| East Lothian focus |
| Pedal for Scotland |
Although it's a convenient way of referring to it, I often wonder if the name puts people off using it! Would 'Chalet' or 'Bothy' be more welcoming? Anyway, a decision was made early in the year that for the duration of the Foot & Mouth epidemic we would close the Hut.
By the time you receive this, we hope that it will be open again. Apart from the fact that members enjoy using it, it does provide some income the the club. The charges are very low, but the maintenance costs are also low (partly because nearly all labour required is done freely by club members).
In case newer members don't know about it, it's on the Moffat road just south of Broughton (within staggering distance of the Crook Inn), 'primitive but comfortable', sleeps about 12 in two dorms with living area, in beautiful surroundings.
Can we make up for the loss of 4 months' use? If you want to use it, please contact Jimmy Murray. (See Committee List for details of all committee members you might need to contact).
It's that time of year again! National Bike Week has re-emerged as 2001 Festival of Cycling. Same thing, same idea - to promote cycling in all its aspects.
How do we do that? This year the club is only providing one opportunity specially, that will be the OPEN RIDE on the evening of Tuesday 19th June. Last year about 30 people turned up for that, many of them continued regularly on Tuesday evenings right until the end of August. We were fortunate with the weather - almost every Tuesday evening was fine. Some of these people joined the CTC.
Set off of North Sea Cycle Route launch ride on stage to Kinross (see CycleTalk for more details, especially if you want to join in part of that ride)
Easy Ride until about 9 o'clock or 9:30 (best to bring lights)
Come along AND BRING A FRIEND
The biggest cycling event in Scotland this year is happening HERE. Ian Maxwell is still looking for volunteers. His original list had
If you can help with any of these, contact Ian Maxwell
0131 557 9650, 5 St Marks Place, EH15 2PY
The most recent development here is that our Sec. Peter, and Mike Harrison, were called in to the Scottish Exec for a meeting with Neil Wands, the Cycling Officer, and John Howison, Chief Roads Engineer. They wanted to explore ways for us to withdraw our objections, presumably to avoid the need for a Public Inquiry. We said we would be prepared to withdraw all objections if a crossing of some sort could be provided, though we did offer a compromise solution involving the Exec negotiating with a local landlord to allow cyclists to use a private (farm amd estate access) road only 1km away, which would mean a diversion of about 2km in all.
This however seemed an unsatisfactory compromise, and the Exec agreed to look at costings for a bridge at Biel Mill, presumably an extension to the bridge which already crosses the railway. We have still to hear the outcome, but the situation is distinctly more optimistic than it was before.
We
do need to show that the route is not only useful, but is actually used. Following
the meeting about the Shoreline in Gullane, Mike went on to the Biel crossing.
Peter Hawkins had been there after the meeting at the Scottish Exec to remove
a fallen tree, but Mike found another one which had been felled, but the small
branches were completely filling the road! So please, do go out and use it -
if the worst happens, you may not have the opportunity much longer!
CTC has been consulted about plans to combat coastal erosion, including activities
and uses. We have responded, pointing out the need for a coastal route for NCN
1 and the NSCR, and noting that parts of such a route already exist but that
there are important gaps, eg west of North Berwick where it is impossible to
avoid the A198 or to keep near the coast, and other places where there are already
footpaths which need upgrading so that cyclists could use them, eg near Aberlady.
If you have local knowledge or suggestions, Peter can give you the company's
name and 
address. Mike Harrison attended one of the meetings in Gullane,
where a firm employed by the consultants to the Council were seeking opinions
from the public. They made lots of notes - about litter, dog excrement etc.
as well as about the need for continuous paths and information about access.
The limited useability of the current path from Musselburgh to Port Seton was
noted. If you have comments, make then to Babtie Group, 95 Bothwell St, Glasgow,
G2 7HX.
Following a Spokes public meeting last autumn, Spokes, Sustrans and the Council are now having discussions on how to improve maintenance of Edinburgh's off-road paths. Meanwhile, volunteers have been working hard all during the winter and early spring to clean some of the paths and cut back overhanging vegetation. We have worked on the Innocent Path, the Roseburn Path near Queensferry Road, the Slateford - Balerno route, the paths near Fiveways, the Warriston path, and several others. One particularly needed job was the under-bridge at Craighall Road, which was always flooded. Bad drainage makes it impossible to remove all the water, but a good clean-up has removed most of it, and it dries out much quicker.
Some of these paths have had no attention for years, so we hope it won't be quite so difficult to keep abreast of the work in the future.
Our efforts have been helped by a University of Edinburgh conservation group who call themselves the Dirty Weekenders. Normally they have a full programme and we get them only once a term, but this year many of their projects have been cancelled because of foot and mouth, so they have concentrated on path work for us. It's an ill wind, as they say !
The stretch of towpath between Leamington Bridge and Wester Hailes on the Union Canal is at last being upgraded, including widening to 1.8m wherever possible. The path will be kept open during works, but users are advised to catch the eye of machine operators before attempting to pass. The bridge at Kingsknowe Road is totally closed, so you must leave the path no further west than the footbridge at the start of the old rail path through Colinton Dell. Contractors tried to give advance warning but notices are removed or vandalised almost as soon as they appear. The bridge should re-open at the end of May. For the present don't even think about using the canal route between the turn-off for Colinton Dell and Wester Hailes Education Centre. Hailes Park is full of mounds of soil, and though there is a path through, unless there has been no rain for about 2 weeks you would need your wellies on.
