Day 86: Edinburgh to Grantshouse

July 29, 2025

Day 86: Edinburgh to Grantshouse

Yesterday morning, I woke up at 7:15. I was supposed to meet Kevin for breakfast at 7:30, but he didn’t show up. I ended up having a haggis bun and a cup of coffee at Fox & Co. Caterers. I’ve never had haggis before. It had a dry texture even though it’s moist. Hard to explain. I don’t think I’ll try it again though.

After coming back to the hostel, I packed up everything and loaded my bike. I started my ride out of Edinburgh around 8:45.

As I followed the route on Organic Maps, there were many turns. I rode on the bike lane most of the time until I got out of the city. Unlike most American cities, the streets in European cities are like spider webs. They are not arranged in a grid. Plus, the streets were narrow and didn’t have shoulders so I had to be very careful. Some streets were even narrower when there were cars parked on the sides, leaving a two lane road to essentially one lane.

When I reached the town of Haddington, I had an early lunch at 11 AM before continuing on.

The Scottish farmlands were very beautiful. Wide and spacious. I didn’t know there were so many big farms in Scotland considering its size. The day was also perfect for a bike ride. A few clouds but no rain. I was feeling great!

Soon, I reached downtown Dunbar. There is a statue that I thought was The Little Prince, it turned out to be a statue of a young John Muir, the conservationist. He was born in Dunbar.

As I cycled out of Dunbar, I also saw a stone that commemorates The Battle of Dunbar in 1650, fought between the English and the Scottish.

I was enjoying the flat roads until I reached Pease Bay. The road became one lane and there was a steep uphill. I had to let many cars pass me while I pushed my bike. At the top, I was rewarded with a gorgeous view of the farms and the North Sea.

I continued on until I reached my Warmshowers host’s house in the small town of Grantshouse. I rode 49.8 miles that day.

Graham was my host and we got along great. His family owns the farm that he’s currently living at. Graham also gave me some tips regarding my route for the next day since I’ll be camping.

After having a fulfilling dinner, I went to bed before the sunset so I can get enough rest. Today, I don’t know where I’m going to stay yet. I might wild camp on Bamburgh Beach, but wild camping is not allowed in England so I might camp elsewhere farther down the route.