Your ride today....

[Mr Celine]

After over a week off the bike due to a cold I opted for a flat downwind ride. Mrs C was going to see her mother so I cadged a lift to Carnwath and rode home from there. No sign of the sun that you southern types had, it was windy with rain mixed in, but fortunately this stopped when I got out the car. The route home took me through Quothquan, which gave me the Q that I needed for the ABC picture thread. Shortly after I stopped to get a pic looking over the River Clyde towards Tinto, normally a superb landmark, but rather obscured by low cloud today.

Shortly after I arrived at said River Clyde. This is looking downstream towards the remains of the Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway viaduct. Despite being right beside the river this is the east / west watershed. According to an entry in the 19th century New Statistical Account of Scotland when the Clyde was in spate water would overflow to the right at this point and join the Biggar Water, a tributary of the Tweed, and reach the North Sea rather than the Atlantic.

I skirted round the south of Biggar, a town which doesn't seem to be highly rated locally.

The rain had stayed off, though never looked too far away. Looking across Tweeddale to the hills behind.

One last photostop, opposite the Dawyck Botanic Gardens. This is a large arboretum surrounding Dawyck House the top of which can just be seen. It has fantastic displays of azaleas and rhododendrons, but either they are hidden by the bigger trees or more likely aren't out yet. We're still quite high up, which apparently is why the arboretum was planted here in the first place. (The gardens also have an excellent cafe, but I was on the other road so too much of a detour.)

Today's map -

50 miles @ 14.7mph, 713m upwards.

 

[the_craig]

After over a week off the bike due to a cold I opted for a flat downwind ride. Mrs C was going to see her mother so I cadged a lift to Carnwath and rode home from there. No sign of the sun that you southern types had, it was windy with rain mixed in, but fortunately this stopped when I got out the car. The route home took me through Quothquan, which gave me the Q that I needed for the ABC picture thread. Shortly after I stopped to get a pic looking over the River Clyde towards Tinto, normally a superb landmark, but rather obscured by low cloud today.

View attachment 469158

Shortly after I arrived at said River Clyde. This is looking downstream towards the remains of the Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway viaduct. Despite being right beside the river this is the east / west watershed. According to an entry in the 19th century New Statistical Account of Scotland when the Clyde was in spate water would overflow to the right at this point and join the Biggar Water, a tributary of the Tweed, and reach the North Sea rather than the Atlantic.
View attachment 469159

I skirted round the south of Biggar, a town which doesn't seem to be highly rated locally.


View attachment 469161
The rain had stayed off, though never looked too far away. Looking across Tweeddale to the hills behind.

View attachment 469164
One last photostop, opposite the Dawyck Botanic Gardens. This is a large arboretum surrounding Dawyck House the top of which can just be seen. It has fantastic displays of azaleas and rhododendrons, but either they are hidden by the bigger trees or more likely aren't out yet. We're still quite high up, which apparently is why the arboretum was planted here in the first place. (The gardens also have an excellent cafe, but I was on the other road so too much of a detour.)

View attachment 469168
Today's map -

View attachment 469169

50 miles @ 14.7mph, 713m upwards.

Great ride.

I can see Tinto from the end of my road and any trip to Biggar involves it getting bigger the closer I get. I usually take the road to Quothquan out of Biggar. The 13% lump up towards Clemiston refocuses the legs and the mind after a cake and coffee stop in Biggar.

 

[PaulB]

Great ride.

I can see Tinto from the end of my road and any trip to Biggar involves it getting bigger the closer I get. I usually take the road to Quothquan out of Biggar. The 13% lump up towards Clemiston refocuses the legs and the mind after a cake and coffee stop in Biggar.

I love that Tinto, me. And in a cycling-related story about it; when I used to work up that way, I would run up and down Tinto on my way to or from Livingston and on one occasion, I jumped out of the way as a mountain biker - coming downhill at a breakneck speed almost hit me. It would have been nasty for both, especially me, but I had no time to reflect on my luck as immediately behind him came another mountain biker who'd decided to jump that particular obstruction and flew over my head missing me by millimetres.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I love that Tinto, me. And in a cycling-related story about it; when I used to work up that way, I would run up and down Tinto on my way to or from Livingston and on one occasion, I jumped out of the way as a mountain biker - coming downhill at a breakneck speed almost hit me. It would have been nasty for both, especially me, but I had no time to reflect on my luck as immediately behind him came another mountain biker who'd decided to jump that particular obstruction and flew over my head missing me by millimetres.

Wow. Fortunate for you both...

 

[gavroche]

We had visitors this morning then had to go into town and take the dog for a good walk. After having done all this, it was 4.30 before I could go for a ride, which I did and covered 26 miles. I even met my daughter at a local school where my grandson was playing rugby. I enjoyed the ride and look forward to the next one, whenever that will be.

 

[Con]

Strange ride today in the middle of nowhere we came across a man playing jazz on a trumpet which is something you don't see every day. About a mile later we had a quick stop and I saw this sign that made me laugh

 

[TeeShot]

My companion today turned 80 last week. A dicky knee has kept him off his bike for a few weeks but we still managed 30 miles through some of Cheshire’s lovely lanes. A coffee at the Anderton boat lift and further refreshments at Great Budworths ice cream farm kept the energy levels up.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

Strange ride today in the middle of nowhere we came across a man playing jazz on a trumpet which is something you don't see every day. About a mile later we had a quick stop and I saw this sign that made me laugh View attachment 469286

Priceless, what ever next ?

