The Burns Shelter, Spokes Ride

Cloudy and damp from overnight rain, but not too bad. I manage to leave just at the right time to head down to the Usher Hall. Surprised to see 7 people for Sunday's ride to East Lothian.

We head out through the Meadows and on to the Innocent Railway path and Milton Rd E to Joppa. Bicycles can take the Electric Bridge over the River Esk in Musselburgh, so we can avoid traffic. We then follow the coastal road through Prestonpans, Cockenzie and Port Seton to Aberlady. There is an easterly breeze, and it feels pretty cool. At Aberlady, we head inland through Drem to the lunchtime stop at Merryhatton Garden Centre for lunch.

After lunch we follow a cultural route back to Edinburgh. We cycle to Athelstaneford, the birthplace of the Scottish flag. We pass Garleton Castle, dismantled during the 'Rough Wooing' of the Scots by the English, the Hopetoun Monument, erected in memory of the 4th Earl of Hopetoun in 1824. There's a bit of a gap while we cycle down to Longniddry, and the coast road to stop the Robert Burns Memorial Shelter in Prestonpans. It was built in 1959 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Robert Burns death. The inscription above the door says 'Better a wee bush than nae Bield'. Inside there's an illustration depicting the Witches Sabbath from Tam O'Shanter. From here, we head back to Edinburgh through Musselburgh, Joppa and the Innocent Railway Path.


The route of the Spokes Ride can be seen at Relive here.