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.....!
