Beachride at Archerfield...

2nd July 2020,

Into July, not been so warm weather the last couple of weeks after a splendid Spring heat wave,

The Coastal car parks are now open and as expected mobbed with folk, there is today still a 5 mile restriction of distance you can drive to exercise, but clearly no one is bothering adhering to that and folk from Edinburgh are here on the coast, though it has to be said who blames them when people here can drive to Shops in Edinburgh!, the whole thing has become hilarious to be taken seriously,

Covid 19 is still a threatening virus though wether you do take precautions or not,  and were taking no chances and staying well away from folk when out and about cycling,

After a couple of wet days it was once again a  fine day in the Shire and we went a wee cycle down to the coast at Archerfield, less folk on the coast here away from the car parks, 

The East Lothian Savanna...

Soon we were down onto the coast and cycled towards Gullane...

Quiet here in this pic, we had waited for several groups of folk to disappear so we could ride and film here...

Once at Freshwaterhaven it started to get busy with folk so we departed back to the van,

With the Edinburgh trades for another week i think we will be staying  away from the coast a few weeks and  head for quieter less known trails inland,

Daily Posts will still be ongoing every morning for the next 3 weeks of our previous daily rides...

Wee film from this morning, Song is `Our Watch is a Long and Lonely One`  by my big bro! `Scottish Nature Boy`

Click on the cog icon to select 1080 for best viewing quality...

More soon...

Isolation cycle 79; lammermuirs; Pt 1 of 4

4 Weeks ago...

Bikes in the van we headed into the Lammermuirs for a 19 mile loop mostly on gravel tracks,
The weather was not the best for June after such a warm couple of months, and a few showers swept through as we cycled...

Grouse shooting and hill farming is the diet of folk who live and work up here, you wonder if the Corona Virus has made any impact on folk up here as it feels a million miles away from our coastal towns full of Edinburgh office workers at home on furlough...

Some lovely views up here even without the sun shining...

Rain jackets on and off as showers swept through as forecast...

We were soon at the wind farm and pylon road...

Wee film, Song is `All rise` by Phontaine,




More soon...

East Lothian MTB Trails #8. John Muir Park Woodland Singletrack...

Continuing to gather a film collection of East Lothian trails all under one Playlist we continue at Dunbar,

There is a maze of coastal trails around John Muir Park, the John Muir Way trail passes through the Park, but not on the most fun trail, that is a twisting undulating sandy single track through the Scots Pine Woods...

Wee film, Song is `Orange Romeda` (Unmixed) by Boards of Canada

More soon...

Isolation Cycle 78; Herring Road into Lammermuirs...

4 Weeks ago...

Another sunny day and out cycling keeping away from folk and staying safe, each day we usually have a planned route and today G had suggested the re routed line of the old Herring Road through Crystal Rig Windfarm, usually this re route is near unrideable as so wet and no route of the path has been cut through making it enjoyable to cycle, with the current drought we hoped it would be better...

One old section still not bothering worth doing is here where it climbs south up beside the Redscar burn in Ox Cleugh, so best taking the track that loops around easter hartside...

On top of easter hartside at the end of the easier track we rejoined the heather moor and the original route, the V grooves cut into the peat from years of pack horses that carried the salted Herrings to market towns in the Borders...

South up onto Crystal Rig...

Here is where the fun starts as the route disappears with the construction of Crystal Rig I wind farm,

A few markers give a rough route and even dry we had to walk a few sections,
Now we were on 3" plus wheels today and full Fatbike wheels would have made things easier here but hauling a full Fatbike up here just for a mile or so benefit when we were up for the day and doing a good 30 miles and several thousand feet of climbing we opted to ride plus wheels,

Though be good to return here in mid winter and ride this one section on full 5" fat bikes just to prove what they are capable of!...

Up here it is hard to imagine an estimated 20,000 people used the Herring Road annually in the 18th Century...

Walking across a section I disturbed some Grouse chicks, they have an amazing camouflage ...

Soon we were onto maintenance tracks and would soon leave the route of the Herring Road to continue our big day loop...

Wee film, Song is `Owls and Vultures` by Luke Janela