John Muir Way - The Journey Home

 A lovely day in Dunbar and sad it’s all over. This is the view from our bedroom..

All that was left to do was pay the hotel bill and a short cycle to the station. We missed this statue yesterday - John Muir as a young boy...

A 30 minute train journey saw us back in Edinburgh and then a leisurely cycle home along the promenade

...and the complete route....

John Muir Way - Day 5 Aberlady to Dunbar

We are quite disappointed in Ducks. The most expensive hotel on our trip, but with a shower that was unusable because it was too hot, we thought we might have had an apology, maybe even a free glass of wine or something off the bill. But no. Even the breakfast was disappointing - although last night’s dinner was good. 

Anyway onward and upwards. We left some time just after 10, along the road again, but were soon directed passed Luffness Golf Club along an old railway line, which took us into Gullane.

From there we were allowed on the pavement beside the main road all the way to Archerfield, where we were again directed off the road, through to Dirleton, a really nice section. Sadly, after that we were back again on the pavement beside the busy North Berwick road until we decided to join the much more pleasant walking route into town. A nice coffee stop at the Sealife Centre which was working hard to keep everyone safe with one way systems and masks. Well done we thought.

North Berwick was busy in the sunshine. 

On again, with the thought we might climb to the top of the North Berwick Law. But the route out of town was on the much steeper side and although we did try looking for access we gave up and like other things, promised to come back to do it another time. 

On then on the busy road to out to Tintallon but we quickly were directed off onto much quieter roads winding through the countryside. It was all relatively easy and good fun. We had a bit of uphill off-road called Becky’s Strip which we were warned could be muddy and expect to push. Nothing could be further from the truth. A lovely section through fields of wheat and barley.

We even managed to duck the ‘Dangerous Ford’ which had a useful bridge bypass for bikes. Knowers Ford I believe it is called. I would not have liked to take a car through that. 

The last section along the road into Dunbar was again busy but we were again allowed on the pavement which fell much safer. Once we reached Dunbar itself we turned left along the Winterfield Golf Course and a pleasant run along the road into the town centre and John Muir’s Birthplace. Also closed of course and we confirmed that promise to return when things get back to ‘normal’.

A trip down to the harbour meant we passed the The Volunteer Inn with a terrace, so we stopped for a bite of lunch and a celebratory drink!  

This odd looking bench is identical to the one in Helensburgh, also with a quote from John Muir. However there was no fanfare at all at the finish. Perhaps there might have been more of a sense of it if the Museum was open. Nevertheless we have had a great time.

We checked into the Bayswell Park Hotel, which is nice but no reasonably working internet! Some beautiful coastal scenery and sunset was a nice finale to our trip

John Muir Way - Day 4 Cramond to Aberlady

We had the luxury of not only being at home in our own bed, but also of knowing we had a great forecast for today so nothing need be hurried for rain or any other schedule! A sunny breakfast in our own back garden and a lazy departure of 10.30 - luxury! 

Because we know the Edinburgh routes so well we chose NOT to follow the JMW cycle route over Heart Attack (Corstorphine) Hill and down the other side on Suicide Slope —and instead we went our own favoured route over Maybury and down to the Water of Leith. 

Once we got to Murrayfield (and saw rugby teams training for the first time since lockdown) we still managed to find new pathways, all enjoyable on a bonnie day. Allotments, the canal, swans, a dredger. Since the weather was fine there was plenty of time to take photos. ALSO we took along another phone to take photos as our own phones are busy mapping our route, firmly attached to the bike so it is a pain unhooking them every time! 

We stopped on the Meadows for a coffee in the sunshine

Once we found the Innocent Railway we were back on known territory, heading out to Musselburgh. We stopped at the Brunson Theatre Bistro for a take away sandwich and then headed out along the coastal path to find a nice seat with a view across the Forth. 

The path stuck very much to the coast and we passed through the the Mural Trail at Prestonpans, the delightful fishing harbour of Port Seaton as well as the contrasting dismantled coal based power station of Cockenzie.

The Coal Grinding Rings at Cockenzie 

After this the train winds along through the fisher houses, and eventually we ignored the official trail and bumped down onto the flat sea wall built low on the seashore. A super, flat ride IF the tide is out. 

Eventually we had to come back out onto the road along the Seton Sands Holiday Park all looking nice and trim and busy. While were were allowed on the pavement here we were soon forced onto the road, along past Longniddry Bents and towards Aberlady. This was perhaps the worst section yet of the whole JMW - a busy road and absolutely no relief for cyclists. Walkers can send their way on a sandy path but it is not good for bikes. We tried! Eventually we came onto a cinder path which took us past Craigielaw Golf Club and into Aberlady much more safely and pleasantly. We got to Ducks Hotel at about 3.15 and spent a very nice afternoon sitting in the sunshine and watching the world go by.

John Muir Way - Day 3 Old Polmont to Cramond

Rain was scheduled for the afternoon so in a bid to avoid getting wet again we had an early breakfast - beautifully and safely prepared by the Inchyra - before 7.30 and we were on the road just after 8 am. It was grey, but not cold and there NO RAIN!

Aware we had had a long and easy run down from the Union Canal to the hotel yesterday we were apprehensive about the cycle back up. However it proved not too bad at all (are we getting fitter?!) and we were soon back on the delightful Union canal path with no rain or wind to contend with! Very soon we came to the Avon Aqueduct. Built in 1822 it is 250 metres long and 26 metres high and is the longest and highest aqueduct in Scotland, and the second longest in Britain. 

We had to dismount to cross it - thank goodness! Another piece of fascinating Scottish Industrial heritage but you don’t get a sense of that when crossing it. The aerial photos above give a much better view.

We passed a couple of motoring canal boats which was lovely to see. We decided to take the recommended extension of the JMW into Linlithgow using a new route called Linlithgow Link to get people to actually come INTO a town. And we are glad we did, as our last sight before we left the Union Canal was the mooring area in Linlithgow itself - very pretty, and buzzing with activity.

Down into town and up to the Palace for a quick look...

...and then back down to the loch to rejoin the JMW again. A hard push up a rough track called Fishers Brae and then downhill to Bo’ness and the coast. A lovely detour through Kinneil Estate and past Kinneil House where we came across some more industrial heritage, this time from James Watt and a cylinder of his engine.

On then around the coast on a fantastic bike path, and never seeing any of Bo’ness! Blackness Castle soon came into view with the 3 bridges beyond and Rosyth’s dockyard with Fred Olsens cruise ships still lying there.

 

We quickly went round Hopetoun House and into South Queensferry. We had a quick cup of coffee at about 11.45 at Orocco Pier..

And then we simply headed home on the familiar Dalmeny route (although we haven’t often cycled home that way) and we were home by 1.05. We were home well before the rain which started at around 2. The forecast is better for tomorrow.....!