Dusk to Dawn coastride

Longest day is next Thursday 21st, so  i did my Solstice over night beach ride last night as on holiday this week.
Riding 8 miles by road to Longniddry i then left my parents fed and watered and was onto the coast at 10pm for sunset, a cloud bank out across the fife coast and North sea would be making this a dusk to dawn ride rather than `sunset to sunrise`, not to worry as a nice evening despite a cold easterly that had made me decide to scrap camping and to ride through the night. I packed a bivvy bag in case i felt like a snooze.
Riding east from Longniddry to North Berwick i had 5 hours so plenty time to do some loops on trails above the coast on the way...

Around Ferny Ness...

And down and along Gosford Bay...

As is often the case the light in the sky was better after sunset...

Camera would struggle to take pics once dark but ok for now...

Around Green Craig to Shell Bay...

The glow in the sky already moving east...

Along the shoreline at Kilspinde. sky reflecting on the sea was amazing,
`Kings Kist` rock...

Around the salt marsh on the path that leads to Aberlady i walked across to the old fishing boat wrecks. The 8 wrecks are Scheduled monuments...

Aberlady, from Sea Green...

Not as dark as the picture shows, it was midnight when i rolled out onto the Nature Reserve point. Kept my lights off as i could still see with the white of the sand. Also birds are nesting this now. Parked up on the rocks at the east end of the beach i has a swig of Glenmorangie out of the hip flask then headed up above the cliffs at `Maggie's Loup` due to the incoming tide...

Climbing i did a loop around Gullane Hill then enjoyed the descent back down to then ride some of the many trails around the Bents at Gullane...

Along to the woods above Freshwater Haven. Pitch black in under the pine woods and this appeared out of the darkness, yikes! -:) ...

Was silent in here... i had plenty time so i did another loop round and a few other trails here that lead out from the woods to the coast....

Then along the grassy trail that drops to the beach near Marine Villa. The light from Fidra Lighthouse guiding the way...

Pushed over the rocks past Marine Villa as not much room with the tide and no point taking a risk here at this hour. On and into Yellowcraig woods. A refill of water then a couple of loops of the sandy trails here.
Dropping onto the coast it was 2.30am and starting to get light...

Into North Berwick, no sign of life. First this morning to leave tracks on the beach...

Not be a sunrise at sea level today with that cloud bank out to sea...

Mission accomplished and another swig from the hip flask. Was not going to hang around in this perishing cold easterly wind for the time of year. Quite happy to not be camping in this...

`Ghost Town` by The Specials played on my i pod as i did a lap of a deserted North Berwick -:)...

Time to head home for sleeps...