Blossom on Braid Hill

A nice morning for my bike ride, but the lazy couple of days mean I didn't get up until after 8. It;s 10 to 10 when I leave. I need to do 110km as I am doing the Etape Loch Ness next week, and I haven't had a chance to do a really serious ride. It is windier than expected, so heading south from Fairmilehead and on to the Seafield Moor Road was slower than expected. I cycle down in to Auchendinny, then head up to the Top Gear road. I head east, so the wind is a cross wind as I head over Mount Lothian, then on to the Falla Toll Road. On the moor, it is very cold, 3 deg C, so it is relief to drop down out of the wind to the A703.

It is 4 deg C warmer as I head to Eddleston, and on to the Lyne road. The Edinburgh Hilly Time Trial is on. So fast moving cyclists are heading in to Eddleston, where the TT finishes, as I climb slowly up the hill. Once over the top, the descent isn't as fast as normal due to the wind, but at least it doesn't feel as cold. At Meldonfoot, I head east on the A72 for a couple of km, where I turn south for Kirkton Manor, and the Cademuir road.

The road loops around Cademuir hill, and I as I head NE, the wind seems to ease. I catch up with some cyclists just as I head in to Peebles. I follow the B7062, which roughly follows the River Tweed eastward. I say roughly, as it climbs out of Peebles to Kailzie, a large house, park and horse riding centre. At Kailzie cottage the road drops back down to the Tweend at Cardrona, the breeze does slow me down a bit. The sun is higher in the sky, and it is getting rather warm. I pass Traquair House, where there is a queue of cars in the driveway (Traquair House Easter Eggstravaganza is on) I had wondered why there were quite a few cars on what is normally a very quiet road. Then down to Traquair. Time to head north for home..

On to the B709, which takes me to Innerleithen. The cafés are quite busy on the main street, and I turn left to head up B709. I don't feel the breeze that much, I feel the sun on my back.

The road climbs slowly at first,and I am cycling quite fat. I get a bit of across wind as I head over the bridge and pass the small golf course.The road has an ok surface, so it is quite a fast climb.

Where the Leithen water heads NW, the road heads East, following Glentress Water. Passing Glentress Cottage, the road becomes a bit steeper, heads up to Dewar Gill and the Piper's Grave. A nice fast descent for the 3 /2 km to a junction where the B709 heads to Heriot. I need to get home, so follow the B7007. This road climbs even higher, there is nothing the protect me from the wind or sun. No trees, just open grassland, and a few sheep. At the Mound, the road passes through a cut in the hil, and I am blown over the top. Just before the descent, I stop to take Extra 1, looking across Midlothian towards the Pentland Hills on the left and Arthur's Seat in the middle.

I get back on my bike and head down the long (3 1/2km) steep descent. good job the road surface is pretty good. I turn off on to a minor road to head for Middleton, this road is a bit rough. I head west from Middleton, through Castleton to the Top Gear road.

To get home, I follow the mainly downhill route from Braidwood Bridge, through Carrington to Bonnyrigg and Lasswade. From Lasswade, it a simple ride home, up Lasswade Road, back in to Edinburgh, onto Captain's Rd and up Frogston Road to Fairmilehead.

Great ride 111.65km, 69.4 miles.

The whole ride can be seen at Relive here.

After lunch, as it is Easter Sunday, and there aren't likely to be any shops open, we opt fr a walk over the Braid Hills. My partner doesn't believe me  that it's windy. It is calm as we walk down Braid Road to the path. The lower path is protected by steep slopes, but as the path levels out at the top, the wind can be clearly felt. However, I do get my main blip photo of trees in blossom an the yellow flowers of the gorse. I use the trig point at the top to steady myself to take some more photos (which will be put on Flickr as I have limited extras on Blipfoto)

We walk down the east slope following the golf course to a minor road. We pass the riding centre, and there are quite a few horses in fields enjoying the great weather. We walk through the Mortonhall campsite, which seems very busy, to the garden centre for afternoon coffee (and a much needed snack)

Afterwards, we walk home through the old Mortonhall Arboretum. We pass the Highland Cows (Extra 2), one was looking very relaxed. We follow the path back through the woods to Braid Road and home.

The last activity for Sunday was the ironing, but no photos of that I'm afraid. Monday tomorrow. Another day off. Yippee.