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Glasgow, River Clyde, Monkland Canal, Airdre, Union Canal, Falkirk Tunnel, Edinburgh, Scotland. (3 day bike ride)
(3 day bike-pack)
Tue 27 Mar - Thu 29 Mar 2018

Thu 29 Mar 2018
Tue 27 Mar 2018
Wed 28 Mar 2018
Thu 29 Mar 2019
With a short day’s ride I took my time packing up. Last night the sky had been mostly clear and the temperature down below freezing. It was still sub-zero first thing but no frost on the tent. I wheeled my bike back through the woods and down to the towpath at Lins Mill / Almond Aqueduct.
Almond Aqueduct

Almond Aqueduct overflow
Frozen overflow in 1895.
It took 2 months to thaw.

Still under the flight path
of Edinburgh Airport
I also wheeled my bike over the bouncy cobbles across the aqueduct. I cycled along in improving weather to the Ratho marina area where I stopped by some benches and tables with an interesting barge sculpture. A shiny new housing development had been built around the marina which also looked new. The map showed some interesting bridge names such as Gogar Moor and Jaw Bridge.
Barge art

Lovely bridge
Distant view of the new Queensferry Bridge
The canal went over a large aqueduct called the Scott Russell Aqueduct opened in 1987 over the A720 with a nice view to the north of the new Queensferry Bridge across the Firth of Forth. As I got closer to Edinburgh there were more people and cyclists about. Approaching the final basin I reached Viewforth Bridge where a new concourse had been built surrounded by new buildings.
Union Canal

Edinburgh from the Viewforth Bridge
Along the towpath I came to the final length which was cobbled and took me to Lochrin Basin and the Edinburgh terminus of the Union Canal. I wheeled my bike to Fountainbridge Road where I called into the Tesco shop to buy some Jam Doughnuts for 70p.
Last bridge
I continued to the busy Lothian Road then right down King’s Stables Road to a footpath towards the Parish Church of St Cuthbert. I walked into Princess Street Gardens and sat on a bench across from a memorial to Polish people.
Edinburgh Castle
The Wojtek memorial to the Polish men and women who fought in WW2 and unvieled in 2015.
Wojtek - dubbed the "Soldier Bear" - was adopted by Polish troops and helped them carry ammunition at the Battle of Monte Cassino. After the war he lived in Scotland at Hutton in Berwickshire, before ending his days in Edinburgh Zoo.
Wojtek - the "Soldier Bear"

Waverley Railway Station
and photo exhibition
On the train to Preston

  I moved further on to sit on a bench by the Scott Monument. It was still sunny but not very warm. My train wasn’t till 14:18 so I read for a while then continued to Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station where I saw an interesting display of photos from the Landscape Photographer of the Year award. My train was on time and I had a good ride back to Preston then a ride home via Avenham Park and the tramway cycle route.