A Grand Day Out...

Thursday dawned with clear skys and not a breath of wind...
At last a lovely clear day so i made the most of it deciding to ride to the western End of the Countys coastline.
Some of this i haven't ridden yet on the pugsley so would be fun...
Cutting down 16 miles road cycling round trip from home i drove to Longniddry then cycled to Prestonpans where i would follow the coast then return on the tide line where possible.
At Prestonpans a great view across to Edinburgh,check out that blue sky!...


The Town of Prestonpans has put its History on its walls in murals...


It has a 32ft totem pole decorated in its industries...


And nearby Preston Grange has a Heritage Museum...










You can read more about the town and its Industrial Heritage and its Mural`s over here on my other blog; No Through Road...

Moving on,here is a coal mine shaft cap...


At the lagoons coal ash from Cockenzie Power Station is dumped and slowly land is being reclaimed.I went for a ride about on it and the pug didn't sink in,
our own wee ash desert!...






There is a bmx track here to if your feeling pumped...


Great views over the River Esk Estuary to Edinburgh...


Over a bridge and around the coastline at the Town of Musselburgh,here were on the John Muir Way path,and this nice bit of Art work...


Looking back East over an Hour and a half until low tide and the retreating tide was revealing a big area,was going to be fun returning...


At Fisherrow Harbour the tide wasnt quite out beyond the Harbour entrance.I didnt know it did go as far out here until friend Gavin did a film and pics out here on his regular MTB so i knew it would be ok on the pug...




Fisherrow is also the starting point for the John Muir Way...


With over an hour to low tide i decided to keep riding west.it was either into the Town or the beach so along i went,sadly some amount of litter alone the tideline...


Off the beach and over the county border and into the City of Edinburgh.
A short pavement ride took me to the start of the beach along to Portobello...


Riding above the coast there were some rocks that looked hard to ride over but from above there looked like some lines through in places.Then i came to Portobello Beach with its Promonade...


So i thought i may as well see how far along i can get so set off along the beach,soft at the top the pugs floated over the sand then down onto the firmer wet sand and alongside the sea. Wooden `spits` to stop sand moving...


At the west end of the beach i came to the sea wall at Seafield and up top was a great view east,I had come quite a long way...



Westwards the seawall goes along to Lieth Docks,the concrete path below the wall was green and slippy but see the one at the bottom of the slopes above the rocks?, it was covered in small barnicles and grippy so i rode along...


At its end there was only a few hundred yards to the shoreline but the gap could be bypassed by going up onto the track above to a road...


Thats for another daytrip,time to head back.
Back onto the beach and it was a nice cruise with a slight tailwind breeze...


Over those rocks below the suitably named `Rockville` Hotel,i had to walk most of them and the green slime was a bit slippy.
Someone`s old bike...rust in peace...


Onto some good sand before Fisherrow and over the County boundary line and back into East Lothian.I think the steel marker offshore is a boundary line indicator...




Then some small pebbles which the pug just floated over...


With the tide just on the turn i timed it perfectly, you can see here how low the water was from the Harbour Entrance at Fisherrow...


Took quite a while to ride across here to the River Esk Estuary in low gears,must be a mile or two.
A view you wont see in any cycle touring book!


I couldnt see the depth in the murky river water although rusting shopping trollys across the estuary were good depth indicators so decided to err on caution and ride around the River Esk on the John Muir Way up on the coastline to the Lagoon`s and its seawall pathway...


From here to Prestonpans i followed the JMW passing the old Harbour `Morisons Haven` at Preston Grange...




The shoreline here is mostly rocks and small pebble beaches which seem to have as many old bricks worn smooth by the sea as pebbles. The JMW continued along the concrete coastal path at Prestonpans towards one of East Lothians industrial landmarks at Cockenzie. Its a bit slippy along here so smooth peddling and steering...


Onto a firm shell filled beach towards the power station...


Twin chimney`s pierce the skyline...


Great View and quite a few miles travelled...


The sea was very calm with little wind...




Cockenzie Power Station was built on mostly reclamed land.some of the infill used were WW2 coastal Defence Anti Tank Blocks lifted from Aberlady bay...




These blocks were lifted from lines that ran East of Aberlady then at a right angle across the Peffer Burn and across the Nature Reserve.
Here is an Ariel picture from 1942 of some of the blocks that were removed and used...


The small harbour at Cockenzie...






And nearby is the Monument of a grinding ring from the Power Station, used to crush the coal...


The JMW continues along above the rocky shore line at Port Seaton to its Harbour...


The water was like a mill pond with no breeze...








Along the promonade at Port Seaton above the coastline...


Then down the steps and through the rocks on the home stretch down to Longniddry...


It was after 2 pm and the light and colour under the blue sky combined with the flat sea were amazing...


Days with weather like this you have to make the most of,
Today was a big day out, around 30-40 miles but so worth it.
This bike is ace and i love the fun it brings...