Autumn Ramble

I've acquired a new camera. Well it's new to me; it's a very little used Canon that was at a price I couldn't refuse. It may be two year old technology to the enthusiast but it's cutting edge for me. 

Saturday morning was a bit cold with a blustery westerly wind, but it kept the clouds moving and there were welcome periods of sunshine. I set off on the LHT with a flask of coffee and vague plan to go wherever looked sunny.

I also planned to stop for anything interesting, like this Grey Heron.

Or just to appreciate the colours on an autumn day.

Tantallon Castle, The Bass Rock and the Isle of May on the horizon, I don't know how many times I have seen this view but it's always worth another photo.

I carried on towards North Berwick where I cycled down to the harbour to see a boat that Coastkid had posted a picture of last week. It is indeed a Nordic Folkboat. I think it would have been built post 1966 as it has a carvel hull and it's obviously not one of the modern GRP ones.

The places where the paint had been ground back showed nice tight caulking but the rudder gudgeons look like they need immediate attention.

If it was mine, I would also be wondering about the keel bolts as there was a lot of filler around the keel hull joint and that is a worrying dent in the leading edge.

If you want to read more about these classic little boats, search for Lt Col Blondie Hassler and his adventures on his Folkboat 'Jester'.

Then it was back on the bike and past a cold looking east beach.

Then off to the glen where I stopped for a break in the shelter and had a good brew of coffee from my flask (and a fudge doughnut).

On by Becky's Strip and then to the John Muir Way.

Whose tyre prints could these be?

I cut back onto the road and could have headed back by Whitekirk, but as I was enjoying myself I went along by Janesfield and up the climb over to East Linton.

And after every climb comes the descent.

Over the bridge at the Linn and then back to Dunbar.

I had only headed out with the vaguest of notions where I was going but ended up being out for far longer than planned. I may have also passed a couple of fellow bloggers running along the beach and cycling along the road near Leuchie? A great pedal and all the better for not being planned.

Sunday cycle to North Berwick

On Sunday morning the view over the hills showed snow and thick cloud. Down by the coast was a little clearer and I thought I would be able to get a decent ride in between the showers. It didn't really work out that way.

I couldn't think of anywhere in particular to go so I just headed in the general direction of North Berwick. I stopped to shelter at some woods near Halfland as the hail and freezing rain was beginning to get the better of me. Being cold, I can manage, but getting cold and wet is not a good idea

At North Berwick I did a couple of laps round the town but there wasn't much going on. As usual I ended up down by the harbour watching the boats. It's good to see boats in the water during the winter. In Dunbar they are all out on the hard-standing until April.

A flask of coffee and a bit of quiet reflection. Unfortunately the peace was broken by the chattering of my teeth. Jings I was cold!

In the summer this beach is packed with families enjoying their ice cream and having a good old fashioned holiday. I didn't stay for long today and soon started home. Pedaling the Long Haul Trucker back up the hill out of North Berwick warmed me up but by Tyninghame the hail had got to ridiculous proportions and I stopped to shelter. I was soon frozen again.

I managed thirty miles altogether but it was not the most enjoyable ride. My feet took some thawing out.

On a separate matter, the orchid I have been growing has finally bloomed! Three years of  tending and feeding, all for this moment.