 

[TigerT]

Bit Late..... My ride last Sunday.

I always try and do a Metric 100 on the first weekend of the month and that was the plan last Sunday.

I had no idea which route I would take except that I would start out by cycling to Baden and see what I felt like. So, I set out early show and was in Baden contemplating the rest of the day over a coffee by 9am.

I decided that the next stage would be to try a different route over to Bremgarten. That would give me the option to ride back the same way or to try and work out a loop back around to Zürich.

Arriving in Bremgarten it was already a hot and sunny day and I know from visiting friends nearby that there are fantastic views to be seen on the other side of the hill. I decided to carry on. But not before a nice chat with an American woman that stopped to ask about my bike (happy to talk about bikes all day, but her friends were not so interested).

Carrying on over the hill on route 77, it was definitely worth the short climb. For the next part of the journey, I had nothing but Green meadows and views of the Alps. I didn’t even mind the short gravel stretches which were definitely not ideal for my bike.

I decided after a while to change course and follow the main road to cut a corner and then hopefully join back onto Route 77 just before Zug.

After a successful diversion, I headed off the main route again as I didn’t want to go into Zug and out again, so I tried following signposts towards Baar. This was the least successful part of the route and a couple of mistakes were made! Got there eventually and from there it was easy to follow the river Sihl all the way back into Zürich.

That just left a short climb back up the hill to home. 112kms average 27 degrees so quite warm, but no complaints after a cold, wet winter.


Heading into Bremgarten

The wooden bridge over the River Reuss

Beautiful views of the Alps

Tempted to swap! Sheltering in some welcome shade before rejoining Route 77

And the map

 

[Old jon]

Sort of grey out there this morning. First look out of the kitchen window revealed splintery splattery speckles of rain on the bird bath, splashing up a surprising distance from the water surface. But not many of them, so I went out for a ride.

And almost changed my mind after the first mile. The heavier rain seemed to be concentrated on Holbeck, once over the river and riding towards Oakwood things became drier. But still uphill of course. Follow the road in the direction of Wetherby, climb the long, long hill and once the top is passed turn right onto Red Hall Lane, ride along that and Skeltons Lane to yet another lane, Thorner this time. Turn left. In the sixties I lived in Seacroft and at that time Sunday opening hours for pubs were rather variable. It may have depended on the Parish Council, not that it matters, but the Beehive in Thorner was open longer on Sundays than the Red Lion on the A 64. History lesson over.



Riding along Main Street after passing the pub, the decision was made to leave the village up Church Hill. Milner Lane could have been chosen but that hill might be steeper, so the more direct road to Bramham it was. Road works at the top of the hill, more roadside signage scattered all the way to Bramham, where I turned left yet again onto West Woods Road. Probably the best road surface for many miles around, and the road is fast enough, nowt too steep to climb, needs better views maybe. At Wattle Syke ignore the left turn for Collingham, go more or less straight on all the way to the roundabout at Wetherby’s edge. Then turn left for Collingham, its uphill this way. As previous rides, the temptations of the steeper hills to the left of the road were resisted. The other side of the A 58 hmmm? Maybe at the top of the road in Scarcroft? Too many miles for today. So the usual oddly, satisfying is the wrong word but it will have to do, ride back to the Oakwood Clock along the A 58. This is usually into a bit of a headwind, but this morning was very calm indeed. It is good when that happens. Down Roundhay Road, turn left towards, eventually, Eastgate. Slight holdup as a truck needed to reverse into the building site there. It felt like all the car drivers leaned on the horn button at the same second. No point hanging around to listen to that, there was room for me to reach and pass the head of that queue. Cross the river again and the last few miles home. At the turn off from the main road it looked like the mileage would be short, nope, big grin, exactly thirty miles!

And a map. After three months elsewhere these routes feel new . . .

 

[Denis99]

near Ystradgynlais , this afternoon.

 

[DCBassman]

Short ride, on the Scott again. Part utility, part fun. Rode to Yelverton/Leg O'Mutton to visit Rockin' Bikes (named for its original shop next to the Rock Inn up the road). Bought a spare tube and some ergo grips for the Scott, came home again!
Weather very undecided, drizzle and wetness all around. Took me as long to clean and lube the bike afterward as it did to complete the ride!
12.77 miles, avg 8.75mph, 1109ft of up.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Jules H and me today. It started out quite chilly but things did warm up OK. The headwind on the way south was a pain. At least the hedges helped a bit. Brain Nav sometimes has to think at the junctions in the lanes south of Tibberton. Thankfully the Nav results were correct. We took to the lovely valley by Flaxley Abbey for the ramp to Mitcheldean. Jules called the Bakery cafe in Longhope so there we lunched.
Barrel Lane took us along the flanks of May Hill. For the views we climbed to the Linton Ridge then took the fairly standard run back by Kempley, Ryton and Bromsberrow. Super outing today and Jules got to do some new roads too. 71 smiles

 

[Cycling Labs]

Can't put a picture up as I'm too new but my ride in to work this morning was so nice that I accidentally missed the turning off the roundabout to get to work and didn't realise until I came to the next roundabout and thought 'What am I doing here'!

 

[pjd57]

I had a couple of things to do for my Mrs at opposite ends of the city today.
So I went south west in the morning, then back to Maryhill for the regular Free Wheel North run. Bowling was today's destination. Nice easy out and back all on the canal.
After that it was North East to Easterhouse then home via Celtic park and Glasgow Green.

P.S.
It was wet