Scotland Day 3: more biking

I borrowed a shock pump from a guy at the Glentress parking lot yesterday and we mentioned we liked "cross country"riding. He suggested we do Gypsy Glen today. 

So after a breakfast that involves about 5 questions to the waitress as to the menu items, which resulted in vegetarian haggis for me and tattie scone for Drew, 

we headed out from the hotel on bikes.

After a big climb on forest roads, we hit the "singletrack".

Drew is pointing to the "singletrack". Hmmm.

In the UK, it is illegal to block public access from farmland and pastures. This trail went through many sheep pastures. Even though trail access isn't restricted, trail maintenance must be, because the entire 6 miles of trail was just fence-line paths worn in by hikers and bikers. A lot of it was rutted, rocky, or overgrown. "Cross country" style riding must literally mean cross country in Scotland.

Still, although it wasn't what we were expecting, it was great!  The views were wide and beautiful, we saw exactly one other trail user, we had excellent weather, and we were doing what Married With Bikes loves to do. 

the stone walls (above and below) were really really cool and went on for miles

With cycle paths to and from the village, we logged 14 miles and worked up a healthy appetite for yummy lunch at a tea room in a lovely courtyard accessed via a tunnel from the main street. 

After a wee bit of shopping, it was time to get the rental bikes back to Edinburgh. 

Then we had to take an unexpected detour to the EDI airport to switch rental vehicles. The one we had made some concerning clunking noises and had intermittent flashing warning lights. Best to trade that in before we go to the Highlands!

Without much time in the evening left, we checked into our hotel in Leith on the waterfront east of Edinburgh but

still managed to find Lost in Leith, a cool pub with a huge local beer selection and delicious delivered pizza. 

So far, so fun!

Scotland Day 2: married with bikes is BACK

Many many years ago, Drew told me about a dream he had to one day ride the 7 Stanes trails in Scotland. Today, we rode a tiny bit of one of the 7, the red route at Glentress near Peebles. 

We packed up after breakfast, 

Again, narrowly missing the meter maid writing us a parking ticket. Whew.

Bikes in tow, we drove south about an hour from Edinburgh to the Glentress mountain biking center.

Route finding is really easy if you read the signs.

Trails were very very well groomed. Spooky Wood and Super G reminded me of the Park City, except SO green!

We rode the locally famous Spooky Wood and Super G downhill trails.

Our hotel in Peebles, The Tontine, was lovely, including the stairs up to the bathroom in our room.😀😀

After a yummy cask beer and a walk around the village, 

a traditional dinner of steak and ale pie for me at The Crown Inn and restaurant and pub put us to sleep as we watched the rerun of the Queen's funeral on the tele. 

Tomorrow, we ride (some more).