St. Andrews to Edinburgh, but not as planned.

It has become a bit of a tradition for me to cycle back to Edinburgh from St. Andrews on the Sunday. However, the weather wasn't looking good from the accommodation. I went down for breakfast and there was light drizzle. A quick check of the Met Office weather radar which showed rain moving up from the south.

I packed my panniers and decided to cycle back to Kettle Hill, then decide whether to keep on cycling, or head for Markinch and get the train. I said goodbye to my friends who were just getting their breakfast, and were already getting the train home.

As I set off, there was a little light rain, but as I cycle out of St. Andrews the rain goes off, and I feel a little optimistic. I take a different route, out via Hepburn Gardens, which climbs a bit quicker, and has a longer descent in to Pitscottie. I am making quite good time as I have the wind on my back. Ceres and Craigrothie.

I head down the steep hill at Chance Inn and towards Cults Hill. The clouds start piling in, and as I cycle through the woods at Cults Hill, the rain starts again. Not too bad here as trees provide some protection. Through Burnturk to Kettle Hill, the rain is much heavier. Checking the rain radar again, I decide to call it a day and get the train back. Its not going to clear anytime soon.

I follow route 766 instead of route 1 to get to Markinch. The rain is not heavy, but persistent as I cycle through Star. The countryside is very lovely, but I'm not getting the camera out. There's a nice descent in to Markinch, the town centre is very historic. I circle around this and head to the station. Looking at trains, it is 10:35, and the next train isn't until 12:05. Rather than shiver on the platform, I head south down to Kirkcaldy, which is only 10 miles away.

I get a bit confused as I head through Glenrothes. The signs for Route 766 aren't that clear, and others suddenly appear on the other side of the road to the cycle path on which I am cycling. I get to Thornton though, and I know the route really well from here to Kirkcaldy. 

To avoid the busy main road, the cycle path takes a route through some wasteland, not as bad as it seems, and then over a couple of dodgy junctions. The route to the railway station is clearly signposted, and it doesn't take very long to get to the station. I am lucky when I get there. I can take one of three trains. So if I can't get on the first one, I have two others to fall back upon.

Fortunately I do get on the the first train, 12:04 (which didn't go through Markinch). I secure the bike and ditch the wet jacket. Fortunately I have an energy bar to refuel, although I am sad there's no trolley I could have done with a coffee. Photo above taken from the train as it crosses the Forth Bridge.

It doesn't take long to get to Waverley, although I have a damp ride home from the station. It doesn't take long, and I'm home just after 1:15pm. I have a shower and lunch.

After lunch, it starts to dry up, so my partner and I go down to Morningside and Bruntsfield. It feels pleasant. Extra photo from Bruntsfield Place of Edinburgh Castle. I check the rain radar, its still raining in Fife.

There's a coffee and cake with my name on it calling.