January 2013

Sunday 6th On the first Sunday ride of the new year, we headed out through Tranent, skirted south of Haddington and up to Tyninghame, then back via Drem where we split into faster and slower groups for the final miles home. 44 miles.

Sunday 13th A cold start, so we headed out on the coast road to N. Berwick, then round by Whitekirk to E. Linton and back, in falling snow, via Longniddry, in faster and slower groups.  53 miles.

Sunday 20th After more snow, we kept to main roads, going out via Pencaitland and Haddington to N. Berwick, then back by the coast road. 48 miles.

Sunday 27th Despite rain and strong winds, the group headed inland and uphill, over the Granites.  A couple of riders went on to Innerleithen while the rest went left to Heriot and either home from there or over the Gilston/Soutra road and back via Humbie.  49 miles.

February 2013

Sunday 3rd  We headed south-west, via Bonnyrigg and Leadburn.  Splitting into a faster/longer and a slower/shorter group, we re-grouped at the cafe in West Linton, and then back over the moors to Penicuik.  57 miles (faster group).

Sunday 10th The ride went out via the Garleton Hills and Athelstaneford to E Linton, then to Gifford and back by Pencaitland and Fa’side. 50 miles.

Sunday 17th Most Sunday regulars took part in Musselburgh RCC’s Tour of East Lothian, a 67-mile circuit via Pencaitland, Gifford, Redstone Rig, Dunbar and Haddington.  A small group went from the Prom at 9 along the coast road to North Berwick, then back inland via E Linton and Tranent. 52 miles.

Sunday 24th In falling snow and poor visibility, some brave / foolish* riders set out on the coast road, but by the time they reached Prestonpans the sensible / wimpy* among them had concluded it was time to head home while they still had some feeling in their extremities.  The mad / intrepid* made it to N Berwick and Tyninghame before heading back, feeling mighty smug / cold*. (* = delete according to which group you were in).

March 2013

Sunday 3rd The first 8 am start saw a large group head south via Gilmerton and Leadburn, over the Meldons, along the Stobo road and over Dreva hill to Broughton, then back via Leadburn and Bonnyrigg.  64 miles.

Sunday 10th Snow was falling hard as we headed up by Smeaton Farm and Edgehead to Pathhead, Fala and Humbie to Gifford, then back (with patches of blue sky) via Athelstaneford, Aberlady and the coast road.  54 miles.

Sunday 17th A hardy group braved rain, cold and snow on the way south to Lauder via Carberry, Heriot and Stow, then back by the A68 and Humbie.  58 miles.

Sunday 24th On another cold day, we went up to Tranent, then E to Dunbar, and back via Tyninghame and Aberlady.  60 miles.

Sunday 31st The group went out via Humbie to Gifford, Haddington and East Linton, then back via Longniddry.  55 miles.

April 2013

Sunday 7th A large group split in two at the top of Carberry Brae.  One group went through the Saltouns and Longyester then up Redstone Rigg in the snow, and back via Garvald and Tyninghame (64 miles).  The other group did a shorter ride (45 miles).

Sunday 14th With various P-V regulars doing the Tour of the Borders sportive, it was a small group that left the bandstand, in the rain … then immediately returned to fix a puncture.  After another puncture and some mechanical problems, we eventually made it to Leadburn, up the Meldons, back to the cafe and home via Temple (where we discovered what “road closed” means – it means, er, the road is closed).  49 miles.

Sunday 21st The nearly-first-anniversary ride went out via Gorebridge, over the Granites to Innerleithen, along the Tweed valley to Clovenfords, and back via Stow and Pathhead.  70 miles.

Sunday 28th Out via Leadburn and Lyne Valley, over the Meldons, back by Gladhouse and Temple, splitting into faster and slower groups for the return leg.  58 miles.

May 2013

Sunday 5th Two groups left in opposite directions.  The longer ride went out through the City to the Dalmeny estate, over the Forth Road Bridge, along the coast of Fife via Limekilns and Culross, back over the Clackmannanshire Bridge, then home via Grangemouth and Linlithgow (79 miles).  The shorter ride went up to Gifford and back via Haddington (42 miles).

