Friday 1 May 2009

C&C day 5



Last day of the Coast and Castle ride today, from Innerleithen to Edinburgh. Tomorrow I return home.

I had been viewing the morning with a bit of trepidation, because it involved a long climb over the Moorfoot hills. I had a plan to take it easily and steadily, with plenty of breaks. But in the event, while it is certainly a long climb, it is not very steep. So there was nothing to worry about really.

The downwards sections were brilliant: long stretches at 30mph or thereabouts, covering the ground very quickly, and hardly turning the pedals. Unfortunately the weather steadily deteriorated, and once I reached the level most of the day was cold, windy and wet.

The section from Dalkeith to Edinburgh is on good cycle paths, but it struck me as particularly uninteresting landscape. So it was a real pleasure to reach the final section, along the Innocent Railway, and round Arthur's seat and into central Edinburgh.

I had planned to stop on the way, but the poor weather made it more appealing to press on. So the only point of interest was passing the Piper's Grave on the climb over the Moorfoot Hills.

I arrived early in Edinburgh. The weather had brightened by then so I had a bit of a look around, then called it a day.

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