Spokes Ride to Silversands Beach, Aberdour

It wouldn't be summer without a cycle ride to the beach. I try to make at least one Spokes Ride to a beach, usually Silversands Beach at Aberdour in Fife, because you also get to cross the Firth of Forth.

It was a lovely morning, with just a little bit of cloud. 15 of us met up outside the Usher Hall. It did feel a tad cool when we set off though, due to the wind rather than lack of sunshine. Once on Dalry Road, out of the slight wind, it felt quite pleasant. So on to Murieston Crescent, Russell Road on to the Roseburn Path. We slowly trundled along, and the light cloud lifted slightly. Even the dense leaf cover couldn't hide the light. A brief stop to ensure everyone was there at Craigleith and onward along the Blackford Path. Still sunny at Silverknowes where we briefly stopped again.

At Barnton Gardens, where we cross the road, there's the inevitable splitting of the group as the lights don't allow for a group of cyclists to cross. I wait so that everyone is on Barnton Ave, then stay at the back for a wee while as there is one slower cyclist. We cycle through the golf course path, over Cramond Brig, and up to the cycle path where the front of the group waits. We cycle up the cycle path, for a wee while, then take the path under the A90 and up to the Carlowrie Road. It is starting to cloud over a little. We have the short climb up to Standingstane Road. This time a slightly longer stop to allow people to get a drink and catch their breath, and for me to ditch a layer In Dalmeny we re-join NCN and through the new housing estate, and a resurfaced road. The clouds have come in a bit heavier now.

At the South Queensferry Sport Centre, young football players were training. Schools will be back soon, so the football training starts now. We carry on west for a short stop at the south end of the bridge. As we cross the bridge, the clouds are clearing, hopefully we will have blue sky for our lunch stop at the beach. A quick stop to regroup and admire the view from the north side of the bridge and some of us speak to other cyclists Then we swoop down then up to Inverkeithing.

After a regrouping at the top of Inverkeithing High St, we swoop down to the coastal path (you always swoop down, it’s fun). Three people have opted to take the train back, so only 12 will cycle the return segment. The sunshine sparkled off the Forth as we head to join the coastal path to Dalgety Bay. We were in bright sunshine, and Edinburgh. The small beach at the west end of Dalgety Bay has a few people with dogs. We pass St. David's Harbour. Harbour Place, footpath, with that short steep bit, The Bridges, longer climb here, a short section of path with a startled jogger, and then Lumsdaine Drive. As we are heading east along Moray Way I ignore the cycle route, and head east along the road. This is to avoid the steep climb up from St. Bridget's Chapel. We access Beech Ave from St. Colme Drive, through a small cut through.

Beech Ave is not too busy. there are a couple of families out on bikes, and a couple of groups with dogs. There is a short climb up to the underpass. If you look carefully, you can see the Forth and the blue sky, through St. Colme estate and on to the bumpy path to Aberdour itself. The sun has come out. Once at Aberdour High Street, I cycle slowly through Aberdour to Hawkcraig Rd, which gives us access to Silversands Beach via a cycle path, avoiding the awkward access through the car park. Strangely, for a sunny Sunday, the beach is remarkably quiet.

The main blip shows Inchkeith Island as viewed from the beach.

After lunch, and cake, we head back up to Aberdour along Main Street and High Street. The blue sky is heading east, we need to cycle west. Beech Ave was quite busy with walkers, so we carefully rode around them. At Dalgety Bay, we headed down to St. Bridget's Chapel to access the path along Dalgety Bay itself. We follow NCN through the commuter town bit of Dalgety Bay. In reverse Lumsdaine Drive, the path, swoop down The Bridges, a road named after the view, and back along Harbour Place, where I took Extra of a man and his very wet dog, to re-join the path to Inverkeithing. As we head along Preston Crescent, it always feels nice and fast. However, once we cross the Keithing Burn, we have a sharp climb up to the centre of Inverkeithing. A testing climb, so we always regroup at the top on the High St, and let people rest a little.

There is a descent down from here, but again a climb follows, first up to the road bridge, and then the road bridge itself. On the south side of the bridge, we head towards Dalmeny, along Main Street to follow a more direct route back to Edinburgh along the A90 cycle path. Then down the slip road and on to the cycle path to Cramond Brig.

It was quite early when we got back to Cramond Brig, so some of us stopped for a refreshment at the steakhouse (It used to be the Cramond Brig Inn, thankfully though, it still sells refreshments and you can sit outside, although it does feel a little like a motorway service station). Others opt to cycle home at this point. After refreshments, it’s up Brae Park Rd, a steep climb up from Cramond Brig, which splits the group, then on to Barnton Avenue, the golf course path, and east section of Barnton Avenue. We cycle to Craigleith, where some people turn off to head for home.  The remainder turned on to the Roseburn Path, the clouds clearing a little, so there is a little sunshine at Russell Road, the very end of the ride, from where we head home.

The whole route can be seen at Relive here.