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I was up at 04:30am to get ready and
cycle to Preston Railway Station. I set off at 05:45 on a dark and
very cold morning. The temperature was slightly above freezing but
the grove was still covered in frozen snow. The ride to Preston was
OK and I arrived at 05:30am. |
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My bike on the Virgin train |
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On platform 3 it was useful having a
bike marker so I knew where to wait for the correct rail carriage
door. The train was on time at 06:40 and I wheeled the bike
on-board. The bike compartment was different than when I caught the
same service in December. Instead of the space accommodating bikes
propped against the carriage side this had hooks on the roof
intending the bikes to be suspended. I propped mine against the wall
and lashed it there as best I could. As the journey proceeded and it
started to come light I was concerned about the amount of snow
around. It was 09:10 when we arrived and felt very cold as I wheeled
the bike off the train. |
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Glasgow
Central Rail Station |
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Outside Glasgow Central Station I propped my bike up to set the gps
then began my planned course heading for the north bank of the
Clyde. I kept to the road and avoided the cycle track. At the
Motorway fly-over I took the cycle track over the pedestrian bridge
and was pleased to see it had been salted. Once across things didn't
look good. The roads were OK but all pavements and cycle tracks were
compacted and frozen snow. I reached Kelvingrove Park and then
realised my plan to ride the same river and canal side trail as last
December wasn't an option. |
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I would have to keep to the roads so
decided to firstly head for Kirkintilloch. I headed east following
roads that seemed to be taking me in the right direction. In Royston
I turned north to Bishopbriggs where I joined the A803. It was an
easy ride and not too busy. Part of the way I was parallel to the
Antonine Wall though didn't get chance to see it as I was
concentrating on the traffic. I came to Glasgow Bridge over the
Forth and Clyde Canal and decided to join the towpath cycle track as
it looked mostly clear of snow and ice. |
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From
Glasgow bridge, Forth and Clyde Canal |
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It was mostly tarmac but a
couple of short stretches had ice so for those I had to get off and
wheel my bike. I kept on it the few miles into Kirkintilloch town
centre but decided it best to rejoin the road. I left on the A803
and headed for Kilsyth. After about a mile I turned right on to the
minor B8023 which followed the Antonine Wall and kept close to the
canal. When I came to the canal I saw the towpath was narrow and
snow covered so my decision to stick to the road was correct. |
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In
Kilsyth I called at the Lidl Superstore to buy 2*2lt bottles of
water (50p) and a 0.5lt can of Graenwalder Pils lager for 85p. I
rejoined the A803 and continued to Dennyloanhead. The main road on
towards Stirling was the A872 but I turned right on to the
continuing A803 which is now the lesser road. After a mile I reached
the centre of Bonnybridge and turned right at the roundabout on to
the B816. |
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The first part was a short steep climb to a mechanical
bridge over the canal. Without going down to the towpath I couldn't
figure out how it worked. I carried on under two railway line
underpasses then left at High Bonnybridge to a minor road through a
wooded area. The map showed a car park and I headed for it hoping to
find somewhere to camp nearby. I came to the overgrown car park
tarmac but the entrance had been blocked with large stones. I
wheeled my bike through and up a hill to the rear. It was a large
area of reinstated landfill but was a good spot to camp as it was
quiet and had good views. There wasn't much to see because if the
thin mist. |
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Another
special treat for tea |
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Whittle Wanderer
