January 2015

Sunday 4th – it was cold but sunny as we did a skinny loop on main roads to Dunbar, out via Haddington and Pitcox, back by Whitekirk and Drem (56 miles)

Sunday 11th – only the hard core turned out on a cold, wet day for a 40-mile ride to Gifford via Humbie and back by Samuelston and Longniddry.

Sunday 18th – a small group went along the coast road to Longniddry, then inland via Drem to North Berwick and back via Gullane and Prestonpans.

Sunday 25th – a large group went south to Carrington, Eddleston, over the Meldons, Rommanobridge and back via Leadburn (55 miles).

February 2015

Sunday 1st – it was sunny but very cold as we went via the Saltouns and Haddington to E Linton, then back by Athelstaneford and Longniddry (57 miles).

Sunday 8th – another beautiful day and a big turnout for Rob’s valedictory ride, to Linlithgow, via Ferry Road, Queensferry and Philipstoun, back by Ratho and Currie (48 miles).

Sunday 15th – a big group for a steady ride through Tranent, Pencaitland and E Saltoun, then on to Stenton and Tyninghame, back more rapidly by Drem and Longniddry (53 miles).

Sunday 22nd – with a number of riders doing the Tour of East Lothian, it was a small group that set out from the Prom for a loop up by Humbie to the Soutra road (in the snow) and back via N Middleton, calling in at the bike jumble at Newtongrange (41 miles).

March 2015

Sunday 1st – what should have been a straightforward ride down to Peebles (via Leadburn, the Meldons and Cademuir hill) and back via Gladhouse and Carrington turned out to be a bit of an epic in the wind, rain and cold.  We had mechanical problems, unfixable punctures and a rider knocked off on a roundabout (thankfully unhurt).  60 miles, but it felt a lot more.

Sunday 8th – another windy day saw the group toiling out to Broughton via Dalkeith, Roslin and Leadburn, then over Dreva to Stobo, over the Meldons and home (fast) via Carrington (70 miles).

Sunday 15th – straight out through Tranent and Pencaitland, past Gifford to Danskine, then up Redstone Rigg (from where two riders peeled off for a 100 mile+ epic via Duns), back down to Garvald, then home via Haddington and Macmerry (51 miles).

Sunday 22nd – up from Inveresk to Pathhead, via Crichton to Heriot, then along the old coach road to Stow, over the moor to Lauder and back via Carfraemill and Humbie (61 miles).

Sunday 29th – a cold and wet ride to Leadburn and Peebles, along to Traquair and Innerleithen, then back over the Granites and home via Gorebridge and Carberry (65 miles). A separate leisure ride in East Lothian got as far as the Hopetoun monument near Haddington.

April 2015

Sunday 5th – in beautiful spring sunshine, we rode down to Biggar (via Leadburn and Skirling), then back by Elsrickle, W Linton and Roslin (69 miles).

Sunday 12th – a small group rode in the rain to Stow via Pathhead and Heriot, over the hill to Lauder, then back by the A68, getting home as the sun came out (59 miles).

Sunday 19th – the fitness ride went from Carberry to the Saltouns, by Hailes Castle and E Linton to N Berwick, and back along the coast (52 miles). In the afternoon, the first family ride of 2015 involved a gentle loop on minor roads and railway path from Peastonbank via Pencaitland (9 miles).

Sunday 26th – a cold but sunny day saw the group ride out through Balerno, past Harperrig Reservoir, then through Blackburn and Bathgate, over the hills to Beecraigs and Philipstoun, then home by S Queensferry and Cramond Brig (63 miles).

May 2015

Sunday 3rd – what happened to spring? We went up Fa’side hill, along to Macmerry, past Haddington and along through E Linton to Tyninghame, and back through Athelstaneford and Longniddry, all 47 miles in the rain.

Sunday 10th – a hilly ride from Dalkeith to Edgehead, Gorebridge, N Middleton, up the Granites, left to Heriot, over Soutra, home by Humbie and Pencaitland (52 miles).

Sunday 17th – we rode out through Carrington, past Gladhouse to Eddleston, over the Meldons to Whitmuir, then back with a tailwind by Leadburn and Bonnyrigg (60 miles).

Sunday 24th – a long and hilly ride, taking in Carberry, Crichton, Heriot, Granites, Innerleithen, then back by the A7 coach road via Heriot again (70 miles).

