UKC

Afternoon all,

Anyone know of a cycle route (off-road) between Edinburgh and Ratho? I think there might be a canal route somewhere, but not sure.

Dankeschön

In reply to Jonny Borland:

Get onto the canal at the end of Fountainbridge (under Cargo) and get off it when you reach EICA (watch out though, easy to miss if it's dark and you've not done it before...).

In reply to Nick B, Another One:

As simple as that? That's quality, cheers. Will definitely be trying it during daylight...

In reply to Jonny Borland:


The challenges come from dodging the dogs (and their crap), pushchairs, fishists, runners, "lively" youths, other cyclists (usually as you or they try to go under a bridge too fast) and getting blown off viaducts/down banks in strong winds at various points.

Still it's flat and a decent surface!

In reply to Jonny Borland:

You're looking for a big flight of steps after you have passed through Ratho village. Not hard to miss in daylight. The surface is tarmac at least as far as the bypass (it has been a while since I went that way), and then hard packed mostly. As Nick B says, it is a route for considerate cycling, not speed! (At least the in-town section).

In reply to fimm:

Sounds good, 9-odd miles is going to be a proper leg humping shortly before climbing too. No choice but to get fit I guess!

Cheers!

In reply to Jonny Borland:

It's a lovely cycle in summer - lot of wildflowers.

there can be lots of puddles once you get past the bypass in winter, there's also no street lights on this section - so decent lights are preferable

How far does the tarmac reach? Sighthill/bypass, Ratho...?

In reply to PeterM:

Tarmac as far as Sighthill ish, good hard pack for a few miles and then mud and puddles, lots of puddles. Cycled to Ratho on friday, I was pretty dirty by the time I got there.

In reply to awhale: You should try coming the other way from Broxburn. Puddles, shite, broken up hardpack, anglers, pedestrians. In summer it's worse as the council don't cut the undergrowth back so there's less than a foot of clear path between giant nettles and thistles.

In reply to graeme jackson:

I have a number of complaints against both Edinburgh and West Lothian councils (depending which direction you approach Ratho from) but the folk you are after this time is British Waterways Scotland. The council do take an interest from time to time (such as funding some of the recentish upgrades to the towpath through town) but BW are the ones actually doing the work and are responsible for maintenance.

I pride myself on accurate whinging...

In reply to graeme jackson:

I have seen bits of that section cut back...

In reply to fimm: Once a year in spring maybe. by mid summer it's like a jungle all the way to the almond viaduct.

In reply to Jonny Borland:
TBH The stairs up to EICA are not that hard to spot, look out for some railings on the canal side of the path and a big orange sign next to some wooden steps, there is a bike rack outside of reception.

In reply to IanC:
just remembered check this out for off-road cycle routes around edinburgh
http://www.thebikestation.org.uk/innertube-map/

In reply to Jonny Borland:

Nice one, will give it a go this week