Forth Fat Gathering, North Berwick East Lothian 27th/28th April 2013

Forth Fat

The Fourth UK FatBike Gathering is on the East Lothian Coast, 30 Miles East of Edinburgh, Based here at the Victorian Seaside resort of North Berwick over looking the Firth of Forth.

`Forth` Fat, get it?  -:) 

It will be the usual affair as in previous Gatherings of arrival Friday evening the 26th, have a bit social banter etc, and a beer if you you want etc..
You can get the booking info on where were staying etc.. on our UK FatBike Website;
Forth Fat Gathering

Saturday
Saturday we will do a ride of approx 15-18 miles. We will ride out from Tantallon Site at approx 10.30am and first ride west on some inland coastal trails - trails that are of a sand/loam base for 5 miles west to the village of Gullane. We will then climb up to the top of Gullane Hill (the only hill of the day) where you will be rewarded with a great view across the Firth of Forth Estuary to Edinburgh and across to Fife. 
We will then descend on trails past the famous WW2 Anti tank blocks and out across Aberlady Nature Reserve. 
More sandy trails will take us on the high tide line where if your interested there is plenty beachcombing to be had. 
We will then ride out across the sand to the WW2 midget submarine wrecks. Always people are in awe when they see the size of these tiny 4 man vessels, and what they did in them...
Once your all happy with a look around them we will then ride east along the coast line and leaving the sands to take to some singletrack above the coast and then across more sand on Gullane Beach. Then we start to follow small coves of different types of pebbles or rocks with options of easy trails above the coves or techy riding to suit all abilitys. The coast here becomes less visited and there is some great riding for all abilitys of ridier here...
We will eventully come to the famous Island of Fidra with its lighthouse, Built by the Stevenson family and famous for the inspiration of `Treasure Island` by the famous builders son the author Robert Lewis Stevenson who often stayed here at North Berwick.
Another wide long sandy beach then again for those interested some tricky techy rocky sections alongside the smooth sands. A few more coves and we will arrive back at North Berwick. A look around the Harbour and a play on the east beach then we will ride to the Fish & Chip shop. 
After a couple of pints after eating and asit out side at the bikes at `The Ship` pub next door.
It will be back to the campsite for a bit banter, tyre kicking and a beer etc...

Sunday
As is the usual done thing the Sunday will be a shorter days ride of approx 10 miles with some food after so those travelling from afar can head for home mid to late afternoon.
We drive 4 miles east around the coast to park 
and we will cycle to visit Seacliff Harbour - The worlds smallest commercial harbour, and enjoy views out to the Bass Rock Island and the ruins of Tantallon Castle perched on the cliffs nearby.
Then we will ride East and there will be an option of riding some techy rocks for a mile, led by a friend or i will lead those wishing the easy route inland on a farm track to regroup at Peffersands and some sand dunes. heres your chance to experiance dune surfing on a fat bike, totally legally too!
Then we will continue along the coast and ride some cracking trails above the coast again which will take us to another  view point, then its time for a cracking tight trail we call `The Secret Trail` something that i have tweaked and trimmed away at for a few years now. It winds through WW2 Coastal Defence Anti tank blocks, memorials to dark days when our coastline was threatend with invasion... from here we will then ride woodland trails for approx 4 miles returning to Whitekirk and the Country Club which on a Sunday does a Carvery.

There will be stickers for those who make it, and memories of a fun weekend on some of our amazing coastline here in East Lothian...

The coastline and inland coastal trails we will be riding as seen from the air...