Sunday 31st – we set out in the rain via Leadburn, then turned before Edleston over the Gladhouse road to N Middleton and Fala Dam, stopped at the Humbie Hub for coffee and cake, then back by Pencaitland and Fa’side just as the sun came out (55 miles)

June 2015

Saturday 6th – on a very windy afternoon, a small family ride explored the cycle tracks and minor roads from Auchendinny to the edge of Penicuik, Rosslinlea, Roslin Glen and back (10 miles)

Sunday 7th – almost the reverse of two weeks earlier: down the A7 coach road, along to Innerleithen, back over the Granites for a total of 67 miles

Friday 12th – Sunday 14th – for the 2015 Portovelo weekender, 14 riders travelled to Oban (one cycling the whole way, a few others stopping en route for a 60-odd mile warm-up ride). On Saturday, we took the ferry to Craignure on Mull, from where we did a 78 mile route around the island, taking in Glen More, the “scenic route” to Salen, the minor road to Dervaig via Glen Aros, a very hilly road over to Tobermory, then fast back down the main road to catch our ferry back to Oban – route here: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/748510597. On the Sunday, fuelled by a slap-up meal the night before, we went south from Oban to Kilmelford, up a steep and gravelly road past Loch Avich and down to the west side of Loch Awe, north to Taynuilt, then back to Oban via Glen Lonan (52 miles) – route here: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/748521123.

Sunday 14th – with so many away in Oban, it was a small group (of two) who headed out in cold damp conditions via the Saltouns and Longyester to Garvald and then to Tyninghame for coffee and scones, then back in sunshine by the Hopetoun Monument (55 miles).

Sunday 21st – the group went up Carberry, via Borthwick to the Granites, left to Heriot then over the Gilston/Soutra road, to the cafe in Humbie and back via Ormiston (55 miles).

Sunday 28th – outward in some drizzle through Carrington, up to Gladhouse reservoir where 9 became 7, down to the Meldons and back on the road to Romannobridge. After the coffee stop, back via Harlaw Muir road into Penicuik. A wee climb out of Penicuik with a welcome sunshine burst and back into town via Bonnyrigg. An uplifting 62 miles punctuated by two deflating sharp objects.

July 2015

Sunday 5th – a long and skinny loop to Dunbar, going out via Aberlady, Kingston and Stenton, back by Gifford, Tranent and Fa’side Hill. 65 miles.

Sunday 12th – round the Pentlands, starting by Colinton and Balerno, along the “Lang Whang”, round by Dunsyre, then back by Blyth Bridge, Leadburn and Bonnyrigg. 67 miles.

Sunday 19th – by Dalkeith and Gladhouse to Peebles; we took the wee road round by Cademuir before returning by Romannobridge, coffee in West Linton and a tail wind over the moor and home through Penicuik. 69 miles

Sunday 26th – the group went up Fa’side hill to Tranent, through the Saltouns to Longyester, up the Rig, back through Garvald to Gifford, then home.

August 2015

Sunday 2nd – we went up Carberry, via Edgehead and Crichton to the A7, along to Stow, over the moor to Lauder, then back by Carfraemill, Humbie and the Saltouns – 63 miles.

Sunday 9th – via Bonnyrigg to Leadburn, towards Moffat then over the hill to Eddleston, back over the Meldons, up to Blyth Bridge, West Linton for coffee, and back by Penicuik, Roslin and Loanhead – 60 miles.

Sunday 16th – a big group turned out for the 2015 century ride, which went via Currie, Ratho, Linlithgow and Grangemouth to Stirling, then across to Alva, Dollar and Pool o’Muckhart, then back through Fife and over the Forth Road Bridge – 106 miles.

Sunday 23rd – a proper summer day at last for a 58 mile fitness ride through Tranent, Macmerry and Garvald, up onto the Lammermuirs, then back down the Rigg (at speeds, allegedly, of up to 50 mph), along to Humbie for coffee, then home. Then an even bigger group of adults, children and a dog cycled mostly from the Prom, some from Leith, to Cramond for ice creams, and back (17 miles). Route here: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/830432817

Sunday 30th – all the way to Broughton via Leadburn, coffee at Dawyck, back by Stobo, the Meldons and Gladhouse (68 miles).

