Sun, Sea, Sand...and a bit Snow...

The Weather turned a bit mild on Friday night and as forcasted a thaw started Today...
rather than slog through deep wet snow for the day i opted to head for the beach as i thought it would make for some different pictures of our coastline...
And im glad i did as i stumbled across some excellent snowpacked trails to ride!
With the roads the best they have been all week i drove to Gullane village and parking i rode up to the top of Gullane Hill, 9am and the Hill to myself (lots of sledge tracks/footprints) and some great views...
West across to Cockenzie Power Station and Edinburgh and its snow covered Pentland hills...

Across the Firth of Forth Estuary and the `Paps of Fife`...

And east across Muirfield Golf Course and Fidra Lighthouse at Yellowcraig...

with the deep snow cycling wasnt easy even on the pugsley but tracks compressed by The Golf Courses Greenkeepers utility vehicles made it easy going...

The path was a bit soft and slow going along the cliff tops to the snow covered `Maggies Loup` named after a woman who took her life after receiving new of her husbands death at war...

Strange to see snow on the coast here!...west down to the Nature Reserve...


Snow meets sand...

There was a lot of razor shells washed up...

The sky was an amazing colour of blue today where clear...wonder what causes this?...

If you live in Alaska you may be used to these views but for me here snow on the coastline is strange!,even last winter the snow wasnt deep down here...


Down again onto the sand...guess this is the high tideline then...


Out to Gullane Point on the Reserve and some amazing looking snow...chunks? below the tideline...


Around the point the deep snow onto of the high tide line usually soft sand was hard going and i was down to 1st gear even with the Alfine hubs 26T front 20t rear gearing!...


Still got through though...about a 10 minute workout up onto the main path in the lagoon where i came across cross country skier tracks!,on the coast!..this is a first...hats off to you sir who ever you are!...

Across the reserve on the main path and passing the 12th Green of No2 Course and some vehicle tracks took me up and onto the `metalled road` that crosses the 12th/13th fairways of no2 course...a hardcore road built as an access track for the Home Gaurds coastal defence during WW2...

Some of the WW2 Anti tank blocks...

Then i rode across gullane No1 course on snow packed tracks...despite it being 15 years since i worked here i could proberly ride blind fold across here...and these hardpack tracks were ace on the pugsley...

A snow motorway...riding over a Historic Open Championship golf course would normaly proberly get you the jail...yet everyone i met out walking today commented on the pugsley being an amazing bike...happy days...

Climbing back up to the Hilltop wasnt too hard on the tracks as long as you kept balanced...

Then from the Millenium cairn a great descent down to the main road...


Back at the car and driving along the coast to Longniddry to visit the Folks i couldnt believe the depth of the snow...weve had it before on the coast but this has been a week...


I had to park at the railway station and cycle down as the snow is that bad and theres no street parking!...unheard of here...

Theres gonna be a few piles like this for a while...

What a great day out...happy days...