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Some squally rain showers hit the tent before dawn. When I was
packing the tent away it was slight drizzle. I continued riding
along the cycle trail along the old railway route with my cape
on. Approaching the East Coast Main line there was a train
whizzing bye as I approached the Longniddry Railway Station.
Before the station I had to turn left and head back down a rough
track to join a cobbled lane under the railway line and join the
busy B1377. Fortunately the footpath was wide enough for me to
ride the short distance to the roundabout and turn right on
Lyars Road towards the Firth of Forth Coast. I continued along
the coast in wet and windy conditions to the Setton Sands area
where I thankfully left the road and followed the path along the
coast. |
Setton Sands. |
Setton Sands camping in years
gone bye. |
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I wasn't on it very long before emerging back on to the
Edinburgh Road and on to a Lidl store where I stopped to buy
some jam doughnuts. I continued towards Prestongrange and
stopped to photograph an excellent mural painted on a wall on
the left. It represented scenes of past industries and housing. |
Prestongrange Murals |
Prestongrange Murals. |
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I soon left the road to follow another path out by the coast
then back to the road. Across the road I cycled to the
Prestongrange Mining Museum but it didn’t open until 11am. I had
a quick look at the exterior then returned to the road to and
crossed to another coastal path to Musselborough. Crossing over
the footbridge I took the coast path again to join the A199 then
the coast path to Potobello beach. It was now raining quite hard
and getting windy. |
Prestongrange Brickworkers. |
Coade Stone Pillars. |
Coade Stone Pillars. |
I stopped at the John Street Community Garden to have a look
at the Pillars. They were rescued from the garden of Argyle
House, Hope Lane off Portobello High Street. They are made of
press-moulded blocks of Coade Stone, a process invented by
Eleanor Coade (1773-1821). The pillars were erected in the
Portobello Community Garden in 2006 with a Lottery Grant. |
Eleanor Coade (1773-1821). |
At Seafield Road I joined the Restalrig Railway path and
followed it to Links Place and on ro Ocean Way towards the
harbour area. There were a lot of roadworks going on and I had
to wheel my bike most of the way along Constitution Street. I
reached the Ocean Terminal building and stopped to shelter from
the rain under the entrance doors. |
Lots of raodworks. |
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I had a look to the rear but couldn’t see the Royal Yacht
Britannia because another ship was in the way. I then started my
wet ride towards Edinburgh. The cycle way runs along Commercial
Quay but the cobbles and old rail tracks were certainly not safe
for a bike, especially in the wet. I joined the Water of Leith
path but soon reached a ‘closed’ sign and ahead a fence blocking
the way. |
Ocean Terminal building. |
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I followed a diversion sign but after that there were none. I
managed to re-join my planned route at Lochend Park and the
lake. The map showed a Plague Kiln but when I got there the sign
said it was a Dovecot. I returned to the road and passed
Meadowbank to Regent Road. Originally I was planning to have a
look at Regent Gardens and Calton Hill but the rain was
hammering down so I decided to continue straight to Edinburgh
Waverley Railway Station where there was shelter. I was early
but spent time reading until my Avanti Train left for Preston at
14:52. I was back in Preston for about 17:15 where the weather
was much nicer. I had an easy ride home along the old tramway to
Bamber Bridge then the A6. |
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