Blackcastle Transmitter loop xc cycle...

We cycled a nice 22 mile loop up to Blackcastle Transmitter Mast today, We were doing a recce ride for a future MTB ride with the new Dunbar Cycling Club recently started that we both joined. 

It has been 6 months now since I moved in with G and love living here with everything I need on the doorstep, from car free shopping by bike, a local good bike shop, JMCP and Tyninghame for Fatbike rides, to the John Muir Way and river Tyne trails, then inland to the hillfoot trails, which lead up onto the Lammermuirs. 

There is a growing membership of the Club which already is catering for road and off-road cycling with bike rides from the town. A weekly MTB ride set at a social pace which we have both been helping get up and running by mapping and creating some off-road routes and also leading on to get the rides up and going and hopefully others will once they learn the routes take on leading them also. G`s `Dunbar On Yer Bike` Facebook` group will still be doing social bike rides and plenty of folk will float between either rides that suit them. Our plan to help organise the Club rides is so hopefully Club riders will volunteer to lead these pre planned routes once they learn them. If half a dozen riders do this then no one gets tied down to giving up their time every Sunday morning who also have other commitments.  

Todays ride that G marked up to recce will be the longest route yet combined with more climbing which when the weather is right - dry and not blowing  a gale makes for a lovely route. Risk assessment is  done before and after a planned route is ridden and changes then made where needed.  Routes try to mostly follow signed trails or Core Paths which are mapped by East Lothian Council which are clear to see on the ground in use and aspirational Core Paths which may be passable. Why we have been out doing recce rides as some that are Marked on Maps as Core and aspirational paths are not always passible as they are not being used by anyone. The idea is not to create some endurance test where folk are slogging over unused trails or carrying bikes etc, the less locked gates and styles the better as more riders are riding heavier to lift electric assist mountain bikes these days...

East out of town on the cycle route we rode to Dunglass  then onto a lovely Core Path to Oldhamstocks then the climbs towards the Mast that was slowly getting closer...

A tough climb up the service road to the mast, doable ok if you get into low gears and take your time, we chatted all the way up, that is what the pace of a social ride should be, and nearing the mast the reward is stunning views of the Shire...

Time to descend-mindful of fields are full of young lambs up here this now, so take it easy...

Lower down nearing the coast and back through Crop fields on open tracks we can increase the speed safely...

A fun route, though that east wind was a bit cold up on the hills!,

Wee film from today, Song is `Bitter Sweet Symphony` by The Verve

More soon...

A cycle to Tyninghame,

 


Chris visited now restrictions allow to travel through regions in Scotland and his first beach ride in a year!

After a brew we headed down to the coast to cross the Biel burn and headed into John Muir Park through the woods and onto the John Muir Way towards Tyninghame village...

The F...

Google Perspection... yep there is no such word!...

And the A...

Gravel bike? nah we just ride Fat and plus wheels around here!

Nice old Moggie...

Down through Binning Woods...

And out to Peffersands...

Down the beach and out to Willowbrae Point...

Wee film to here, Song is Learn To Fly (Maceo`s Flight Home Mix) by Odd Parents

Back into the woods and onto the Secret Trail, first time I have cycled it for a while and it's more like the `Secret Motorway` now! due to the Pandemic Pedestrians...

Wee film again of the ST, Song is `American Dream` by Jakatta,

Time to head home and back to the John Muir Way (JMH) and around the beaches, it was real soft with the mid tides with only a 2.2 meter low tide and 4.5 meter high tide means the sand does not really drain and the going gets a bit of a slog even with 5" tyres on 100mm rims and my legs were feeling it once we left the beach!

Onto the sands of the retreating tide...

Down the beach to Belhaven and the going was soft being mid tides the last few days...

Belhaven Bridge, aka The Bridge To Nowhere being tidal...

I took the bridge while Chris forded the Biel burn downstream where it is more shallow...

Home to sit sheltered in the back garden and drink coffee and scoff biccies in the sun out of the cool onshore easterly, a great catch up cycle with Chris and were looking forward to more cycling again soon...

And a third film of the days cycle, Song is `Alright` by Tycho,

More soon...