coastrider: Another winters day on the Genesis Cdf; and more old roads

Thursday 30 January 2014

Another winters day on the Genesis Cdf; and more old roads

A fun 40 mile cycle loop around the County Roads and cycle routes to Dunbar then into the Hillfoots,
Ware Road to Hedderwick, One of 3 named Ware roads in the County-Seaweed harvesting roads from the last century...

From Dunbar inland and the climb up to Doon Hill...

Impressive views of East Lothian from here past Dunbar and along the coast to North Berwick...

Shows the real flat rich agricultural plain of East Lothian...

To the east the industrial coastline structures of the Le Farge cement works...

I kinda like the buildings!...

Dropping down from Doon Hill and inland along an old road over Pinkerton Hill to The Brunt...

Long derelict cottage...

Real muddy after recent heavy rain...

The Pinkerton Hill road was a public road on the 1926 Dunbar and Lammermuir OS map...

The One inch `Popular` edition map is one of the best maps to see old roads that once had a tarmac surface and were public, have a look around this map, it is full of old roads long gone. Check out the race course at Hedderwick :) Link; National Map Libary of Scotland 1926 One Inch Popular edition Dunbar and Lammermuirs

Don't know when this road ceased from being a maintained public road. It still has traces of tarmac visible in places, but is marked as a rough track by 1965 on another map i have...

Cold but a nice winters day...

Yeah!..

Blue sky!..

Along the Hillfoots road to Garvald...

And a detour up another old road i often ride when up here over Sled Hill...

Again back to the 1926 OS Popular map and this road was marked as `indifferent or winding road`!...

Post WW2 this road was deft not in use by the general public as The Government would never had built this Royal Observer Corps Bunker here which opened in May 1963 so close to a public road and possible prying eyes ...

I have never revealed on line the location of this Post-as these bunkers are called, but someone posted pictures of it on Flickr and named the location. Inevitably the Ned's arrived and trashed it, braking the Bilge pump and the bunker flooded.
Sad... Nothing to keep in good condition now, I used to always pump out any water in the sump and leave the place as i found it...

How the bunker is today...

Here it is when i made a video a few years back, but i never revealed its location. The location is easily found on line if you have a genuine interest. When i made the film i had had the perfect track in mind for the film... :)

Moving on and down the big dip past Linplum and i recorded the fasted speed yet on the Cdf!...

30 MPH selfie before the big dip...

Then spun out in top gear and got in behind the drops. Went so fast i got up the other side of the hill!,
And here is proof a place exists called Linplum!...
Cannot comment on if there really is a Treacle Mine there!, but i once sent a postcard from Harris to a friend who lived here addressed Linplum Treacle Mine and he received it!, Someone in Haddington Royal |Mail sorting office had a giggle! :)...

When i stopped for the above pic i checked the max speed, this speedo is accurate and in MPH!... :)

This is a great bike. a Million miles away from my fatbikes and i think that is how i like it so much as i can go further afield and explore old places, and ride old roads inland around the county...

But the gearing has needed lowering for climbing, esp off road so i bought a Deore 32t cassette, heavy being steel but what i run in a larger size on the Pugsleys as they last 3 or 4 chain lives. And at £12 from CRC a bargain!...

The bike is a revelation now and you can hang in the big 53t ring for longer with the lower central gears. Good modification!...

I also bought this Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative front light which is USB rechargeable and power full enough for road riding. Same quick removable mounts as my old Electron lights which i have brackets for on most bikes so again result!