John Muir Way - Day 2 - Strathblane to Edinburgh

 What a difference a day makes! After the debacle of  yesterday, it went relatively smoothly today, crucially by mainly taking the cycling route rather than the walking one in the main! Thinking back to yesterday, I’m just glad I was on my own and not with the usual crew as I don’t think I’d have made it out alive! We all know how Kieran can have a melt down when it’s just an extra mile to a lighthouse, and Dec hates anything that isn’t cowshit free tarmac…Frankie would just look at me with disappointment and Conleth, well he’d be miles up the road anyway!

The weather looked promising if chilly, the only fly in the ointment being the wind. Going on the John Muir Way website it states that the best way to do it is West to East as 90% of the time the prevailing winds will be behind you. Apart from the 3 days I’m doing it when there is a block 15 mph headwind going East to West! peeking out through the curtains the sun was just breaking through so a quick breakfast as early as the Kirkhouse Inn (excellent and cheap!) could do it (8am) some faffing around packing everything away and I was out and up the hill and turning right onto the Strathkelvin railway path to Clachan of Campsie at 9am. It was beautiful! The sun was up, the wind wasn’t that back and crucially it was paved and flat! Not very well paved mind, but better than pretty much all the paths yesterday!

Stopping by a pretty bridge over the stream running alongside, I took off my jacket and gloves even though it was just above freezing as the sun was warm and propped the bike up against the bridge for a photo. Photo taken I went back to the bike to gracefully knock one of the gloves off the seat and into the stream  below…Bugger! Luckily it was shallow so running down the side of the bridge and gently splashing into the stream trying to not get completely soaking I managed to rescue it! 

Through the newly surfaced section at the Milton of Campsie (lovely!) and through Kilsyth the railway section finished and it was abrupt left hand turn and onto the Forth & Clyde canal that would be my companion for the next 10 miles or so. Past the BIFFA Kilsyth site on the canal, I spent 10 mins cycling next to 2 ladies on gravel bikes who were doing the John Muir Way as well, the first and only cyclists I’ve come across so far doing the route. As they stopped to take some photos, I ploughed on as I’d arranged to meet my Uncle Kevin at the Falkirk Wheel at 12. Not having taken any food or water with me this morning and 22 miles in I’d not even seen a shop as yet and was thinking I’d better have something soon. As if by magic an oasis shimmered into view as I finally left the canal, a Greggs! Lovely! Sitting in the sun with a Belgium bun and a cappuccino, I was as happy as a pig in muck!

It was just gone 11 and only 5 miles to the Falkirk Wheel although we were off the canal now and there was some stoney paths and single track to negotiate but just after 11.30 the path dropped down to the Falkirk Wheel shining in the spring sunshine, it looked magnificent! Some photos, and I dropped down to the cafe and centre to find everything was closed for lots of building works. It didn’t look like there would be anywhere we could have lunch, so a quick call to Uncle Kev and we arranged to meet at the Kelpies, although not on the route, it wasn’t too much of a detour and Kev said it was only a mile and a half or so. Back on the bike and climbing to the cycle path at the top I got there to find it was closed. The walking route was just down the way, but after yesterday…😬 as I was contemplating what to do a fellow cyclist on an e-bike pulled up. He was going to use the cycle route as well and when I told him I wanted to get to the Kelpies, he told me to follow him, he was a local! Bombing along with Jim (for that was his name!) I was frantically trying to keep up with him as he powered along the canal! He was great company and 5 miles later ( Kev told me over lunch he meant 1 and a half miles as the crow flies!) and we were pulling up at the cafe at the Kelpies. Thanking Jim profusely and swopping Strava details, I was only 5 minutes late and went to look for Kev.

Pushing a pram with my niece of only 7 months, beautiful Rosie who I’d never met, grandad Kev looked radiant in the sunshine! A handshake and a hug and it was into the cafe for soup, sandwich and coffee and a long overdue catch up. As Kev expertly threw  Rosie about while feeding her, constantly being interrupted by people cooing over her,  we caught up as best we could. Handing her to me ( it’s been quite some time since I’ve held a baby!) he managed a great photo and after an hour it was time to say our goodbyes with a promise not to leave it so long next time, and out into the sunshine with still 40 miles to do. 

I was now off the route, but I knew I had to get back up to the Union canal. A quick photo of Falkirk’s football ground for Jason on the way out of town and the Garmin unbeknown to me routed me back onto the walking route… much cursing as I bumped the bike up and down several sets of stairs to get to the Callendar estate and house set incongruously next to several high-rise blocks and it was up a steep climb out of the estate and up to the canal. Except I was still on the walking route, and onto some of the same mud like trails I’d struggled with yesterday.. I could see the Union canal but between me and it was very, very narrow culvert. I could get the bike down it or I could walk down it, but I couldn’t do both. Pondering I thought I could possibly ride under, but with horrible histories “Stupid Death, Stupid death” song ringing in my head I discounted it! Eventually I went backwards, holding the bike bars, inching along the narrow culvert, trusting I wouldn’t trip over…! 

Finally back onto the Union canal, over the beautiful Avon aqueduct and through Linlithgow, deliberately avoiding the Garmin trying to take me off down the 100’s of stairs onto the walking route it was back into the teeth of the headwind as the route headed up the steep Fishers Brae and down the other side to Bo’ness and the first view of the Firth of Forth. Man it was beautiful in the afternoon sunshine! And even better the bike path running along the coast was beautifully surfaced! With only the niggling headwind to take some of the shine off it, the 12 miles or so to South Queensferry have been the highlight of the trip so far! Sticking some music by Frightened Rabbit on my headphones, I was singing at the top of my voice as the coastal path moved slightly inland and swooped through the trees, rising and falling gently as you got glimpses through the trees of the Forth bridges getting closer and closer, the sun behind lighting it up magnificently! As the imposing Blackness Castle drew close, it was time for a drink of Irn Bru and some Hobnobs sat on the wall looking at the Forth, fantastic!

It was 4.30 and I had around 17 miles left to go, so there would be no repeat of the panic in the dark of yesterday! Pulling inland through the lovely Hopetoun estate, the drive out through the gates lent the bridges a great frame and it was out onto the Queensferry road with the magnificent Forth bridges now front and centre. I know South Queensferry well, so there was time to pay a visit to what Mizz and Ev say is the best ice cream shop in the world, Lou Lou’s ( I agree with them!) for a tablet ice cream, some more pictures of the bridges, a quick cry as Floating in the Forth played in my headphones, and through the Dalmeny estate with great views out to sea and then back inland and through The outskirts of Edinburgh. Up Corstophine Hill for the last climb of the day, and I was dropping off the route and heading to my hotel in South Gyle (stopping at McDonalds for a cheeky coffee!) just a little after 5.45. 

No demons today and I actually managed to function as a normal human being, I can do it! Total of 65 miles and 3000 ft of climbing meant it was pretty easy going really, although the headwind was there just to remind me that it’s never all plain sailing. The weather has been spectacular really, I couldn’t ask for more at this time of year, and just as well really as I still have one very wet glove…50 ish miles tomorrow to finish the coast to coast off, and the weather looks set fair. I mean, what can go wrong…🤣