Early start, arranged with Kev Young to call at his house at 7am to get the train at 7:52 to auld reekie. So set off at 6:10 . Got there in plenty of time and we set off for the train, stocked up with crisps and juice at station's w h smith and made our way to coach a, where our bikes were booked in, only to find that passengers weren´t allowed in. We opened it anyway and found a wee guard's van, the guard appeared and we had to hang our new bikes by the front wheel, we were assured they were secure enough, so we reluctantly toddled along to the other end of the train - coach g.
The journey passed without incident, we made our way through a crowded train until we got to the back, coach B, closer to our bikes . At Haymarket, Edinburgh we alighted and the guard had already placed our bikes on the platform. We asked him if we could get them through the disabled exit but it was locked so we carried the bikes plus panniers up the stairs, which is no mean feat.
Just outside the station, there was a cycle "route 1" mileage sign denoting 168 miles to Aberdeen, one of the guards took our photo and we set off on our journey, 10:30 am. Kev's dad had done a reconnaissance for us, so we knew to wheel our bikes around the corner and we were off, we got to the edge of Edinburgh via a disused railway line and quiet roads. At a junction that was sign posted S Queensferry 2 ways, Kevin started off in one direction and I went in another, completely in error, there were some local cyclist stopped at this junction and I heard them shout that the way I had accidentally favoured was the most scenic way, so I chased after Kev and we headed along the recommended route. Indeed it took us into the grounds of a stately home and we ended up following the south firth of forth coast to S. Queensferry and over the bridge to N Queensferry. There is always something exciting about crossing a wide stretch of water on a bike.
At N. Queensferry, Kev had arranged to meet his pals, Donny and Burty who live in Edinburgh, we arrived there just before 12, at the same time as our lunch colleagues, perfect timing. After a good lunch we set off and arranged to meet Donny and Burty at Kinghorn, 25 miles up the coast, they would be on 4 wheels and we would be on 2 wheels.
Kev and I set off towards Inverkeithing, on to Dalgety Bay, Aberdour, Burntisland and Kinghorn, we were following the coast along quiet roads and dedicated cycle routes. We had to head in land at Burntisland and encounted our first steepish hill on our way to Kinghorn.
After a refreshment at Kinghorn with Donny and Burty, we cycled back up the hill and in land and then back to the coast at Kirkcaldy, where we then headed uphill and inland again towards Glenrothes. We were booked in to the Laurel Bank hotel at Markinch just a few miles from Glenrothes, after 45 miles covered, we arrived there around 6pm and had a cycle around to find the Indian restaurant where we planned to dine that night. We couldn't find it so after a wash and a shave we went for a walk into the town and still no luck so we went for a pint in Jamies, where they had Tennents 60 shillings on draft which almost compensated for the news that the barmaid had for us - the Indian restaurant was now closed down ! Disaster. We went across the road to the chinese which had to substitute for the spicier cuisine we were seeking.
We had a dram each, back at the hotel and it was the beddy bye-byes. Kev promised an Indian the following night in Carnoustie, our next resting place on our east coast tour.
No comments:
Post a Comment