Scotland : Edinburgh & Lothians Redstone Rigg Sun 18th Aug anyone?

[Telemark]

Apparently Dr Andrew Murray (ScotGov's health/fitness zar or somesuch) called black pudding the Scottish EPO recently , seriously performance enhancing ... (can't find the quote just now)

There seem to be plenty of willing subjects for cake testing

Fingers crossed for a mild & sunny October ... (will be doing a few Alps in the meantime ....)

T

 

[Seamab]

T

Pishwanton! Surely not...

 

[Seamab]

I do have a route in mind for an Extreme Rigg ride, basically a loop round the Rigg - out towards Duns but just short of it.
It's quite a bit longer and a lot more climbing, but extremely scenic. If there is enough interest for it then we could get something organised before winter.

That'll be the "Rigger Mortis" ride then? Sounds good.

 

[Seamab]

Thanks to all for todays ride. Nice to finally make a CC Ecosse ride this year. Special thanks to EdinDave for guiding us round a really lovely route and Telemark for the excellent pre Rigg cake.

 

[edindave]

That'll be the "Rigger Mortis" ride then? Sounds good.

Magic! That has Audax route name written all over it!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Just back from a 2 hour sprint session at the velodrome . Legs now feel like jelly

Looking forward to the ride tomorrow - I won't be sprinting anywhere!

I am reading this before reading the rest of the thread. Let me guess: Rasmus got on top of the hill first!

 

[Telemark]

Pishwanton! Surely not...

no, seriously - it's on the OS maps, so it must be true
Google also comes up with this - apparently meaning "abundant waters", due to lots of local springs

T

 

[Pat "5mph"]

For the new CC Ecossers, here and here is the write-up of the epic journey by @Scoosh, @HJ and me, to pick up the CC "Northern Jersey" in the relay, I mentioned it to somebody or other... . The story features a fair bit of today's route (and more of EdinDave's new plan )

T

What a great story! I never knew about this CC relay jersey. Where is it now?

 

[Rasmus]

I am reading this before reading the rest of the thread. Let me guess: Rasmus got on top of the hill first!

Sorry to let you down, but I had to settle for a position in the middle of the pack.

 

[DougieAB]

I do have a route in mind for an Extreme Rigg ride, basically a loop round the Rigg - out towards Duns but just short of it.
It's quite a bit longer and a lot more climbing, but extremely scenic. If there is enough interest for it then we could get something organised before winter.

If I can somehow get myself fitted with a second pair of lungs I could possibly manage it.

 

[Seamab]

I've just been consulting my wee hillclimbs book and it lists a couple of climbs in the area we were in yesterday which may be of interest.

One, in fact which we descended. The road down to Garvald past the iron age fort with the smell of heather in the air. This is described as "White Castle" and the climb up from Garvald to the fort is 4K or 2.65miles with avg gradient of 5.8%.

The other climb is Bransly Hill which is the next road to the east of White Castle - looks like it can be accessed via Stenton then Spott. The book describes it from south of Dunbar as 6.85K or 4.3 miles at 4.8%. The road from Spott joins it before the steep section, so you wouldn't be missing the "good bit" by going that way!

Finally, if we had turned right at the top of Redstone Rigg and descended toward Duns - these are the descents of Mainslaughter and Hardens. The climb from Duns up to Hardens Hill is used as the setting for a local hillclimb competition. The climb up from outside Duns to Mainslaughter is 9miles at an average of 3.2%. The "steep" bit comes at Longformacus - no chevron - so can't be that steep. So it must be about 12 to the top of Redstone Rigg. Must be some descent! I hit 47.5mph yesterday on the descent from the Rigg. (Tug was going faster!).

 

[tug benson]

Garmin said i hit 49.1 MPH
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/361026208

 

[Waspie]

I've just been consulting my wee hillclimbs book and it lists a couple of climbs in the area we were in yesterday which may be of interest.

One, in fact which we descended. The road down to Garvald past the iron age fort with the smell of heather in the air. This is described as "White Castle" and the climb up from Garvald to the fort is 4K or 2.65miles with avg gradient of 5.8%.

The other climb is Bransly Hill which is the next road to the east of White Castle - looks like it can be accessed via Stenton then Spott. The book describes it from south of Dunbar as 6.85K or 4.3 miles at 4.8%. The road from Spott joins it before the steep section, so you wouldn't be missing the "good bit" by going that way!

Finally, if we had turned right at the top of Redstone Rigg and descended toward Duns - these are the descents of Mainslaughter and Hardens. The climb from Duns up to Hardens Hill is used as the setting for a local hillclimb competition. The climb up from outside Duns to Mainslaughter is 9miles at an average of 3.2%. The "steep" bit comes at Longformacus - no chevron - so can't be that steep. So it must be about 12 to the top of Redstone Rigg. Must be some descent! I hit 47.5mph yesterday on the descent from the Rigg. (Tug was going faster!).

Just noticed this thread. Think I passed you guys at the junction after the descent off the Rigg and the road to Garvald. Sounds like you had a great day.

It's definitely worth checking out the other climbs mentioned here, I really like the White Castle climb, I find myself climbing into the Lammermuirs this way more often than not. I suspect subconsciously I'm trying to avoid the steep bit of the Rigg.

There is nothing particularly steep about the Mainslaughter and Hardens climb, but it's very, very long. Done it a couple of times and I've found it tough.

Not sure if this is the Bransly Hill climb but the way into the Lammermuirs from Spott is cracking, slightly trickier navigation though. Had no idea the road existed before doing it in an audax.

http://www.strava.com/activities/66999848

 

[tug benson]

I thought we might have passed you after I seen your ride on strava, it's a great are for cycling.... Didn't think much of the b@stard coast wind we had when we were heading back to the start point

 

[edindave]

I thought we might have passed you after I seen your ride on strava, it's a great are for cycling.... Didn't think much of the b@stard coast wind we had when we were heading back to the start point

I was quite enjoying being on the front all the way from Aberlady to the 'Pans. In a weird way. Head down and get on with it. We were going at a decent pace I reckoned.