Summer Spokes Ride - Newmills, Fife

In previous summers, I have led some longer all day bike rides on the third Sunday of the month in July, August and September. This year, I was quite tired in July, August Sundays were a wash out, so that left me with one third Sunday in September.

The only Summer Spokes Ride of 2018 was in meteorological autumn this year. The ride around the Forth from Edinburgh to Forth Road Bridge, Culross, Kincardine, Clackmannanshire Bridge, Kelpies, Linlithgow and back to Edinburgh. A distance of just over 100km. Unfortunately it is quite cool, there is a westerly breeze and rain showers are forecast for the morning. There are six people on the ride including me.

This year, the kilt-walk starts later, so we don't have any issues cycling out to Russell Rd, and on to the cycle path to Silverknowes. Mind you, it is still quite busy with quite a few joggers, walkers, some with dogs and cyclists out. We follow NCN Route 1 to Cramond Brig, then under the A90, and up to Carlowrie Rd. We have to stop near the start as someone has a slow puncture. We carry on to Standingstane Rd, rejoining NCN 1 at Dalmeny and over the Forth Road Bridge.

From there we take NCN Route 76 Round the Forth west along the north coastline of the Forth. As we head through Rosyth, a heavy rain shower starts, so those who divested themselves of jackets, have to stop and put them back on.  There's a short section along the A985, then we descend down to Limekilns and up the cobbled climb to Charlestown. We take the road out of Charlestown to the narrow path along the A road to Crombie, and then we descend down to Crombie Point. Its a nice ride along the coast to Torryburn.

We're on a B road for a wee while, and at Newmills, we head down a minor road and join an ash path, which is slightly damp in places, but is not as bad as it has been in previous years. This summer has been quite dry, for a change. Near Culross, we cross the railway and we're back on a tarmac path. Its just a short hop from here to the park beside the path, where we have lunch. No wasps, but a rain shower starts, so it is a quick lunch and a dash to a wee café for coffee and cake.

It is quite near 2pm when we leave the cafe. The rain showers have dissipated. The path from Culross to Kincardine is segregated from traffic. It is nice and quiet. Longannet Power Station has shut down now, so there's no humming as we pass the power station. No heat either. The path goes under the Kincardine Bridge, into Kincardine. It joins a very quiet road. Where we pass over the A876, and then we turn south on to the Clackmannanshire Bridge path. Its a bit noisy and very breezy. We stop at the south point of the path, where it descends and we have shelter so we can regroup. Three riders opt to walk across. The cycle path goes on to a minor road for a wee bit, before returning to a path, then a bridge over the wide A road, on to a path on the East side.

This brings us to the Skinflats, Scotland's miniature version of the Fens. Land reclaimed from the Forth and used for agriculture. An oasis of peace between the busy Forth crossing, Grangemouth with its oil refinery and Falkirk. As we head south, the Kelpies appear, small at first, on our right. Carrying on, the Kelpies occasionally disappear behind trees, and then reappear slightly larger, until on Newton Road, they start to loom. We cross over the River Carron, and head down the rebuilt section of the Forth Clyde canal to the Kelpies.

There is the maze of Falkirk to be navigated so we can access the Union canal. The initial bit is the Helix park, which isn't too bad, but next a combination of off road paths and minor roads. The canal path now has a tarmac surface. Such a big difference to two years ago, when the path was rough. As we are quite late, we follow the canal to Winchburgh, where we join a B road to Kirkliston.Once over the A9, there's a fast descent in to Kirkliston.

This is the final par of the ride. We go through Carlowrie to Cramond Brig, then on to NCN Route 1. There are quite a few kilt walkers, so progress is slow, we're pinging our bells to alert the participants. There are also mounds of plastic bottles to cycle around. Eventually, we end up at Russell Rd. Where the path ends, the ride ends and its time to go home.  100.7km in total.

The ride can be seen at Relive here.