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Day 16  Sunday 9^th May 2004

Peebles to Inverkeithing (north of Firth of Forth )

We didn’t get off to a very good start today.  We had asked the directions from the landlady in order to get onto the Edinburgh road.  Perhaps we hadn’t paid enough attention!  After about three miles Peter suddenly spotted that the signposts said Glasgow in the direction we were travelling and Edinburgh didn’t get a mention.  Never mind, we had passed the Niedpath Castle and taken photos and three miles wasn’t a huge error.  On inspection of the map we noticed a minor road cutting back to the Edinburgh road and so we took this.  It did go up a bit of a hill but in the end we only lost the 3 miles and gained a few miles cycling on quiet side roads instead of busier main road – not that any of the roads were busy early on this Sunday morning.  We eventually got back on the right road at Eddleston and continued the more gradual climb up the valley towards Edinburgh.

At Leadburn we turned off the main A701 and found ourselves competing in a triathlon event!  We weren’t doing very well, cyclists kept on overtaking us over the next 5 miles or so.  Even the ladies overtook us!  So when we got to Auchendinny we decided to abort the race by carrying straight on while the race officials directed competitors to the left.  They made an attempt to direct us that way as well but we declined the offer.

Soon afterwards we rejoined the main A701 and made our way into the centre of Edinburgh.  Fortunately the road was well provisioned with cycle lanes to protect us from the worst of the traffic.  We did manage to find a Sainsbury’s on the outskirts which provided us with our 11’s and some food for lunch.

Having arrived in the centre our first port of call was Waverley Station.  But where was it?  The signposts were not at all helpful and we ended up by asking a taxi driver – it turned out to be 200 yards away just round the corner.  Peter needed to get a train back to Carlisle – there were two possibilities the second being a direct service and faster.  This would have given him time to look round the centre of Edinburgh – it wasn’t to be.  He was advised that this train would be very busy and he should book his bike on the first train which was arriving in about 10 minutes.  We hastily made our way over to the platform using lifts and bridges, we divided up our goodies bought at Sainsbury’s and hurriedly made sandwiches, and in pulled the train.  It was a very long train and the bike van was right at the far end of the platform so we both rushed along the platform trying to avoid people who were getting on and off of the train.  Mission accomplished, bike loaded, Peter left and started his journey home.  It was a pity that he didn’t have time to see Edinburgh but it was great having him cycle with me over the last two days.  I’m looking forward to the next time.

I retraced my steps along the platform and over the bridges and made my way to Waverley Park just outside the Station to eat my lunch. A bagpiper was playing just behind me.  The Walter Scott memorial was a few yards down the road.  Across the park was Edinburgh Castle.  For the first time since crossing the border I felt I really was in Scotland.  I had time to make a quick visit to some of the tourist spots – firstly I went to Calton Hill with its views over the city and out to the Firth of Forth.  I then went to Edinburgh castle and took some photos and managed to buy a postcard.  I then tried to follow the directions to South Queensferry but somewhere went wrong and ended up on the new main road signposted ‘A8(A90)’ instead of the older road ‘A90’ to Glasgow.  Someone was looking after me again as I attempted to use a minor road to take me further north to pick up the A90 going west and soon found myself at the Holiday Inn mentioned in the CTC directions.  From there it was much easier to follow the right route.

One of the highlights of the trip was the visit to the Forth railway bridge.  I new it was big and impressive, but it is not until you stand beside it and watch a train cross it that you realise how big it actually is.  The train looked minute, like a Hornby 00 gauge as it crossed.  And to think that 50 lives were lost during its construction from people falling off, and also to realise that many people have died since in maintaining it.  I watched a programme on the TV when I returned about its construction.  One poor lady had lost both her husband and one of her sons in this way.

I spent an hour in the area of Dalmeny just below the bridge.  I then proceeded to make my way to the new Forth Road Bridge and the cycle path which crosses it.  It was nowhere near as windy as it had been crossing the Severn Bridge nearly a couple of weeks ago.  I was glad I was on my bike.  The 4 lane carriageway was undergoing repairs and all traffic was using the two lanes to the west of the bridge.  The other two lanes were closed off.  Traffic was snarled up all around.

Having crossed, I found myself in “The Kingdom of Fife” and shortly afterwards arrived in the small town of Inverkeithing where I had booked my B&B.  First appearances was that it was a rather run down place – second appearances were no better!  The only good thing about it was the view from the B&B towards the Firth and on towards Edinburgh.  I asked the landlady about places to eat.  Try the Brough Pub she said.  That was a right smoky dive.  No food being served tonight.  The other options she had mentioned were ‘take-outs’ (a new expression for me).  I opted for the Chinese and ended up with a sweet and sour Chicken and pineapple with boiled rice which certainly wasn’t free from artificial colouring.  Talk about fast food – I was in and out of the shop within 5 minutes at the most.  Well it served me right – it was Sunday and I should have been more prepared by having a meal in the middle of the day.  Back to the B&B to eat it in the bedroom – if I closed my eyes it didn’t taste too bad, after all I was very hungry.

We had cycled 48.0 miles today at an average of 9.0mph.  This now brings my total mileage to 793.3

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