Author Topic: Edinburgh Advice Needed  (Read 2015 times)

Edinburgh Advice Needed
« on: 01 November, 2019, 11:44:49 pm »
Wanting to get from Balerno to Haymarket Station.

Was thinking of following the Leith Walkway until it meets the Union canal then following that to its end.  Is this  sensible option for a road bike with 28c tyres ?  Is an hour ample time ?



Re: Edinburgh Advice Needed
« Reply #1 on: 04 November, 2019, 07:56:42 am »
I have cycled the Water of Leith Walkway a few times up to a couple of years ago on 32mm tyres without any issues; I think it would be fine with 28mm but it did get very messy in wet weather.

The trip is about 10 miles but I'm not sure about an average speed given unpaved surfaces by the Water of Leith, negotiating past walkers/dogs and other cyclists, and very narrow cobbled surfaces over the Slateford Aquaduct and under the many bridges on the canal towpath.

Personally I would go by road unless you are going at morning rush hour when the main road gets extremely congested. Given it is mostly downhill and with a prevailing tailwind I would expect to do it well within an hour on roads.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Edinburgh Advice Needed
« Reply #2 on: 04 November, 2019, 10:56:46 am »
Ride to Currie and hop on a train in from there?
Or ride up through the uni and onto the union canal tow path IIRC it's much wider and more speed friendly.

Re: Edinburgh Advice Needed
« Reply #3 on: 04 November, 2019, 12:50:11 pm »
This is my neck of the woods.
If this journey is to be made soon, I would not touch the Water of Leith path with anything other than a mountain bike as sections of it will be very, very muddy. Canal towpath is tarmac and would be fine, but I wouldn't bother. The road is much faster
I cycle the A70 from Balerno through Juniper Green and Currie and down towards Haymarket most weeks. It is a busy road but there's nothing exceptional about it.

Re: Edinburgh Advice Needed
« Reply #4 on: 06 November, 2019, 11:35:11 pm »
thanks for the replies, think I will take the advice about not following the water of leith  (was in edinburgh yesterday and it was pretty big flowing through dean village and stockbridge).   So as I will be coming through livingstone following the almond, thought I would head north east and join the union canal, its only a couple of klicks

Don't fancy the roads in Edinburgh, I have little experience of city cycling so on this occasion will stick to cycling only routes.

hopefully doing all this on Friday, coming in from Bigger - should be a bit of an adventure, haven't been out of the borders on the bike for a while

Re: Edinburgh Advice Needed
« Reply #5 on: 07 November, 2019, 01:56:31 pm »
thanks for the replies, think I will take the advice about not following the water of leith  (was in edinburgh yesterday and it was pretty big flowing through dean village and stockbridge).   So as I will be coming through livingstone following the almond, thought I would head north east and join the union canal, its only a couple of klicks
There's a good cycleable path next to the railway line from Livingston North station to Uphall - from there you've got a bit of a fiddle about but you can get to the canal near where it goes under the motorway. I know the canal path is cycleable as far as Ratho these days but I'm not sure how much further the good surface goes.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Edinburgh Advice Needed
« Reply #6 on: 07 November, 2019, 03:57:55 pm »
I'll take a look at my photos later, I rode in from around there after MTBing along the WoL a couple of years ago.

Edit: Looked at them anyway; tarred other than the aqueduct which is cobbled and narrow.

Re: Edinburgh Advice Needed
« Reply #7 on: 11 November, 2019, 12:40:32 am »
It didn't go quite as planned, on the drive to the start point the van was wrote off by an out of control lorry skidding on ice, I ended up in hospital getting my heed glued back together with super glue (apparently that is what they use to repair heads?) (seriously)...   thankfully the bike only suffered a pringled front wheel.

got the spare wheel on the bike and back on the road today for a 28 miler,  could't get the helmet on, but with all the plastic gunge holding my bonse together I probably didn't need a helmet - LOL

My edinburgh trip is goint to have to wait a few weeks longer, but I will get there.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Edinburgh Advice Needed
« Reply #8 on: 11 November, 2019, 10:18:55 am »
Oh f--- at least you're (sort of) Ok.

And yes "Super glue" has many clinical functions.