September 2015

Sunday 6th – with lots of regulars away for the weekend, doing the Bealach Mor sportive, it was a small group that went via Humbie and Garvald to Tyninghame and back by Drem and Aberlady (56 miles).

Wednesday 9th – quite a few Portovelo riders rode out via Tranent, E Saltoun and Gifford to join a large crowd cheering the pros up Redstone Rigg (Stage 4, Tour of Britain). Some went on round by Garvald for a longer ride, others came back the same way.

Sunday 13th – the morning fitness ride went up Carberry, through Crichton and Heriot, down the old coach road, along to Innerleithen, back over the Granites and home by Newbattle, 65 miles. The afternoon family ride went to Musselburgh and along the River Esk path, where we picked brambles.

Sunday 20th – the ride went to Whitmuir via Carrington and Gladhouse reservoir, with most going over the Meldons and others taking a shorter, more direct route via Leadburn. A tailwind took us back back via Harlaw Muir road into Penicuik. 62 miles in fine weather.

Sunday 27th – the highways and byways of East Lothian, including Pencaitland, Bolton, Beech Hill, Papple, E. Linton, N. Berwick and Cockenzie (where we saw the rubble which, just over a day earlier, had been the power station towers) – 61 miles.

October 2015

Sunday 4th – a hilly ride, taking in Edgehead, Crichton, the “coach road” to Stow, the long, steep hill up to the wind farm, into Lauder from the south, then back by the A68, Humbie and Carberry – 65 miles.

Sunday 11th – for the first combined fitness/leisure ride, both groups rode out through Pencaitland and nearly to Gifford before splitting. The fitness ride went along to Spott, then up Crystal Rig to Whiteadder Reservoir, down Redstone Rigg to Gifford and home (route here: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/889301375 – 4,400 feet of ascent!) The leisure ride did a circuit taking in Humbie, and Longniddry then back by the coast road (44 miles).

Sunday 18th – a large group went out by Cousland and the Saltouns to Longyester and Stenton before a café stop at Tyningham than back by Tantallon Castle, skirting North Berwick and home by West Barns and Aberlady. 63 miles.

Sunday 25th – another big group headed out through Mayfield and Middleton then up over the Granites to Innerleithen. Home via Cardrona, Peebles and Gladhouse. 67 miles.

November 2015

Sunday 1st – a beautiful day, and a group of over 20 rode along the coast road to Aberlady before splitting to find different ways to the Tyninghame cafe, before returning home also by different routes, the fitness ride doing nearly 60 miles, the leisure ride 46.

Sunday 8th – a circuitous ride through fallen leaves, taking in the River Esk path, a ford, an obscure loop behind Humbie, a small cafe in Haddington that we filled to the doors, a level crossing and home before the rain – 46 miles.

Sunday 15th – on a less rainy day than feared, to Lauder via Edgehead, Fala, Soutra and Stow, back by the A68, Humbie and Cousland – 62 miles.

Sunday 22nd – round the south of the city then via Currie and Ratho to Linlithgow, and back (in faster and slower groups) via Winchburgh and Kirliston (52 miles, various punctures).

Sunday 29th – we had to brave strong winds and freezing rain to get as far as the Scots Pine café at Eddleston, with sleety snow and horizontal hail (plus a few brief moments of sunshine) added to the mix as we headed home via Shiplaw, Leadburn and Bonnyrigg.  45 miles.

December 2015

Sunday 6th – A large group negotiated flooded roads to head out by Carberry, Mayfield, Temple, Rosebery Reservoir, Middleton and Crichton to Humbie for coffee. Straight home by Cousland took the distance to 46 miles (and the number of punctures to 11 …)

Sunday 13th – a very cold but fine day for a skinny loop to Dunbar – out by the coast road initially, then via Whitekirk and Tyninghame, back by Haddington and Prestonpans. 55 miles.

Sunday 20th – strangely mild, but windy, as we rode up Carberry, through Ormiston, Pencaitland and Gifford to E Linton for coffee, and back (in faster and slower groups) via Athelstaneford and Prestonpans. 50 miles.

Sunday 27th – winter sunshine for the last fitness ride of the year – Carberry, past Crichton and Borthwick castles, Fala, Humbie, Cousland. 39 miles.