Arthur's seat - thistle do nicely
19.05.2022
I've made it to Edinburgh! Very emotional cycling towards the city and then spotting the castle in the distance - I was born here but left as a wee baby. The Scottish really do use the word "wee" a lot. So my one man tent is a wee tent - so it's fine for me to pee out of the front flap in the middle of the night!
This morning I cycled over to Newhaven road where mum+dad lived when I was born. To see the road and then cycle along the promenade that they would have walked me along in my pram brought a tear to my eye. At that moment I missed them both - I felt sad that I couldn't ever talk to either of them about their time and memories here in Edinburgh.
So - what's happened since the last blog?
On my rest (rainy) day in Shrewsbury I went in search of healthy food. I found an amazing place called "plantkind" - I bought a large salad box stuffed with amazing healthy goodies+felafels. Vlad (the owner) was so impressed with my bike trip he also gave me a massive bowlful of Lebanese chickpea moussaka - such a kind man and the food was absolutely delicious!
The next morning (as all mornings) I woke early (6am) and found it difficult to leave my warm sleeping bag and put on my slightly damp and sweaty cycling clothes and pack up. However, once sat up it's now become pretty automatic to get everything packed up into the panniers and loaded on to the bike. That's when I have my 1st breakfast (usually a couple of hot cross buns and a pint of green tea. I was making my way to Warrington and tried using Google maps in cycle mode - I was highly impressed! I can even turn the phone screen off and it becomes "sat nav" - a sexy voice tells me where to go next. It took me along loads of cycle paths and then along a canal path for miles. Not so impressed when I'm directed along a path with a flight of stairs!
I now use the sat nav mode for most of the days cycling. I camped outside of Warrington in some toff's mansions grounds and typically they were the most expensive site yet visited!
I charged my phone in the local pub "the Cock" obviously I had to drink a pint of the local ale - then got a free pint as the barman poured one too many pints for another customer (he cocked up). Result - though it was only lager!
Next day the route to Preston included miles more canal paths - sounds ideal, but in practice getting through the many many gates along the path meant a lot of lifting the bike as it was too big to fit with all the luggage attached through the gates - I was very concerned about injuring Harry (or is it Henry?) the hernia (but he seems to have suffered no serious injury).
Another mishap was having a small insect fly straight into my eye whilst whizzing along. I screeched to a halt, grabbed a leg and pulled the critter out - incredibly it then flew off!...though I think left another leg behind.
I've also spat out many insects and swallowed a few too - ruining the vegan diet! So far no bees or wasps!!
After a long days riding I arrived at an advertised campsite that basically wasn't finished being built - a farmers fields with foot long grass and a half built shower and toilet in a dilapidated barn. However, one of the best beers I've ever tasted in the local pub (Marston's pedigree) made up for the overpriced camping facilities.
Keen to get to a campsite near a pub with a tv to watch the FA cup final the next day I headed for Sedburgh in the Yorkshire dales. The easiest and fastest 50 miles I've done. Boy what a beautiful setting for a campsite. Absolutely lovely up there. The 2 mile walk to the village pub was across the hills - just stunning. What a magical landscape. Liverpool won the cup - all going well till I found the chip shop shut - so dinner was one dry bread roll with the remains of a sweaty bag of salad stuffed in it, an avocado and the inevitable emergency peanuts.
In the morning google maps took me over miles of hilly Yorkshire dales. I was attempting to reach Carlisle 55 miles away but after 15 miles I was shattered! A huge muesli+tea helped revive me.
The route then took me onto lots of fast quiet well surfaced roads. Suddenly the miles flew by and my energy returned. I arrived at Sarah's flat in Carlisle by early afternoon. I'd met Sarah last year at Zennor when hiking the south west coast path - she incredibly kindly offered me a bed for the night (really lucky as she was only there in her flat for that one night as she's currently letting it out and it just happens is currently between lets).
A hot shower (without needing 20p pieces or an annoying button to keep pushing), my washing done and hours of great conversation about our various cycling adventures and places we've been. Sarah has previously cycled from Shetland to the Lizard, so loads of useful tips for me. It's also clear how far I've still got to go!
Beers and pizza helped the evening along very nicely.
I left Carlisle with grey ominous skies above. Biscuits+yoghurt+fruit for breakfast. By the time I crossed the border to Scotland it was bloody raining... and it got worse and worse as the day went on. Drizzle in Gretna - where I had my 2nd breakfast of felafel wrap, proper rain in Lockerbie - where I had breakfast number 3 (muesli+banana), peeing it down by the time I got to Moffat.
A fantastic campsite with great showers but my tent was sopping wet and had puddles inside, so most of my things got wet. I managed to keep my sleeping bag dry on top of the inflatable mattress - forming a dry island within the tent. Cycling in the rain on busy roads with huge lorries passing in both directions is pretty terrifying - large sprays of water drenched me and the wind as they pass nearly knocked me off my bike. The noise too as they pass is frightening. Adrenaline, fear of death and yearning to get to the campsite asap helped me ride like the clappers.
Packing up in the morning was not easy as most things were soaking wet. On the plus side it had stopped bleedin' raining . Annoyingly my shoes and socks were still sopping wet, so I rode all day with very moist feet. The relatively flat terrain (despite the shite road surface) meant I made good progress. I stopped for another breakfast at Abington services. Whilst cooking up my tea and hot muesli a Tesco HGV driver came over for a chat - John Campbell. He gave me his telephone number and said if I breakdown or need any help whilst in Scotland to give him a ring. How kind is that!
Biggar campsite wasn't great but as I'd arrived by early afternoon I took the opportunity to dry all my stuff in the temporary sunny weather - it was raining again by bedtime (7pm!)
A short ride then into Edinburgh the next day. What an amazingly emotional and stunning experience cycling right through the city centre of such a great city - to get to my campsite on the coast. I got myself sorted and caught the bus back into town.
(The cycling seems to have stretched one of my arms!)
After food in the park beneath the castle I decided to go to Holyrood park and climb the extinct volcano to "Arthur's seat" - the highest point. A great walk and the views over the whole city onwards to the coast are truly spectacular.
I sat up there for quite some time (whilst drinking a can of Irn Bru! - way too much sugar but it actually tasted quite good - I can see why loads of scots drink it all the time).
As I've cycled north I've noticed how the local accents have changed. Each time I get off my bike (especially north of Shrewsbury) the accent of the "locals" changes dramatically. I love the different dialects - though at times I can hardly understand what is actually being said - it takes a moment or two to tune in (I really need a subtitle button at times!)
Saw this in an Edinburgh coffee shop window
No injuries to report other than jelly legs at the end of each day and an extra smelly and sticky crotch area.
Cycling stats:
Shrewsbury to Warrington 50 miles
To Warrington - 55 miles
To Preston - 50 miles
To Sedburgh - 55 miles
To Carlisle - 55 miles
To Moffat - 50 miles
To Biggar - 35 miles
To Edinburgh - 35 miles
I'm pleased with my progress and how my body seems to not be complaining too much (except when going up long steep hills)...but I'm barely past halfway to John o groats - which is scary!! One day at a time... (as the song goes)
Posted by simonstravels 11:47 Comments (7)