Gullane Hill, Summit to sea...

Tuesday last week saw the start of a real windy week, typical of the time of year, i made several films on a cycle after work, here is the first one.
Cycling up Whim Road from Gullane village gets you quickly up onto Gullane Hill out of the wind which was gusting at 40mph!...

Views across the Forth were clouded today but i could see the sands blowing out at the Reserve point and planned to head there for some film...

The First Trail;
I call this descent from the top of Gullane to the WW2 anti tank blocks on Gullane cliffs such as it was the first trail i rode on a mountain bike back in Autumn 1987 when i cycled newly acquired Raleigh Maverick SE ATB (All Terrain Bicycle) as it was badged back from North Berwick and amazed at it`s low gearing cycled up Gullane Hill road to the top i then rode around to the Reserve and home with a big grin-the worm had turned for me right then...
Fast forward to my first Surly Pugsley and a true go nearly anywhere All Terrain Bicycle, the rest is documented on this blog...

The trail today has not changed much, a shell covered Golf Course track descends around the Quarry and the single track trail has some marker posts but it more or less remains unchanged...

The WW2 Anti Aircraft concrete base circle now has a walled seat built on it and the WW2 Air raid shelter that was near the site is now demolished and gone but the vies still remain the same...

Take the right hand side trail here or you will encounter a drop of a foot or so, with a narrow landing it would be sketchy to do today in this gale force wind...

Onto the beach under the cliff...

Next post along to the Reserve Point in the sandstorm that was blowing...

Film of the First trail, Song is `Lend Me Your Love` by Slackstring


Surly Pugsley' Gullane Hill; Summit to sea descent; Oct 2019 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

More soon...

Midweek cycle; Gullane single track and coast...

Midweek and out cycling after work at Gullane.  Funny when filming how you can do loads in one space or one long film clip of a whole trail and they both take about the same time to do.
So i made two films in an hours cycling ,
With the chest cam mount i rode from Gullane beach car park down to Freshwaterhaven non stop to show how long and good some of the sandy singletrack trails are here.

Song is `Breaking into Heaven` by Stone Roses


Gullane Sandy Singletrack; May 2019 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


Down on the coast was high tide and no one around as usual at this time of day so did some point to point shots with the Go pro on the mono pod to add some other angles...

Go Pro stills...

Thrift now flowering

Was a classic big sky day, with lovely light reflecting on the water...

Someone has been creative with some of the remaining driftwood planks...

It would be pouring down here on the coast in an hours time, but i was long gone by then and watched the rain enjoying a coffee at M`s...

A second film, point to point along the shore line east of Freshwaterhaven...
Song is lost on this track but will try find it...


Surly Pugsley; Freshwaterhaven high tide cycle, May 2019 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


More soon...

Gullane Point cycle...

A few weeks ago i cycled out to Gullane Point a few days after a big fire had consumed a huge area of dunes on the Reserve,  it had rained the previous evening but the smell of burning was still strong as i returned along the dune tops to take some pics and film...

Looks like a war zone, the marram grass will recover quite quickly having happened in winter...

A rippled and wet ride to the sub wrecks so i would leave riding across to them until a better time when tides and winds make for a drier smoother crossing...

 Edited up a wee film, Song is `Seeya Later -2014` by Boards of Canada




More soon...

Midweek Cycle; 29+ Sandy Singletrack...

Gathering clouds and prolonged rain on it`s way saw me do a double quick cycle after work.
With the light gone for decent photos i just filmed today with the chest cam mounted Go Pro, stopping to do a couple of panoramic views as i rode down to Yellowcraig and along to Freshwaterhaven Bay then up to Gullane...

Here is some film from Archerfield down and along to Freshwaterhaven Bay,
Song is `Wide Open` by The Crystal Method


Surly KramPug 29+; Sandy Singletrack, June 2018 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.



From the coast i had a deserted trail all the way up to Gullane so be daft not to film it!,
The short climbs just firm enough due to recent rain to climb and clean on 29+ wheels...
Where was everyone???  nice to get quiet trails, 5 O`clock world...
Here is a wee bit film, song is `Troubled Son` by Working For A Nuclear Free City


Surly KramPug29 ;  BB Trail, 20th June 2018 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

Into Gullane then double back to the van and job done, an hour after getting home the rain was on and  i was happy to get out!..

More soon...