Preston Tower

A very cold and raw day. I decided not to go that far. The Pentlands had a dusting of snow, so I went to East Lothian. The temperature is just above 0. The sun is not shining.

I went out via Dalkeith. On the way out of tow, there was a peloton of cyclists in front of me. However, they head east to Whitecraig, and I head north east towards Cousland before heading south. At Fordel Dean, there's not much of a view. It is getting colder, but no ice.

On to the Pentcaitland road, then the B road to Humbie for a wee while, before I take the back route to West Saltoun. It is 0 degC on this road. straight through here to East Saltoun. Its time to head back from here, so I go north to Pencaitland and New Winton. As I come out of East Saltoun, there's a ragged group heading up the hill.

Just after New Winton, I head west through Buxley, then toward Elphinstone before heading north to Tranent. This was deliberate as I wanted to take the cycle path down to Prestonpans. The cycle path follows the old waggonway, a gravity fed railway, that used to deliver coal to the port at Cockenzie (this was in 1772, so way before the power station was built).

I had noticed a notice board about the Battle of Prestonpans, but I was more interested about the tower, extra, and a wee lane, extra 2. The tower turns out to be a Lectern Dovecot.

The wee lane was used by the Jacobites in their defeat of the British Army in at the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745.

Back on the bike, its down the cycle path to Prestonpans and Preston Tower, main blip. It was built around the 14th century. It has an interesting history as well. It was owned by the Hamiltons of Preston and was burnt three times.  It was abandoned after the third burning in 1663. 

After this, its down to the coastal road, heading back home through Musselburgh and the Innocent Railway. Its a balmy 2 degC. There's not much of breeze, so it doesn't take long to get home.

An afternoon spent in Morningside. Its cold and drizzly. Coffee and cake most welcome after browsing some charity shops and a small amount of grocery shopping for Burns Night.