SCOTLAND EDINBURGH TO BO’NESS
DISTANCE: 17 miles GRADE: Moderate START: Haymarket railway station FINISH: Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway Museum NEAREST TRAIN STATIONS: Edinburgh, Haymarket, Dalmeny, North Queensferry and Linlithgow TERRAIN, GRADIENTS AND
ACCESS: Mostly flat on surfaced path and fine gravel track. Some road crossings and short, on-road sections through Barnton and between South Queensferry and Hopetoun. NCN ROUTE NOS: FROM Haymarket station, head down Haymarket Yards on to the Roseburn Path. After a mile, fork left to Davidson’s Mains, riding beside two golf courses and through the Barnton district to Cramond Brig. The NCN 76 route takes you into Dalmeny Estate and on to the coastal path, under the Forth Rail Bridge, along the High Street of South Queensferry and under the Forth Road Bridge. To cut the route short, push your bike up the ramp and ride over the bridge before ending at North Queensferry railway station. To complete the second half, continue along NCN 76 to Hopetoun House, through the deer park to Abercorn church then to Nethermill Bridge. From here, it’s a two-mile trail through Wester Shore Wood to Blackness. A two-mile seafront path takes you into Bo’ness to finish at the Railway Museum. STAY: Brooks Hotel, 0131 228 2323, brooksedinburgh.com
EAT AND DRINK: Ronde Bicycle Outfitters cafe, Stockbridge; Miller & Carter pub, Cramond Brig; Hawes Inn, South Queensferry; Stables Tearoom, Hopetoun House
CYCLE HIRE: Leith Cycle Co, Edinburgh, 0131 467 7775, leithcycleco.com; Bike Trax, Edinburgh, 0131 2286633, biketrax.co.uk