We've had a warm few days recently, and they're longer too... So I've been out a few times recently. The other evening I took a trip to the Pentlands on my bike, reminding me of my lack of mountain-bike prowess. Anyway, nice weather out riding in a t-shirt...

The ride must have sparked my imagination, as I went out yesterday for another ride, this time in a more flat but long way. From the flat, I rode out to Balerno partly along the Water of Leith path, and then spent a while riding around being lost near Balerno. When I found the NCN cycle route signs I proceeded to follow them to Broxburn to meet the Union canal there. Nice cycling on very quiet roads in the sunshine.

At Broxburn I continued along the Union canal towpath, which happened to be from the furthest point I have previously reached cycling out along the canal. From Broxburn the canal meanders around to keep on level ground, eventually arriving at Linlithgow. At this point I was already tiring, so I went into town for a coffee and slice of gingerbread, and had a wander around the ruins of Linlithgow Palace. The picture is of St Michael's church, beside the Palace.

From Linlithgow I continued along the canal to Falkirk, managing to arrive at the Falkirk Wheel as a boat was being raised. I stayed around to snap some pictures, then returned into the actual town centre a couple of miles away to take a train home. A good afternoon of supposedly 70km in t-shirt weather.

Today I went for a walk with dearg, from South Queensferry by the near end of the Forth Rail Bridge to Cramond for a nice pub lunch. The aim was a relaxed walk along the shore with photo opportunities, making the most of the continued decent weather, and that was certainly accomplished. We spent a while taking photos of the rail bridge, then wandered around the coast (mostly on beaches) with a few photo stops along the way.

This is a really nice walk (following the first part of a run described in this entry), mostly quiet and with the possibility of staying right on the coast. It passes through the grounds of Dalmeny House, and eventually arrives in Cramond Brig, for an anticipated pub lunch.

A wander up to the waterfront and back along the shore of the River Almond helped our lunch go down, and soon I was falling asleep on the bus back home...