Maiden Bridge, Dalkeith

My first bike ride of 2015 is also the first Spokes Ride of 2015. A short bike ride that ends at my house with participants served mince pies with coffee / tea. Well it was a very cold morning, but it was sunny. 10 people turned up for the ride.

From the Usher Hall we cycled down an frosty Innocent Railway cycle path then Milton Rd East to Musselburgh, then climbed up to Tranent. We were glad to stop here for a short rest stop, hand dryers warming cold hands. After ensuring my gloves weren't so tight we headed south to Ormiston. Getting near to lunch now, so we head west then north passing Cousland and Carberry to the Craig House Hotel for lunch.

Soup was warming, and I had a Vegetable Wellington to ensure I kept warm for the afternoon ride back to my house. Unfortunately the cloud was moving in, and the light was grey and rather flat.

From the lunch stop, we used the National Cycle Route 1 to cycle from Whitecraig to Bonnyrigg. Due to the new railway down to the Borders, the cycle route takes a diversion through

The Maiden Bridge crosses the River South Esk in the grounds of Newbattle Abbey. The bridge, a Grade A listed building, is named after named after Margaret who, in 1503, crossed with 500 soldiers before her marriage to James IV of Scotland. The marriage of the Thistle and the Rose paved the way for the Union of the Crowns a hundred years later in 1603.

From here we carried along a bit of a mystery tour to join up with the Dalkeith to Penicuik path. At Bonnyrigg we had a rest stop. Then it was down to Lasswade, crossing the River North Esk. The bit from Lasswade to up to Loanhead was very dark and busy in places. It seemed a bit bleak, but it is winter. 

Finally we turned off the main road and headed passing Ikea at Straiton, then west through Old Pentland to my house. I like the Pentland Road in summer, but when its dark, there's not much to see. A good job that Spokes Rides in winter are quite short.

The route can be seen here: Mince Pie Spokes Ride.