Sunday 3 January 2016

FORTH FAT 2016 ; 22nd - 24th April Arrangements



Last Update 13th April,
Confirmation of Fridays afternoon ride, and evening  Slideshow,
NOTE CHANGES TO SUNDAYS PARKING AND EATING ARRANGEMENTS...

"We will cycle them on the beaches..."

Right Folks here is all the details you need for the weekend, any updates needed will be added on here and  the two identical posts on the facebook page and UK Fatbike Forum page and i will keep checking and answer any enquiries on them all. and the update  date will be posted above so you will know if any changes-though were rolling the same routine as the last 3 years as it works!...

Who`s all coming?
No idea how many will turn up but i do believe we may get a visit again from some staff from Surly USA again!, and maybe Swen and Gomez from FAT-BIKE-COM  both to still confirm!.
There will be the usual local guys and regulars, and a lot of new faces are coming!...

Tantallon Caravan and Camping Park  Booking;
Once again  Tantallon Caravan and Camping park are welcoming us back and will put all camping bookings beside each other near the Wigwam Huts.
Camping and Wigwam huts can be booked now, NOTE: be quick if you want a Wigwam hut!,  Bookings Here!..

Friday 22nd;
Some people travelling far will be arriving Thursday evening and possibly staying the Sunday evening but the majority of folks riding both days will be camping.staying around North Berwick Friday and Saturday evening,
There is a wee cycle on the Friday afternoon around the town and a ride/push up North Berwick Law metting at Law Cycles at 2pm, followed by a pint at The Ship Inn which once again will be the main go to Pub over the weekend, Early Friday evening there should be the The Big Blu Pizza Van parked up at Steampunk Cafe where you can get some real good Coffee too!.
Upstairs in the cafe at 7pm will be a slideshow and talk from Carl Hutchings on his experiances snow racing in Alaska,
Back up to the Tantallon campsite for around 9pm to welcome arrivals-there will be folk all afternoon at the campsite so don`t be worried if a newcomer arriving alone!...

Saturday 23rd;
An earlier start than usual this year due to the tide times, Were rolling out the campsite 8.45am to meet at the Celtic Cross at the west end of Marine Parade Road (above the east beach) and will get rolling 9.15am...
This year the route will be marked with orange line marker so latecomers can follow and join up-or you can ride just some of the days ride if you want.
Saturdays ride will as usual be following the John Muir Way trail west out of North Berwick to Yellowcraigs and on to Gullane Village, then after the climb up Gullane Hill to soak up the views the descent to the coast and out to the WW2 midget submarine wrecks- to pay homage and drink a toast to Fatbikes!,
At your own pace we will follow the coast  and return the 7 or miles back to North Berwick where you can ride the variety of terrain the coast offers, from flat hard sand exposed by the low tide or the challenging technical rock sections, to the sweet sandy single track above the high tide line...
We will re group at the Harbour then you have a choice of many places to eat including;
The Seabird Centre
The Rocketeer
The Lobster Shack
North Berwick Fry  (The Chippy!)

The Ship Inn- Most folk head to the Ship Inn as we can park the bikes outside and if weather permitting sit outside, The Ship has a fine selection of Scottish Ales too!,

The weekend is a come and go as you like affair so drift back to the campsite when you want...


Sunday 24th;
Again up early and packed up we will drive from the campsite at 9.30 to park up at Whitekirk Golf and Country Club to get cycling from Whitekirk at 10am.
NOTE;  With Whitekirk Golf Course and Restaurant still closed (Not shut down!) until further notice we are going to use the Greenkeepers compound car park at the west (Opposite) end of the golf course restaurant and clubhouse, access road is signed with blue John Muir Way Cycle way and Green Becky`s Strip Public Path signs 1\4 mile west on the unclassified road wet of the village, we will make some of our own signs and it will be well marked from Whitekirk Village Church so cover all routes to the village.

Car park Grid reference is NT 590 820, i tried to get a Google map printed up but cannot manage to mark the car park- keeps going to houses in village so here it is circled on an OS Map, i don`t have the tech or patience for phone GPS stuff to be honest!, If you don`t have an OS map then get to Whitekirk village and church and follow the balloon signs from outside Whitekirk Church that we put up!
Someone more geeky then myself will no doubt add a sat nav link or something better to help first time visitors to the area on the Facebook page and UK Fatbike Forum page (All pages have identical information and a link to here on the blog)

We will ride from here as usual  via the ancient Byway (Becky`s Strip Byway) then short road cycle to arrive at Seacliff and it`s amazing tiny little harbour with it`s stunning views across to Tantallon Castle and the Bass Rock Island offshore.  There will be an optional easy route for those who don`t want to take on the challenge of the Carr Rocks and we will all regroup at Dunes at Peffersands for those who fancy it can do a spot of dune surfing...
We will then ride along to the now well known `Secret Trail` that winds through woods above the coast and is technical in places-again there is an easy option to skip this for those that wish to do so- again the paths will be marked with Orange arrows...
With a loop around the salt marsh to the estuary of the river Tyne we will return to the car park possibly via Binning Woods (weather dependant) and there will be a big BBQ hopefully ready by someone and ready for cooking on- it`s a bring your own grub affair, you can get stuff at Tescos near Tantallon Campsite
We hope to be finished up and eaten by 3-5pm to allow for folks with a long journey home...
There are toilets and bike washing facilites and if wet weather a big shed to gather in so we should be pretty sorted!.

Some people will be staying on for the Sunday Evening at Tantallon campsite, Some of us locals will still be around...

East Coast Weather in April;
2015 was a rare warm April but April can get real cold on the east coast esp if a bit damp and onshore winds from the North Sea, Bring warm sleeping gear if camping!, and a down jacket etc for when stopped...
The weekend kinda runs itself, but the weather can control everything!
I look forward to seeing old faces again and meeting new ones, any questions drop me an email at; coastkid71@yahoo.co.uk

Cheers
Bruce


Taster;  Some film from 2013 of some of whats on offer...




Previous years reports;
  Forth Fat 2015 report

Forth Fat 2014 Report

Forth Fat 2013 Report

2 comments:

  1. Hmm. The online booking doesn't seem to work on my iPad. Will need to crank up the desktop machine. Trying to check wigwam availability! Or else I might share your tent bro!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Fatbike brethren and sistren. I have booked a wigwam for Friday and Saturday but sadly cannot make it this year. Anyone want it? Email or call Bothy Bikes in Aviemore - David

    ReplyDelete