Sunday 23 June 2013

Back home, Local trails and thoughts..

When i was away up on the NW coast i really enjoyed myself.
There really is no place like home though and i`m happy to still have a whole week just riding locally around East Lothian on my bikes.

Friday was mid summer, the solstice. I had ridden 40 miles on the Krampug during the day being on holiday so did not do much for the solcise that evening. A quick ride around the old airfield here at 8pm to post up a pic on the Global Fatbike Day picture threads on the Fatbike Forums... Been a better year for myself and weather wise this year. `Life Is Good` -:)



Saturday i fancied some colour after all the whiteness of those amazing beaches of Sutherland and rode around the woods and estates where i grew up...

I realised along the road i was riding the Pugsley and had meant to take the Karate Monkey today! lol
The tools shared with the Moonlander were on the bike and so was a waterbottle so no worries, A pugsley day on trails it would be then...

The ground is still bone dry, heavier rain showers on Saturday evening and Sunday will keep the dust down but we really need some proper rain in East Lothian, preferably at night!

Big Sky day again... warm and clammy, it was nice and cool once through the woods...





-:)

East Lothian is famous for it`s rich fertile soils. lots of variation of crops this year...





Across into Gosford...


Hungry House...


Some big old trees in here...

Some Oak and Beech have been cut down...


Sadly this old beech, which has some carvings from WW2...

Troops based at Gosford Camp carved names and their regiment badges on some of the trees....
I remember some trees with white paint on them as a kid. It was so the men could follow the right roads back to camp from Aberlady village after a night in the pubs!...


A similar emblem is drawn on a wall in the hallway of the old POW Coolers



1945

Dry burns...

Ponds..











-:)

Aberlady Kirk and the `Loupin On Stane` which allowed ladies to get onto horses in a dignified manner...


A lot more houses built into bigger gardens now in the village, and old sheds and out buildings converted into housing. when an outbuilding near here was opened up by the new owners it was full of really old motorbikes, none us knew about them!...

Through Luffness...


Swampy looking holes were once fish ponds for the Monks in the nearby Carmelite Monastery...

Action shot!...

Only the floor remains of the Monastry, and this tomb, of Sir David de Lindsey, 13th Century crusader Knight who died in 1279...


The tomb cover is eroded now but you can still make out the sword and shield...


Quote from Wiki;
                            " David de Lindsay the younger, also called David Lindsay of the Byres (died 1279), was a 13th century Scottish knight and crusader. A minor baronial lord of a family of English origin, he was the son of David de Lindsay and held lands in East Lothian. He became Justiciar of Lothian under Alexander II of Scotland in 1241. This position had been held by his father earlier in the century.

According to Hector Boece, an anachronistically named "David Lindsay of Glenesk"    was taken to Egypt on crusade (the Seventh Crusade) by Patrick II Earl of Dunbar. If this was David Lindsay, then he was one of many Lothian barons taken by Patrick on this crusade. He rose to further national prominence as a client of the Comyns during the minority of Alexander III of Scotland, becoming a regent in 1255 and royal chamberlain in 1256.

He went on the Eighth Crusade and Ninth Crusade with Prince Edward and died in Egypt c, 1279. He was the father of Alexander Lindsay of Barnweill"      


So there you go!, a famous person layed to rest in a wood here in East Lothian...

Love this place, it is so old...sunshine on the tomb...


Nettles are usually over the Old Postmans Walk trail by mid summer but the dry weather has kept them back thankfully...


The old water tower nearby may have been built on the former well of the Monastery...

Tattie boxes, ready for harvesting starting soon...

Those retro turbines again, they are a lot nicer than those big white ones to look at, the twin prop is quite hipnotic to watch...

Back along to Drem Ride and onto the old railway line to Gullane Village...



The fairways of all the golf courses in the county are burned brown with the drought...


 17th Green No 3 Course, I used to work here on No3 and mowed these greens. watered the greens are in fine shape. The fine grasses burned brown on the fairways will soon be green again with this weekends showers...

Amazing what grass can with stand...



Time for ice cream!...

Trish at Cools has got a new ice cream flavour in...


Gingerbread!

And its amazing!, i have never has so thirst quenching ice cream as this...


Workmate Robert stopped on his motorbike. Just been and bought the new Go Pro Hero 3 for his 3 week motorbike tour around Europe in August...

Even with the back screen with larger back case cover added its still small, and light...



Seeing as i was on a fatbike better ride some sand and rode the Bake Bean Trail around Muirfield. Only a few weeks until The Open . Gullane will be buzzing with people during the 2 weeks of Qualifying and competition...

Sadly the tree trolls have been dismantled -:(  There is always some miserable git who spoils things... but i am sure they will return -:)


Up through Dirleton Woods, a few years ago i would have jumped them but injuries take too long to heal. Would hate to sit out a superb summer we are having so far...

Home for tea...

MOO!





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