Innocent Railway

Brambles

The Innocent Railway is one of my favourite cycle paths. It's beginning is a bit hidden in the Parkside block of modern flats. You need to turn left just before the entrance to Holyrood Park, and then loop round to the beginning of the tunnel. The tunnel is long, dark and damp, but fun because it slopes downhill. You can pretty easily freewheel along most of the first stretch of the path.

It leads to the East Coast. On Saturday I used it to get to Portobello Beach which was a bit cold and windy. 

But it is very exciting the brambles are almost in season. In fact on my way back I discovered some which were ready, lovely and juicy and yum.

Portobello

Getting lost and cycling near the city bypass

This week I tried to cycle home from Little France and accidentally ended up in Straiton. I got to a road which I thought was one I recognised, but it turns out it was a different road going south rather than west...

I ended up confused near the city bypass. This is not a great place to be with a bicycle.  Luckily the entrances to the bypass were clearly labelled with big keep out unless you are in a massive metal vehicle signs, so I didn't accidentally end up on one, and there were shared use paths for pedestrians and cyclists. I made it to the retail park without too much bother, and had a nice coffee and rest, but to get back into the city it seemed the only way was to cross over lots of roads with fast traffic to get back to somewhere you were allowed to cycle on. The crossings were marked for pedestrians, and I mostly became one at this point, but it didn't seem very safe crossing over roads with cars going very very fast to the motorway.

Then I had to cycle back all the way on roads which I found various degrees of terrifying. (apart from the bits I walked because they were a bit uphill and I was tired).

I generally avoid cycling on roads, unless I get lost, or know them well. I tend to stick to cycle paths wherever I can. I don't like cycling near cars and I am afraid of buses and lorries.

Over the time I have cycled my attitude to cycling on roads has gone from:

• terrified to cycle on roads and sticking completely to paths, usually walking between them

to

• not so terrified of cycling on roads and doing a bit more of it

to

• terrified of roads again having started to understand more about what cars and buses aren't supposed to do, and don't always.

I eventually got home, about 3 hours later than I should have. Exhausted and desperate for a shower. I don't recommend cycling to Straiton, especially accidentally. I should make more uses of maps rather than vaguely heading in the direction I think I should (or at the very least have my phone charged to more than 2% battery so I can look them up properly)

Cycling achievements

I started this blog with the intention of writing reviews of cycling routes (and other fun exploration things), but I'm not sure I am that good at review writing, or if I can be bothered. I might make it more of a personal blog which will track my own progress cycling and describe where I have been in self obsessed manner, and as a person quite obsessed with my bicycle.

My most recent cycling achievement was making it all the way up Leamington Terrace without stopping. I hadn't done that before and have always been a bit rubbish at anything uphill. I felt exhausted afterwards though - it was lucky the next part of my route is the nice downhill bit of the Meadows meaning I could have a rest. My next goal is cycling all the way up without breaking a sweat. Once I have done that I will try the path up from Bonaly from the Water of Leith (which is steeper and longer). 

I had a few days recently where I didn't ride my bike. The chain came off and I didn't know how to put it back on again (now I do know, it is really really easy). I have subsequently decided cycling is essential to my mental well-being, because I was incredibly moody all the time I couldn't cycle. Once I put the chain back on I went straight out to the Union Canal and cycled along to Wester Hailes and back, and it makes me 100 times happier. I imagine there is a scientific explanation for this, endorphins or something?

Cycling in the Pentlands again

Went to the Pentlands again. Ate lots and lots of raspberries. At one point it started to pour with rain. We "sheltered" under some trees until it stopped and the sun came out again. Got as far as the Harlaw Reservoir.

I still need to get properly into the hills, buy a rain jacket, and learn to cycle up as well as down slopes. I am getting better at them though, and it always feels worth it when going downwards.

Trees where we sheltered

This path was a bit too rocky to cycle along

Taken minutes after it had been bucketing with rain

There was always a bit of ominous cloud to be seen

Raspberries - yum yum yum

Cycle route rating 

Ease of cycling: very steep from Water of Leith to Bonaly, some hilly bits here and there, a few gates, had to lift bikes over one wall

Injury rating: Black oil marks on legs (and nettle stings, but that was caused by trying to reach raspberries)

Best points: Raspberries, feels far removed from Edinburgh festival madness

Cycling from Fountainbridge to Pentlands

View over Edinburgh from Bonaly Country Park

Escaping the centre of Edinburgh to the Pentland hills.

Started at the Union Canal (as usual), and swapped onto the Water of Leith just a bit after the Slateford Aquaduct. I kept going along the Water of Leith, including through the eery Easter Hailes tunnel until I reached the junction in Colinton. Left the junction turning to the left and a very steep road leading to Bonaly. I didn't even try to cycle up it.

Bonaly Primary School seems to resemble a prison. It has really high steel fences. Not sure if it is to keep the children in, or others out...

A reminder of modern chaos, life, busy traffic from the zooms of cars when going over the bridge crossing the city bypass. My mood couldn't have been more elated, had escaped the city, and all the mad people around at the festival.

Reached Bonaly Country Park, I turned right along a path and cycled along past a couple of reservoirs, stopping to eat raspberries on the way. I ended up on a path which eventually led to a road (a place called Kinleith I think). I cycled along it, and then turned back. Going back was mostly down hill so took hardly any time at all. I was at my front door in about 40 minutes, and feeling much more cheerful.

Not the biggest or most exciting trip to the Pentlands, but I will definitely make more soon, and go further.

Noisy traffic on city bypass

Torduff

Path in the Pentlands