Four of the Five Sisters

A long Summer Spokes Ride to West Lothian today. Five people turned up on a day accurately described as grey and cold.

The a ride goes out through Kirkliston to Linlithgow to Muiravonside Country Park for lunch. There is wind, thankfully not generally noticeable until the uphill section immediately after lunch. So a sluggish climb was even more sluggish than usual. It west to Avonbridge, south to Armadale, where we join National Cycle Route 75 passing through Bathgate.

This photo was taken on a wee diversion to route taken in previous years on this ride. A couple of participants have road bikes, so its through Blackburn taking a road route to West Calder. This is a view of four of the Five Sisters shale oil bings from the west. Like the bings at Greendykes and Faucheldean, they are industrail heritage sites and have unique ecosystems. We follow the road east then south passing the Five Sisters Zoo to West Calder.

Thankfully the larger climb from West Calder to the A70 was ok, and the climb up to Harperrig Reservoir was wind assisted. In fact we're so fast we have plenty of time to visit the Grey Horse Inn in Balerno.

As usual it was a great ride.