There was a good response to the questionnaire with the February CF. You may find a new hand pushing your copy through the letter box. If you get a chance - please have a word with them. They are all members who volunteer to do this for the Club. It gives cyclists a chance to meet each other, and saves the DA some money!
The 2000-2001 Winter Programme has just finished. As usual a varied programme with something to interest everyone somewhere along the line. The usual talks and slideshows have been supplemented by Ceilidh Dancing under the direction of Margaret Harris.
I'll mention a few of the evenings which have stuck in my memory.
'The Great Wall of China' - nothing to do with cycling, but it struck me that politicians are the same now as they were when the walls were built - all for show and a statement of power! But what an achievement in terms of constructions!
'Forty Years of Gardening' it said on the programme, but Bob Jeffrey entertained and informed us with the story of just a few months of the work of preparing for and moving a glasshouse from Whitburn to Oxenfoord. Another achievement, although not quite on the scale of building the Great Wall.
The Art Show coordinated by Finlay Cairns showed the great range of skills of our members - in paint, pencil, fabric, photography and woodwork. Shame that so few came to see it.
And finally, two events which showed up how much we go around with our eyes on our front mudguards. Finlay Cairns and Peter Martin each had a quiz evening of photographs of things in Lothian that we have all passed dozens of times. How many did we recognise? It's embarrassing to say! So my advice to you is "HEADS UP" when out on the bike, look around you and next year you might get the prize.
So that was last year, what about next year? The Clubroom evenings might start before you get your next Cycle Forth, so remember that the first Monday in September will be the start. Dorothy has already booked some events.
By the way, we are looking for someone to replace, or at least assist Dorothy as Social Secretary. She tried to retire last year, but we couldn't find a replacement, and she has kept going this year, despite her 'time off' after the accident. If you want to volunteer in advance of the AGM, please talk to Dorothy.
The Association has done quite a lot of upgrading to the Hall over this winter - resanded the floor, renewed all the kitchen equipment and painted the hall.
We had to cancel a couple of evenings, and also hold the Burns Supper in the nearby church - which gave us more space.
2001 riders - if you help to make up the numbers
Entry forms now available from bike shops, some CTC members, from the web site www.pedalforscotland.co.uk
or from the organiser - Brian Curtis.
Book the date NOW, get a form SOON, commit yourself!
Details on www.pedalforscotland.co.uk
Scottish Vets 100 in 2001Stirling Sunday 17 JuneWe have 56 entries so far. Closing date is 12 May. Registration can be accepted on the day but riders won't get the calligraphic certificate. |
Ten of us left the car park at Innerleithen, and as we left Bill Ford drove in and ascertained that we were going up "Paddy's Slacks". This name is probably a corruption of the grassy hillside west of the col which is named "Paddock Slack" on the maps. Bill caught us up before the summit, and we all enjoyed the long freewheel down to the Gordon Arms. The sky shone bright blue with just a few puffy clouds and a cool wind from the west to prevent overheating.
Straight over at the crossroads to climb gently and once we reached the trees another glorious descent to Tushielaw. The countryside was typical of early spring with primroses, daffodils and fresh leaves on the trees and a profusion of lambs. Continuing south for Robertson we climbed to the moor again, and, now running with the wind, skirted the edge of Craich forest and noted lots of felling near the memorial marking the site of the former school. Then it was across Alemoor reservoir to reach the summit to drop again towards the former Snoot Hostel.
Here we turned for Ashkirk and it was climbing again, but the wind assistance helped a bit. Near the summit two ladies in cars signalled us to stop and we thought we might be called on for breakdown assistance - but no - it was the Temporary Veterinary Inspector (or TVI as she described herself) who informed us we were on the edge of a FMD restricted area. The young lady - a Kiwi - was a CTC member of the Aberdeen DA, and insisted on spraying our wheels with orange juice or something (!) and advised us not to stop for lunch near the summit as the local farmer had a gun and was a bit twitchy about FMD. We therefore rode past the Will H Ogilvie Memorial (our intended lunch-place) to enjoy another great descent to Ashkirk where Peter had a puncture just half-a-mile from the Village Hall where we made use of the benches and the sunshine to enjoy our late lunch.
WH Ogilvie was a native of Hawick who emigrated to Australia in his youth. A comtemporary of Kipling, his poetry is well-known down under and by some is his home town. The memorial was built in 1993 to mark a centenary.
After lunch we continued east, passing a deserted fishing loch - F&M again - normally an angler every 5 or 6 yards on the bank - to reach Lilliesleaf, then north to climb through Midlem to the radio mast, across the main road and then drop very steeply to Lindean, along the old road to reach the Peebles road by the link to Yair Bridge. Again, no canoeists of anglers on the Tweed. A diversion to the Clovenfords Hotel for afternoon tea. A statue of Sir Walter Scott graces the outside of the hostelry and it is said that it wears one of his old coats treated with papier-mache. Suitably refreshed, we retraced for a mile to cross the Tweed by the spectacular single-span Ashiestiel Bridge to find that house-building is proceeding on the site of the former Peel Hospital. A gentle ride up the Tweed valley brought us back to Traquair and Innerleithen with a very enjoyable 64 miles on the clock and many happy memories rekindled from our visit to the beautiful border byways. A superb day.
Editor's note: I agree with Richard's mileage, but noted that we also climbed a total of 1700 metres. Because of the terrain, none of the climbs were steep and all were rewarded by long easy descents - perfect!
