John Muir Way - Day 3 - Edinburgh to Dunbar

Final slightly shorter route and helpful tailwinds made this a welcome easier day. 

Stopped in Gullane for a nice Coffee and Scone and then a less good tea and sandwich in Dunbar.

 3 hrs 3 mins moving time; 38.3 miles; 436 m climb. 

It wasn't the most exciting of routes although this was partly because much of it familar to me. I had chosen the cycle version of the John Muir Way and there were a number of instances where the route choice was not the most interesting option with the designated route favouring easy terrain over perhaps rougher but more interesting choices.

Day 1 felt a bit longer than I enjoyed. The next two days were about right. The days immediately afterwards I was knackered by it.

The trains worked very well and definitely a very good option for future trips in Scotland.

John Muir Way - Day 2 - Falkirk to Edinburgh

Train out to Falkirk and a ride back from there to Edinburgh. Again a pretty familiar set of trails.

 4 hrs 25 min moving time; 44.1 miles; 738 m climb.

John Muir Way - Day 1 - Helensburgh to Falkirk

A reasonably early start to get the train from Edinburgh to Helensburgh - just over a 2 hr journey. Arrived in Helensburgh to a fairly cool and cloudy outlook.

The first section of the route from Helenburgh to Balloch wasn't great with a lot of cycle path on pavements at the edge of A road. Stopped for coffee and sausage roll at Loch Lomond Shores.

It was then mainly quiet country roads through to Gartness before picking up the West Highland Way in reverse direction from normal to reach the northern edge of Mugdock Country Park. A rough climb and then descent through to Strathyre after which it was nice but familiar bike paths. 

Stopped in Milton of Campsie for tea and snack when heavy rain came. This didn't last too long so back on the trail onwards to Falkirk passed the Falkirk Wheel on the way.

Moving time of 5 hrs 8 minutes; 53 miles; 841 m climb. Felt like hard work and pretty tired at the end. 

Not the most interesting route given much of it had been travelled before. Train back to Edinburgh with the bike worked well.

Pentlands Run and Cycle with Max to Musselburgh

A Saturday run in the Pentlands doing a Carnethy 5 route sticking to the main paths. Pleased to be on pretty good form and joints holding up pretty well.

On Sunday a bike trip with Max to Company Bakery for coffee and cake, Musselburgh and home. Testing Max's knees on the bike but still causing him some issues.

 

Traprain Law Hill Race

One of the best hill races in the calendar. Lovely riverside route with a wet river crossing. Scramble to the top of the Law without the assistance of a rope for the first time. Have been struggling a bit with heel issues this year so pleased to get round the 10k with 300m climb route in around 1 hrs 5 mins without any discomfort and feeling reasonably strong at the end - 158% of winning time. 

Cumbernauld and Eyemouth SOUL

A couple more urban orienteering events on 31 May at Cumbernauld and 7 June at Eyemouth. Good orienteering - Cumbernauld particularly good with the complex urban housing estates.

Cycle around both afterwards to explore the areas.