being "mountain biking"
Fair nfuff! I'm lost now as to where the bitching starts and finishes.
Pure road bike would be slow in places but cx no problem at all. I'd like tyres at least an inch wide ๐
Its rides like this that led me to ask "what is mountainbiking?"
if you are not on road and on amountain bike then it is mountain biking. However if that was all you rode it would no longer be mountain biking
HTH
Between today and yesterdays rides I pretty much did the same route TJ. Add In Saltoun woods and the Kinchie trail (best In East Lothian) , Hence the reason I wanted to ride In from Tranent to Edinburgh tommorow. The good weather Is set to last till next week so Enjoy.
My Dad lives in Saltoun Hall. Get orf my (dad's) laaaand ๐
Seriously though (he does) and I keep meaning to take the bike down to visit. Not landed gentry BTW, just a modestly sized apartment in the hall.
Looks like a cracking day out and a good ride BTW!!
nice day out, bike riding shocker!
I thought about doing that today, Kev.
Fortunately, sanity kicked in, and I din't.
T'was close though. ๐ฏ
Good pictures of a nice day out and I like the inclusion of a map too.
This is my style of mountain biking. Linking up lanes, bridleways and tracks to actually [i]go[/i] somewhere.
druidh has it. You'd be surprised what you can ride on 23mm slicks, I don't think TJ has any tho.
I like tyres mostly 25mm wide too...even on my road bikes ๐
Fair nfuff ! I 'm lost now as to where the bitching starts and finishes
So is TJ.
it's a hybrid ride with cx tyres imo, like one of these, 32mm tyre FTW
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5218/5459498300_9ca330ab04_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5218/5459498300_9ca330ab04_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rocketdog/5459498300/ ]commuter[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/rocketdog/ ]rOcKeTdOgUk[/url], on Flickr
Looks good, can't go wrong with a bit of sea and woods... Did you take you rucksac? ๐
(And it's definitely mountain biking, even if no mountains were in evidence!)
i like the porty prom & cockenzie photo's
What were you riding TJ?
What was I riding - a mountainbike complete with 2.2 tyres and pikes
Cynic al - please sod off. You are as funny as herpes with your "hilarious" digs at me all the time.
noice. i quite fancy doing this at some point.
Q.
E.
D.
mountain biking is subjective, so it's whatever you want it to be, riding is riding as far as I'm concerned.
I got stopped by two police officers near that route (who drove up alongside me on the grass!), when I was trying to collect magic mushrooms in a playing field just outside Port Seton, around about 1998.
I think they were a little intrigued as to what I was doing. They then proceeded to tell me that the best 'shrooms could be found on a nearby golf course and drove off again. ๐ฏ
That's definitely Multi-Terrain Biking (or MTB-ing, as it is also known).
Looks a lovely way to spend a lovely day.
Not that it matters but that looks like a very pleasant [b][i]offroad[/i][/b] route.
Shows you don't need to have 'lung-busting uphills and gnarly brake-cooking DH sessioning' (sorry, I was reading an old MBUK this morning) to enjoy a bike ๐
Looks like a nice route TJ. I've been down the John Muir way a few times but mostly an out and back so will have to give this loop a try. Work in a couple of pub stops and jobs a good-un!
Stanfree - butterdean was pretty gloopy. I didn't do the walyford descent this time but I have in the past.
I like the look of that route!
Hmmm, should I move to Edinburgh...?
Butterdean woods
Looks a tad springy.
Looks very nice. I've not really done any riding down in that area but must get round to it. I wouldn't personally ride it on my roadbike with 23mm slicks, but I would on my Roadrat which also has slicks but 25 or 28mm (can't recall which).
It's the same situation with routes like the canal paths - I know I could ride it on 23mm slicks (and have done in the past) but don't particularily want to!
TJ, thanks for the route, I think we will be doing it on Sat/Sun. We know the area but you have put some stuff in that we hav'nt done..... and we can get a pint at the Goth....
Its a very pleasant route for sure but of the 40 miles there is a mile thru the woods that is rather gloopy where without a bit of nobble on your tyres you would struggle for grip and another mile that is a rough downhill where a bit of suspension or even float from tyres allows you to go a bit raster without rattling you teeth out. Overall quite ridable on any bike but more comfy on an mtb.
Its nice to some riding sometimes where you don't have to concentrate all the time, where here is plenty of time to look at the scenery with no cars around.
Its only just mountainbiking if it is at all but I did get the wheels in the air a little and did get a bit muddy.
At the end of the day its all mucking about on bikes. Its all good.
rickmeister - want a bit more detail on the route or a memory map file email me.
Butterdean was sweet lastnight! funnily enough it was absolutely fine with my usual bald DHF on the rear, there's no climbing at all in there so although there are gloopy/sticky bits you really don't need knobbly tyres to keep up momentum.
TBH I wouldn't do a route like TJs on a mountainbike. from his GPS map it looks like he somehow managed to completely miss out heaps of fun urban, off-road, jumps and even DH bits. as Druidh said it could easily be done on a roadbike (I also use 25mm tyres ๐ )
This thread confuses me.
It's all too nice.
๐
It's OK, I'm back ๐ก
GW would 23s handle you?
Nice one TJ. Do you have an equivalent one for West Lothian?
Did a sort of obvious rectangle Balerno - Kirknewton then off-road to Broxburn and back in on the canal the other week. Had potential, but too much road going out.
I do garry. Edinburgh / currie / ratho / newbridge/ kirkliston / queensferry / return to edinburgh along the shore
TJ - I am still in India at the moment but will be calling you very soon...
I work out Ratho way once a fortnight and keep meaning to explore. One day.
Garry - YGM
GW / anyone else
there is some overgrown but quite substantial and well-built looking shore in the woods near Boggs farm. Needs undergrowth clearing but might be on interest for those strange folk who like that sort of thing
I'm not massively fussed by drops to flat and that but we rode it on our Thursday nightride. it doesn't need anything clearing...But if it did, it's a private wood (I have met/ridden there with the owner) so it wouldn't be up to me. personally I also wouldn't go around publicising other peoples trails. it's a far worse crime than riding "off the path" in the middle of nowhere if you ask me ๐
I don't think we are talking about the same bit GW but point taken. ๐ณ The stuff I saw was all overgrown and appeared not to be in use otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned it.
Sorry
As to whether it was mountain biking or not I always thought the French had it right by maintaining "VTT" as a title for the bike. Much more descriptive of what people probably wanted in the original days (and what many want now).
I do use the term mountain bike but refuse to use the abbreviation MTB as, to me, "mountain" has always been one word.
Isn't it wonderful being an old fart?
