A Cool but dry day with sunny spells and while we were recently on an old Railway line theme locally we went a few days later for a cycle along the Pencaitland Railway, part of the Garvald Branch - though called it actually only went to Gifford. It's a nice section full of local history and was once a vein through this area, which mostly lived under its very rails in the miles of coal mines here that was once the main industry. Tragic what closing the pits did for these areas which went through hard times afterwards for many years. Today life continues as these areas have had to evolve and it's good the areas history can still be recalled from the last miners alive who worked here and a trail of signs and pit stones marking the history.
From Smeaton we returned to Ormiston on other tracks and trails after stopping off at the Mary Queen of Scots Monument and enjoying the fine views across the Shire...
Here is a wee film of the line from West Saltoun Station to Ormiston, a line full of local history...
Song is `Night Train` by Public Service Broadcasting,
A week ago on 23rd of March i wrote up this blog post, so yeah were still running a few days behind,
It`s a year ago today I was sent home from work and Covid 19 Lockdown started and I would go on Furlough for most of last year. Today is the 50th Isolation cycle on the blog of the 3rd lockdown, it is also 3 weeks today since i received my first Covid Vaccination jag and it should be today I receive my 2nd jag but no letter with date has been received for that, so there is some mix up somewhere...
While most of us have played by the rules and gone to ground many clearly have not,
You would have no idea there is any form of Lockdown going on with the restrictions of essential travel only in your region and outdoor exercise only as folk travel in there masses at weekends out of Edinburgh, descending onto our coastal car parks and sitting around now in the warmer weather with friends who have also travelled there. A real farce to be honest, and this summer is going to be a testing one as the coast will probably be mobbed with campers etc as we have a Staycation summer...
Today though was the first group cycle with the local cycling group here adhering to Covid guidelines and with two riders having done the online risk assessment and taking everyones contact details etc beforehand, so keeping all attending on board and keeping with the rules and guidelines...
Staying with the social distancing we kept our distance from each other and headed through JMCP then across to Tyninghame, hopefully being midweek it would be quiet...
Along the John Muir Way trail and through Binning Woods all was quiet and so was Tyninghame woods where we looped around to come back across the Tyne at the old bridge...
It won't be as quiet as this in a month or so when the warm weather arrives in May, it's going to be mobbed...
Heading back across the Tyne we even wiped the gate handle...
Soon back in Town, a fun 20 mile safe cycle with friends,
Were all looking forward to more of the same meet ups with friends over the coming warmer summer days...
Today being the weekend we avoided the coast that would be and later was mobbed with folk and cycled the Haddington Branch Line to visit Mum and have some lunch in the garden..
4 miles of cinder track with elegant bridges and when in cuttings the banks are full of wildlife, while from the bankings are good views of the local Garleton hills and across to Edinburgh and nearer Longniddry views across to Gullane and out across the Firth of Forth and Fife...
Look at the stone work on this bridge, a pice of art, built in the 1960`s and standing the test of time...
Wildlife markers educate folk on what's to see, great idea and I think more old disused railway lines should be turned into cycle ways, away from cars so far safer for families to cycle and the gradients are always gentle as they were designed for goods trains towing heavy loads....
Over the country road at Cottyburn and in the ivy here is the ruins of a former coaching road from when this was the main road to Edinburgh, yeah hard to imagine this was once the main road!, it can be traced on old maps up over the Garleton hills and down past Coates farm and on south of the present railway past Prestonpans...
Seaton Castle ruins, and Gullane hill in the distance...
Longniddry, and 5 minutes from mums, and a good feed! :)
Wee film of the ride down to Longniddry, Song is `Sick Times` by Boards Of Canada,
Down to park at Gullane today and first cycle out to the sub wrecks for us this year, low tide was around 11am so ideal to get out at what is usually the quietest time of the day -the ritual dog walkers have been out by now, and the day visitors and most families have still to get organised to get out - and don't get me started about folk flaunting the lockdown rules and travelling into East Lothian from Edinburgh!...
Back out across the sandstone the subs...
I always have been and always will be in awe at these tiny ships (they are classed as ships) and there story during WW2, these two training ships (hence the T in their class title) were 2 of 5 training craft that trained men -who were all volunteers to go on a 1200 mile mission to Norway in what was named Operation Source in an attempt to blow up the mighty German warship Tirpitz-at the time the most deadly warship afloat and a real issue with Atlantic convoys trying to supply Russia,
The mission was a real David and Goliath story... the bravery of what they attempted is near unbelievable in todays society of snowflakes who cry about doing anything they are not comfortable doing!...
Tiny ships but massive balls of the 4 man crews...
The most viewed blog post I have wrote is on these sub wrecks and their story, of the mission, and the fate of these two boats to come to be here in Aberlady Bay, a fitting memorial to the Submariners,
A nice day and again out cycling, making the most of the wether when it's dry, today was a loop around JMCP, and we crossed paths with friend Davie so cycled back into town with him...
Time to get the skinnier tyre bikes out and while G dusted down her 29er xc bike I was out on the Surly Wednesday 29+ having just put a new drive chain on for the coming better weather and longer days out up in the local hills...
While G adjusted her seat took the opportunity to take some pics of the new drive chain, with a new longer mech I fitted a larger 46t Sunrace cassette and 30t chainring and new chain...
Having just got up the biggest climbs in the local Lammermuirs with the previously fitted 40t cassette this will be a lot easier now, I have also just fitted the same group set up on G`s Genesis 27.5 + wheels...
Today we cycled through Deer Park and onto the John Muir Way in town and around the coastline to Barnes Ness and onto Torness before returning along the Cycle path back into town...
A nice easy cycle our loop was nice and quiet being midweek with hardly anyone else out,
Wee film, song is `Amo Bishop Roden (Chosen By Warp Co-Founder Steve...` by Boards Of Canada,