Sunday 12th We went west initially, to Penicuik and Carlops, then via minor roads to Eddleston, Gladhouse and the A7, south for a few miles, over the Gilston/Soutra road and home via Humbie.  65 miles.

Sunday 19th On a very foggy day, we went east via Drem (twice …) to Dunbar, then back via Spott and Gifford. (65 miles).  In the afternoon, a number of Porto-Velo riders joined thousands of others at Pedal on Parliament.

Saturday 25th  Introductory ride – a 2-hour ride at a moderate pace.  The group went out via Tranent to Pencaitland, then back by the railway path to Carberry (where we stopped for refreshments) and the Musselburgh path.  24 miles approx.

Sunday 26th In warm sunshine (at last!), we went south via Dalkeith, Pathhead and Fala then down the A68 to Lauder.  One group went over to Stow and back by Heriot and Temple (73 miles); the other back by the A68, then Humbie and Pencaitland (57 miles).

June 2013

Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd – the inaugural Porto-velo weekender, based in Stirling.  Leaving the Youth Hostel on Saturday afternoon, we headed west via Thornhill to Callendar, then into the Trossachs, over the Duke’s Pass to Aberfoyle, along to Port of Menteith, south to Fintry, and back to Stirling by the Carron Valley Reservoir (65 miles) – then out in the evening for a well earned meal and a beer.  On the Sunday morning, we did a tour of the Ochils, going east out of Stirling to Dollar, then from Yetts O’Muckhart over the hill to Dunning, west to Auchterarder, up to Muthil, and then south via Braco and Sheriffmuir to Bridge of Allan and Stirling (57 miles). And the sun shone!

Also on Sunday 2nd, a small group went from the Prom to Humbie, Longyester, Garvald, Gifford and then back via Samuelston (50 miles)

Sunday 9th – from Porty, we went via Tranent and the Saltouns to Longyester and Garvald, via E Linton to North Berwick, and back, in sunshine, through Drem and minor roads to Musselburgh.  61 miles.

Sunday 16th – a large group set off in sunshine via Tranent to Gifford.  One turned back from there, while the rest climbed up onto the Lammermuirs.  At the top of Redstone Rigg, a small group headed on to Longformacus, then NE via minor roads (with lots of cattle-grids) to Spott, and back via E Linton and Aberlady (81 miles).  The rest took a more direct route back from Redstone Rigg via Garvald and Haddington (60 miles).

Sunday 23rd – a miserable day, wet with multiple punctures, saw half the group turn back from near Temple, while the rest went on via Gladhouse and the Meldons to W Linton and back.

Saturday 29th – a big turnout for the first family ride of the year.  Kids on their own bikes, on trailer-bikes and on childseats – plus the grown-ups – went from Porty to Musselburgh, then round the coast by off-road paths to Prestongrange, and back by a similar route.

Sunday 30th – the group went out via Carrington and Temple to the Peebles road, from where two riders turned back early, while the rest went on to Peebles, Innerleithen and back over the Granites.

July 2013

Sunday 7th – we went out via Currie, Ratho and the Bathgate Hills to Linlithgow, then back in warm sunshine (55 miles)

Sunday 14th – a large group went on a longer run in the sunshine, via Edgehead, Gorebridge, Gladhouse, the Meldons, and Broughton to Biggar, Carnwarth and back by the Lang Whang (83 miles)

Sunday 21st – on the final day of the Tour de France, the peloton went through Dalkeith, Gorebridge, up the first bit of the Granites, down to Heriot, over the Soutra hill and then looped home via Haddington (61 miles)

Sunday 28th – 4 hardy troopers did a 57 mile loop from Joppa along the coast to N Berwick then inland eventually through Pitcox, Stenton and onto the cafe in Gifford. Straight home via Pencaitland and Tranent. Weather mild but appallingly wet throughout!

August 2013

Sunday 4th – We went out via Carberry, Humbie and Gifford where the group split – one group returned home via North Berwick and the rest went up Redstone Rigg, and on to Garvald, East Linton, Athelstaneford, then home. 68miles.

Saturday 10th – four families met at Crossgatehall for a ride along the railway path.  We got almost as far as Pencaitland, and picked lots of wild raspberries!

