Day 47 - Friday Edinburgh to Galashiels, Scotland

Quick facts:

Weather:  Sunny with passing clouds H 15C Lo 6C Humidity 82% winds N 11kph

Sunrise at 6:46 Sunset 7:27

Departure: Hostelling Scotland Edinburgh Central, Edinburgh UK

Destination: Kingsknowes Hotel, Selkirk Road, Galashiels TD1 3HY

Distance: 52.07 mi / 83.8 km

Ascent: 2,524 feet

For actual metrics and elevation profile pls see Ralph’s Strava report https://www.strava.com/activities/7818576007

Good morning / good day.

I got up and did a quick shopping at the convenience store close by to be sure to have food as we headed out into the countryside again.  It was 10 am as left Old Edinburgh behind and  rolled through a well lit  tunnel perhaps under the  River South Esk , and out into the rolling hills of Musselburgh (East Lothian) where we met the groundskeepers of Musselburgh Links, The Old Golf Course. Sometimes we meet very few people on the routes between the towns.  

Our route took us almost due south out of Edinburgh to Dalkeith along the Pencaitland Railway. When we got to Dalkeith we passed a fabulous sports complex called the Dalkeith Schools Community Campus Sports Grounds sponsored by the Scotland Lottery Fund.  I guess gambling put to good use! 

One of the most remarkable things I saw in this ancient town was how well adapted to technology their wildlife have become.  Crows no longer have to beg for scraps of your sandwiches when they have mastered the intricacies of using an ATM machine to buy their own.

...or to buy a pint at the Black Bull Inn. 

A church in  Bonnyrigg .  

A photo stop near the top of the bike friendly Moorfoot Hills near  Heriot about halfway to Galashiels.

Although our destination, Galashiels is actually in Scotland, it seems we crossed the border more than once this day, probably every time we crossed the River Tweed.   I never did see a Welcome to England sign so I just turned around and shot this one.

These wide open fields close to the North Sea lend themselves to wind power. This Carcant Wind Farm near Heriot is no exception. It was interesting to read that the wind farm has a life expectancy of 25 years and in each of those years starting in 2008, an inflation adjusted grant of 9,200 BPS will be distributed for community projects by Foundation Scotland.

With quiet roads and good weather, cycling doesn't get much better than this!

Of course... then someone comes along with a flood measuring pole and reminds you that Scotland can be wet! I think if this road was flooded up to the six foot mark there could be big trouble in this valley particularly the Innerleithen Golf Course that we were cycling alongside. Innerleithen has been a settlement since pre-Roman times so flooding has not deterred the settlement much. 

We only carried very small emergency tire pumps so we were always on the lookout for bike shops to keep the air in our tires up to pressure.. As we pedalled around a corner in an industial area out of the blue ... we saw the sign for the I-Cycle Shop in Innerleithen. Super friendly people who I am sure were out on their bikes as soon as the shop closed its doors for the day. Ralph came away with a special chain cleaning brush he had been having a great deal of difficulty finding. Thank you Steve.

What a gem in the middle of mountain bike country!

Ralph chose a lovely little Church of Scotland parish church in Innerleithen to pause and take a look inside. It was built in 1864 and is supported by grants from the Scottish Churches Trust.

We joined the River Tweed at Innerleithen, happily using the old railway bridge and followed the River Tweed which as we travel towards Berwick-upon-Tweed becomes the national border. Today we followed it along its wooded valley until we headed north to Galashiels. We will see the Tweed again tomorrow as we head to Berwick.

Cycle Route #1...my friend.

As we approached Galashiels   our GPS gave us instructions that led to a steep embankment with stairs climbing up. Not my favorite on a bike... but apparently we were 100m or so from our destination. I chose to climb the stairs while Ralph took the highway route back to some pretty busy roundabouts. The effort was well worth it. Throughout our trip Ralph has booked us into some quaint, some simple and some luxurious and pampering accommodations. This was the latter. Our bikes were even pampered as they spent the night in the Conservatory which I am sure is used for weddings when not used for bike storage!

Appetizer: 

Main: 

... and who couldn't sleep well knowing a knight in shiny armour is guarding the door. 

Another good day on the roads in Scotland.

Safe travels

Lorraine

https://www.cycling4charity.org.uk

https://www.havenhouse.org.uk/fundraisers/london2anywhere4havenhouse

POIs

National Mining Museum Scotland, off route to east after Bonnyrigg and near Newtongrange and perhaps of interest if you have support drivers / Arniston House, which we may see to our right near Temple