Thursday and away early, I wanted to get onto the Tay Bridge before the approach roads started to clog up, as it turned out there was no problem, there were plenty of crossing points to get to the waterfront, but first the obligatory pics of Desperate Dan! and the Discovery.
A short pedal around the front brings you to a lift access onto the bridge; the cycle/walkway runs along the centre between the two carriageways, most folk were on their way into Dundee to work, going my way was actually uphill! A short ramp brings you off the bridge, my route was to the left to Tayport along a dedicated cycle track. Heading across the car park you pass what looks like a disused brid
ge toll booth, it turns out it's a place which does breakfast rolls, tea, coffee etc. Breakfast! and I'd only done a mile and a half! Still, you've got to put fuel in the engine to keep it going!! A bacon and egg roll and a coffee fortified me as I'd only had a cuppa before setting out. The lady running the stall noticed my tremor and said did I mind her asking but was it Parkinson's? because her dad had been diagnosed and had a similar problem. Old Parky's lurking out there still.
Tayport was only a three mile pedal away but passing the harbour, would you belive it, The Harbour Cafe was open! I had to stop, it would have been rude not to! A shot of coffee and slice of toast and marmalade went down well. The lady serving was telling me the cafe was a community enterprise and was doing very nicely,which is good to hear in these days of doom and gloom!
The route took me tthrough a forested area with numerous trails to choose from but which eventually brought me onto the Leuchars road. The RAF base straddles the road to Guardbridge where I was aiming for a lunch break. A little while further on my route had a big 'Road Closed' sign on it; as I stood there peering at my map looking for a detour (as short as possible!) a car pulled around a corner heading out of the closed road! I flagged the car down and asked what the score was with the sign. Apparently the torrential rains towards the back end of 2012 had caused floods which had taken half of the road and a fair portion of a house, the story had been shown on TV news. The road was closed to through traffic, but open to residents, pedestrians and cycles. It makes you wonder how such an inoccuous stream could wreak such havoc.
Pitscottia and The White Chimneys Cafe provided a welcome afternoon brew and piece of flapjack. My intention was to stop at Glenrothes and find a B&B but thinking on I figured I'd rather give petrol money to daughter Louise to come and get me as I would be staying there anyway, then come back out on the train to finish that section of the route. As Friday was forecast to be overcast than we decided that it would be an admin day and that we would get the train to Markinch station (where I was picked up) on the Saturday.
Louise had taken holiday to look after her old dad! (Aww) and as I had planned to look for a gel saddle and a pair of hybrid tyres she introduced me to a new store, Decathalon; it is a huge warehouse of a place with a vast array of outdoor equipment at what seemed to be good prices, a Selle Italia gel saddle for £16. I had to go elsewhere for tyres as they only had road or MTB. Louise had been recommended to take me to a particular shop for tyres,
Bike Trax in Edinburgh . I had ridden almost to Edinburgh on Continental Explorers which were a bit knobbly for the variety of surfaces the guide book said would be encountered (everything from grass, mud and rocks to packed gravel and tarmac; the tyres I have ended up with are Schwalbe Hurricanes, a commuter road style riding surface with knobbly edges for cornering in off road conditions. It looked as though Saturday was to be the 'test run' day.
Cold and overcast!! Where was the sunshine! The train ride took around 20 minutes out to Markinch, what a difference riding without heavy panniers! A short run into Glenrothes and on to Kirkcaldy promenade, yes! there is one and it's open!! One bacon and egg roll (good) and one coffee (rank).
We opted for the Fife Coastal Path rather than the road as it offered better views and some good single track riding. The trail took us into Kinghorn and a small sea front cafe; by now the sun was shining and the chance of a seat out off the still chilly breeze was welcome, Louise choosing an ice cream while I had a
good coffee.
Time to move on, Burntisland next (wrong turn and detour round a field as the Fire Brigade put out a burning swing!!). Back on track past a small church ruin and into Aberdour and another 'navigational error', this time it was fortuitous, while Louise sussed out what we thought was the trail I spotted a couple of folk walking along the beach who looked familiar but lived miles away in Ross Shire! Anyway, I thought here goes and shouted "Jim" and yes, it was him; long time no see!! I'd last seen Jim (Jimbo) and Angela when I was still working at Nevis Range!
Brief meet up and chat over we had to be on our way again. Not long and the iconic shape of the Forth Rail Bridge could be seen, more pedaling through Donnybristle and it wasn't long before the uphill thrash through the cutting, you don't notice the noise when wrapped up in a vehicle, what a racket!! Out onto the bridge, still uphill but quieter, freewheel down the S Queensferry side and a 15minute pedal brought us back to The Purple Princess.
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