Best way to cross Sherrifhall roundabout (Edinburgh)

[amir]

Lots of variations on the NCR1 route to shorten or lengthen but here's one:

You can pick up NCR1 at the Dalkeith campus. Follow the cycle path until it meets the main road at Whitecraigs. Then turn right to the roadabout, turn left towards Musselburgh then left at first left just before the bridge over the A1. Then follow the road until a sharp left bend just after the cottages and turn right onto the cycle path that leads you in a wee while to the banks of the River Esk. Cross the first foot bridge over the Esk and follow around onto a road through a housing estate. Cross the mini round about into the next estate, follow the road to the left and then the right (look out for NCR signs), then look for the path across playing fields. Cross a road and continue on the path through the next set of playing fields. Then out onto another estate road until it meets a bigger road at a T-junction. Turn left then first left on the roundabout over a railway bridge and look for the start of a cycle path going to the right of Queen Margaret Uni. Follow this road, you come out in another small estate, follow the road out to the left and turn right at the end onto a main road. Follow this and turn left onto a cycle path just after going under the railway bridge. Up the steep hill and follow the path until the next estate. Follow the road right and then left to lead out of the estate eventually. At a T-junction with a main road going to Edinburgh, look for the path on the left follow this road to the side of Big W (now deceased) and then under the bridge under the A1 onto the Innocent pathway. Just follow this crossing a couple of roads to the end. Get on the road past the the Commonwealth Pool and find your way to KB.

This is a bit wiggly in the middle. Happy to lead you one day, but I do go quite early.

 

[mojones]

Lots of variations on the NCR1 route to shorten or lengthen but here's one:

Many thanks! I will go over this with the help of a map when I get home.

 

[HJ]

I cycle out to Dalkeith as part of the Edinburgh RC sat ride each week. Our route takes us past the Dobbies Garden centre, then out to the bridge over the bypass, onto the r'bout by Melville Castle Hotel, turn left follow for about 300m, turn right onto the road into Dalkeith. This avoids the dreaded Sherrifhall.

I have use this route when I was committing to a courses earlier in the year (but in the opposite direction to you), is you stay on the road, take a primary position and treat it the same way as you would if you were driving, there is no problem. The most dangerous thing to do is get off and try and walk round or use the pavement. You take you self out of the traffic and are consequently less likely to be seen by drivers. If you get a copy of Cyclecraft, chapter 9 has a lot of good advice on how to tackle busy roads and there is useful diagram on p131 (fig 9.3) which shows the "arcs of concentration of drivers entering a roundabout". This shows clearly how your position on the road effects whether or not drives are likely to see you.

 

[HJ]

Lots of variations on the NCR1 route to shorten or lengthen but here's one:

You can pick up NCR1 at the Dalkeith campus. Follow the cycle path until it meets the main road at Whitecraigs. Then turn right to the roadabout, turn left towards Musselburgh then left at first left just before the bridge over the A1. Then follow the road until a sharp left bend just after the cottages and turn right onto the cycle path that leads you in a wee while to the banks of the River Esk. Cross the first foot bridge over the Esk and follow around onto a road through a housing estate. Cross the mini round about into the next estate, follow the road to the left and then the right (look out for NCR signs), then look for the path across playing fields. Cross a road and continue on the path through the next set of playing fields. Then out onto another estate road until it meets a bigger road at a T-junction. Turn left then first left on the roundabout over a railway bridge and look for the start of a cycle path going to the right of Queen Margaret Uni. Follow this road, you come out in another small estate, follow the road out to the left and turn right at the end onto a main road. Follow this and turn left onto a cycle path just after going under the railway bridge. Up the steep hill and follow the path until the next estate. Follow the road right and then left to lead out of the estate eventually. At a T-junction with a main road going to Edinburgh, look for the path on the left follow this road to the side of Big W (now deceased) and then under the bridge under the A1 onto the Innocent pathway. Just follow this crossing a couple of roads to the end. Get on the road past the the Commonwealth Pool and find your way to KB.

This is a bit wiggly in the middle. Happy to lead you one day, but I do go quite early.

That really is going the long way round I would suggest that this is a better route, although if I were cycling it my self I would use Liberton Brae rather than the side roads (ie Kirk Brae) as it is quicker, but it is busier. I have cycled all these routes, if you want some practical advice on how to ride with the traffic, PM me and I can come up to KB and show you how.

 

[amir]

Yes it much longer but that's good! It is a very relaxing route and you may see deer, foxes or other wildlife on the way. A medium length route that I sometimes use on the way back is along Craigmillar Road and then catch the NCR1 or go through Musselburgh and Inveresk. This is nice and fast.

When I go the short route along Gimerton Road it is a bit more stressful and also feels too short (but hilly). Watch out for the pedestrians crossing without looking and the desperate parking around the bingo hall in the evenings. as other say don't ride in the gutter. The pavement on the road outside of the city is designated as a cycle path but it's quite narrow, littered with debris and can land you on the wrong side of the road. It's much quicker on the road.

There is really odd cycle lane marked on the road down to the old bridge over the North Esk. It only exists when the road is wide, is too narrow and then at the bottom runs straight into the bridge wall. I have complained to the council but it is just more metres of cycle facilities to them. I normally go around the A7 bypass anyway as it's wider, flatter and better lit.

 

[mojones]

That really is going the long way round I would suggest that this is a better route, although if I were cycling it my self I would use Liberton Brae rather than the side roads (ie Kirk Brae) as it is quicker, but it is busier. I have cycled all these routes, if you want some practical advice on how to ride with the traffic, PM me and I can come up to KB and show you how.

Thanks for the route - that's a pretty slick website. I will try both. I might try a variation on the one that goes near Whitecraig - my current route starts Pathhead -> Cousland and I really enjoy that bit so I'd like to keep it in.