Sunday 11th – a large group went up to Pathhead, on minor roads to Fala, along the A68 to Lauder, then over the hill to Stow and back by Heriot and Crichton. 60 miles.

Sunday 18th – another large group set out by Gorebridge and Temple to Peebles.  Two riders went on to St Mary’s Loch for a 103-mile epic, while the rest went along to Innerleithen and back over the Granites (69 miles).

Sunday 25th – on a misty day, the group went up Carberry, then Humbie, minor roads to the S of Gifford, up to E Linton, then back by Whitekirk, N Berwick and Aberlady (59 miles).

September 2013

Sunday 1st – The group went out by Eskbank to Gladhouse then over the Meldons and on past Stobo to Broughton and back by Romannobridge, West Linton and Penicuik – 70 miles.

Sunday 8th – We went from south and east to Fala, Humbie and Gifford, then back by Haddington, Samuelston and Longniddry – 51 miles.

Saturday 14th – The turnout was modest for a family ride to Musselburgh and along the R Esk path, but we made up for it by picking (and eating) a lot of brambles!

Sunday 15th – a small group braved heavy rain and strong winds to ride down to Peebles where the Tour of Britain cavalcade was gathering, then along the Traquair road to Innerleithen to watch the riders whizz past, and back over the Granites – 65 miles.

Sunday 22nd – we went out through E Lothian towards Dunbar; a few riders turned back for shorter rides, but most went from Spott up onto the Lammermuirs, then back down Redstone Rigg and home via Gifford. 68 miles.

Sunday 29th – the group went SE via Fala, over the Gilston/Soutra road, down to Stow, over to Lauder and then blasted back along the A68 with a tailwind. 60 miles

October 2013

Sunday 6th – the last long ride of the season turned out to be a bit of an epic, complete with a crash, punctures and mechanical problems.  The ride took us down to Broughton, from where some went back (for a mere 65 mile ride), then on to Talla (and a 20% climb), St Mary’s Loch, past Selkirk and back via Clovenfords and the A7, then via Crichton to the A68 and home. 104 miles.

Sunday 13th – quite a cold and windy day, and we went south to Fala, NE to N Berwick via E Linton, then back via Aberlady, with faster and slower groups.  58 miles.

Sunday 20th – a large group went to Innerleithen via Pathhead and Middleton, then back via the Granites and Crichton.  65 miles.

Sunday 27th – south and over the Meldons, then over to W Linton and back with a tailwind.  60 miles.

November 2013

Sunday 3rd – a ride in late autumn sunshine via Roslin Glen and Penicuik to Carlops, then back by various minor roads (and a nice caff).  56 miles.

Sunday 10th – some patches of ice on the roads early on, as we went via Newbattle up the Granites, down to Heriot, over to Fala Dam and Haddington, then back via Tranent.  54 miles.

Sunday 17th – it was cold and sunny as we rode along the coast to N Berwick, then on minor roads via E Linton to Gifford, and back via the Saltouns.  55 miles.

Sunday 24th – out via Tranent to Gifford and Garvald, skirting close to Dunbar to arrive at the Tyninghame cafe – then (fuelled by coffee and cake) home via Athelstaneford and Longniddry (54 miles).

December 2013

Sunday 1st – in beautiful winter sunshine, we skirted to the south of the city, then went via Currie and Ratho to Linlithgow, returning by Philipstoun and Dalmeny (52 miles).

Sunday 8th – wet and windy this week, so we kept it simple – out via Temple and Gladhouse to the Scots Pine cafe, then back by Leadburn and Polton Mill (45 miles).

Sunday 15th – into the headwind via Roslin and Penicuik to W Linton, back at twice the speed via Leadburn and Bonnyrigg (46 miles).

Sunday 22nd – the group headed out by Pathhead and Heriot to the A7 and then over the Soutra road (for some festive snow!) before  heading to Gifford for a café stop and back by Samuelston and Macmerry. (50 miles)

Sunday 29th – for the last ride of the year, we went through Dalkeith and Edgehead to Gorebridge, then via the Saltouns to Gifford, and back through Haddington. (52 miles)