It was the first fully blue sky we had seen since leaving Australia. As we looked out the window from our B&B room, the sky was actually fully blue, and the sun was shining.
A pity it lasted no more than an hour or so, before it closed over to being overcast and threatening rain yet again. After a wonderful breakfast shared with four other B&B'ers, we loaded and said our goodbyes to our wonderful host Amanda, and set our faces toward Edinburgh. We decided to take the A69, the main road. It was the most direct, and we didn't want to be late arriving, or caught out on the road in the rain.
We actually felt quite refreshed and fit, and made excellent time for the first 20k. We passed the turn to Melrose (our original destination) and pressed on to the Tweed River Bridge, where we just ahd to stop and take in one of the most wonderful sights of our journey. The river was a long way below, but the incredible rail bridge built just down from the road bridge was one of the most spectacular bridges we have seen on our journey. It seemed to be standing about 80 metres in the air above the waters of the Tweed, with very long brick shaped peers, something like the what we might see in Italy with the spans of bridges of the autobarns around the Italian alps. We had to stop and stare, and of course attempt to take a photo that paid justice to its utter magnificence.
The rest of the journey on the A69 was mostly uneventful, until we came to the climb up to the 'Soutra Summit', the highest point of a range just before the descent and long run into Edinburgh on the Firth of Forth. Actually, you don't realise you are on the range, until you eventually realise that you are down to your lowest gear, and you have been gently grinding for a while. At a drink spot, Julie said 'we've been climbing for 2k'. I hadn't noticed it so long, but after that I recorded a further near 3k before we went over the top. The map showed ' Soutra Summit' - which is deceiving in Scotland because the hills are totally bare of any kind of tress or bush. Basically they are just sheep paddocks. I stopped on top to take photos. The Firth of Forth (the North sea) were now visible, as was the outline of Edinburgh. We could also just make out Edinburgh castle in the far distance. Julie promised to ride slowly, while I took photos.
It took me 6k to catch her, at speeds up to 55kph off the summit. I went through the village of Fala at the bottom of the summit at 45kph, but gradually lost the momentum along the flat. When I caught her, she assured me she didn't pedal at all for most of the last 5k! She also had a 'spomgy' rear tyre, but because the weather was now turning foul, we chose to pump it every 5k until Edinburgh. The heavens then opend, and about 15k short of Edinburgh, it rained, and only got worse the closer we got.
It was exciting to enter the great city, and find our way eventually into the heart of the city. The great castle was now very clear. We passed by Hollyrood Castle where the Queen was now high and dry, and despite wrestling with wet roads, close traffic, bus drivers who had little patience with irritating cyclists, we found ourselves right in down town edinburgh, dripping wet from the rain. We ranh Dennis and Norma, got our final instructions, and despite a few wrong turns, managed to find their home within walking distance of Edinburgh Castle.
It was great to be in, and after a lovely shower we enjoyed a meal, and then a visit to the Royal Britaannia Yacht, and a drive around the old heart of Edinburgh.
Today we passed 2200k for the journey, with about 1350k remaining. I suspect that many of those kilometres will be over some tough terrain as we ride to John O'Groats, then back to the west of Scotland, and finally into Stirling. It was a great day on and off the road, for which we give thanks again to God in whom we put our trust for every moment.
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