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Cycling after work takes me to an icon of Scotland

9/4/2013

4 Comments

 
Picture
The Forth Railway Bridge. Photo from thechatterjis.wordpress.com
The Forth Railway Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world and is one of the symbols of Scotland.  I am lucky enough to be able to cycle to it whenever I want as it is just 13 miles from the centre of Edinburgh.

During a Monday afternoon in the office I suddenly realised that within hours of leaving my desk and computer I would be cycling across the Forth Road Bridge. A friend had invited me to cycle home with him and part of the route took us across the bridge. I was feeling a bit tired during work and was half wondering if I should cancel and do the usual Monday activity of lying out on the sofa. However, I started to feel that tinge of excitement that comes on when I am soon to embark on a cycle run. This particularl run was even more special because of the bridge. Could there be a better way to spend a Monday night after work?

The cycle route to the bridge is mostly traffic-free and on quiet roads. It leaves Edinburgh on disused railway lines. Near Crammond I noticed a roaring fire through the window of a stone cottage. There were plenty of daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops along the way. The early evening sun was strong and low.
Forth Road Bridge
Forth Road Bridge. Photo from www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk
There is a separate cycleway and walkway on the Forth Road Bridge. What amazes me is that the bridge is one of the hilliest points of the route. I would expect a bridge to be flat, but not this bridge. It goes up and up to the middle and then down again. If the wind is against you this can make it a very slow and tough cycle, but tonight the wind was behind us and we flew across. The bridge is 2.5km long so it felt like we were on it for ages, but this was no bad thing because it was more time to admire the neighbouring railway bridge.

The Forth Railway Bridge opened in 1890 and took 7 years to complete. I watched a train make its way across and it was completely dwarfed by the massiveness of the structure. It is 8,000ft long, the towers are 361ft tall and it is made from 53,000 tons of steel. 
Forth Railway Bridge
My view of the Forth Railway Bridge whilst cycling across the Forth Road Bridge


The view behind us was equally impressive with the snow covered Pentland Hills.

South Queensferry with snow covered Pentland Hills
South Queensferry with the snow covered Pentland Hills in the background

My friend lives in Aberdour so we continued our cycle to his house. After a good chat over coffee and a home cooked meal I went to catch the train back to Edinburgh. Aberdour train station has to be one of the best cared for in Scotland. It has its own greenhouses where the colourful plants that adorn the platforms are reared. 

I was home for bedtime and was so glad that I had spent my evening this way. It made me appreciate how lucky I am to live somewhere that you can jump on your bike after work and end up somewhere amazing, even iconic.

Aberdour train station
Aberdour train station. Photo from flikr.com
4 Comments
Richard link
9/4/2013 07:42:27 am

Can visitors to Edinburgh easily hire bikes so they can do this cycle? I've never been on one of those Boris Bikes in London, but think they're a great idea - if they had something like that in Edinburgh I'd definitely be up for a trip to the bridge!

Reply
Colin Baird
9/4/2013 08:38:23 am

Hi Richard. There is a cycle hire place right on the Royal Mile: http://cyclescotland.co.uk/1rentals.htm
You could pick up a bike there, but getting from the Royal Mile to the start of the route at Haymarket station means cycling through some traffic heavy roads. You could put your bike on the train at Waverley Station and take the 3 minute train journey to Haymarket to avoid cycling in the city centre. There are some quiet roads that you can take to avoid the busy ones to get to Haymarket which I can let you know about.
There is also this place: http://www.biketrax.co.uk/info/bike_hire.php
They even hire Bromptons (the folding bikes) which are easier to take on trains and buses. The location of this place is potentially better for getting onto traffic free cycle routes.
Edinburgh is possibly too small and the roads too congested for us to have Boris Bikes just yet, but perhaps one day!

Reply
Johanna Bradley link
15/4/2013 06:06:48 am

Feeling terribly ignorant- I'll have to Google Boris Bikes! I stayed in South Queensferry once and it was lovely looking out on the railway bridge. I could quite fancy a walk across the Forth. Plenty of time for photos and admiring the view. I'm not a cyclist. I just enjoy the view over your shoulder, Colin.

Reply
Colin Baird
15/4/2013 06:24:36 am

Thanks Jo. Glad you enjoy the view!
It's the blue bikes that you can hire in London that Boris the mayor introduced.
South Queensferry is a pretty little place and great to view the bridge from. Just taking the train from Edinburgh across the bridge and back again is a thrill- I always recommend this as a "must" for visitors to Edinburgh

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    My name is Colin Baird and I want to see all of Scotland by bicycle. Follow my blog on Facebook:

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  • Home
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    • Journeys published on Simonseeks website
  • Where to go in Scotland
    • Aberdeenshire
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    • East Lothian
    • Edinburgh and Midlothian
    • Fife
    • Islands
    • Perthshire
    • Scottish Borders
    • Sutherland and Caithness
  • Advice About Cycling in Scotland
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    • Taking your bike on the train
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    • Best cycling guide books
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  • Best Cycling Books
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