Easter Sunday; Return to Tantallon...

So how on Easter Sunday did i end up going and riding the hardest part of coastline in East Lothian?, er well i planned to not be cycling on Sunday as being the Easter weekend i knew the coast would most likely be busy, but you know what its like, the weather was better than forcasted and it looked like the sun may pop out for a bit. So maybe go a wee ride through the local woods early before it gets busy...check the tide times , oh it is a 0.4 meter low tide at 9.40am, mmm where to go where it will be quiet?, ah i know just the place.

I have only ridden this part of the coast once at a very low tide with friend Jason Last year from Canty Bay to Seacliff below the WW2 Radar Research and Development at Gin Head then around over more exposed rocks under Tantallon castle and on to Seacliff and its tiny harbour.
It is the Double Black beach ride of the East Lothian coast..

It is easily the hardest part of coast to ride with some bike shouldering involved, very slimy rocks which all increase the danger riding here as a lot of the area is cut off under the cliffs at high tide.
Access in at low tide from the western end is either along the coast below the East Links  Golf Course from North Berwick, or descending down the steep grassy banks into Canty Bay, The second option is steeper than the picture shows and slippy in the morning dew...                    

Stunning coastline and views...

Mixed with some seriously hard techy rock sections exposed by the low tide...

I was on the wrong bike for this, well not wrong but it would be easier on the Moonlander with its increased grip and cushioning...

A breather as the rocks give way to a sandy beach along the secluded Canty Bay...

Here is the closest point of land to the Bass Rock, Largest single group of Gannets in the world...

Looking back...

On to below Gin Head...

A good view of some of the rocks to ride here...

Above the clffs at Gin Head, the former WW2 Radar Research Facility...

Views across to Tantallon, and some seriously techy riding to come...

Very low tide...

These rocks near the low tide mark are covered in barnacles and best to ride with the increased grip...

Under the ruins of Tantallon...

Tide now on the turn...

The perfect natural defence...

A good scale of the rocks here...

Into the sandy cove and a breather before the last bit to seacliff...

A bit of bike portage again over small inlets...

Then onboard again...

Spied a line around this ledge...

And were at Seacliff...

And its great wee harbour...

The pugsley is still a great bike, but i did wish i had been on the Moonlander for this riding today, however i did only plan to go out for an hour around the woods!...

Bought some new shoes by Teva to replace my hi top Five Ten  shoes which have split after nearly 6 years of riding. The Five Ten `stealth` rubber soles were great for grip on slimy rocks but they were like sponges and soaked up water. The Teva shoes have a water repellent finish, and using scree gators i added kept sand and grit out...

The soles are good on my Superstar Nano  flat pedals  but they still slip on slime covered rocks like my KEEN boots do...

 I have ridden with boots for the last 7 or 8 years now with Five Tens or Keen boots on flat pedals and Shimano MT90s when clipped in (only on commuter bike now) and found it strange wearing shoes.
I also hit my ankles a few times and missed the padded ankle protection of boots .
I also dunked them in a rock pool when i slipped because of lack of grip, something you just cannot take the risk of doing out there carrying a heavy bike over slimy rocks well below the high tide line.
So i reckon the way to go is to wear a boot that has mega grip for the rocks and is designed to get wet, and i will wear seal skinz socks in warmer weather and my British Army Gore Tex boot liners and thin socks inside during the colder months. It also allows crossings of estuarys and inlets without worry of freezing wet feet.
So going to get a pair of these Canyoneer Boots from Five Ten...

Be back to ride this part of the coast soon on the Moonlander to do some film...