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| Moor road from Stow to Lauder, Scottish Borders |
Stow Community Trust is a local organization in the Scottish Borders. It has purchased electric bikes and makes them available on loan to interested local members of the public. People had already sung the praises of these bikes to me, and the thought of being able to cycle uphill was compelling. And so I put in a request for a trial use of one of the bikes.
And yes, it was extraordinary, this new-found ability to cycle up even the steepest of hills, like the one leading out of Stow, up onto the moors, towards Lauder. The last time I had cycled up this hill, over these moors to Lauder, was many years ago, with my son. Of course we had to push the bikes up the hill or at least I did, I can’t remember if my son did or not. But once you get up on the moor the view is extraordinary and then there is the long downhill slope, freewheeling and whooping with delight. Well, that was then. Coming back was a different matter. When we got home I was utterly exhausted and even my son admitted to being tired.
And this time, on an ebike? The contrast was immense. I stopped on top of the moor to take some pictures.
Looking south, two of the Eildon Hills just visible on the skyline
Freewheeled downhill to Lauder. (There are different settings on an ebike, ranging from ‘eco’, a small amount of electrical help, to ‘turbo’, essential for these big hills, and you can switch off the electricity completely when going downhill.) Into the small town of Lauder, to enjoy a coffee sitting outside in the cloudy but warm autumn morning, and then back. About 25 miles round trip, and all of it a pleasure.
Another trip was to Soutra Aisle, again with a spectacular view, this time north-east.
View north-east, from Soutra Aisle, former monastery and hospital
And some wonderful downhill sweeps coming back. There’s also a speedometer on the bike and I watched it creep up, 24, 25, 26 mph and at one point just reaching 30 mph, wind in my face, that exhilaration of speeding downhill. It feels almost like flying.
The longest ride was to the bridge over the Tweed beyond Clovenfords and Caddonfoot, about 30 miles round trip.
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| Bridge over river Tweed near Caddonfoot |
I had never managed this on an ordinary bike, as the hill beyond Ferniehirst is not as steep as the one on the Lauder road out of Stow, but is much longer.
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| Lugate Bridge between Stow and Ferniehirst |
Such a feeling of achievement to cycle up this hill, and it is a lovely road, at times passing through an archway of trees, then close to a loch, (Stantling Craig Reservoir) and on, downhill to Clovenfords. It’s a road I have been on many times by car, but never before on a bike. At the top of the hill, there’s a distant view of all 3 of the Eildon Hills.
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| Eildon Hills, looking south-east |
Mercury, god of thresholds, passages and transportation systems, is sometimes depicted with wings on his ankles and shoulders, quite modest and unassuming little wings – belied, I feel, by the mischievous curve of his smile. I think of Mercury as I pedal uphill, knowing I can reach the top, and swoop downhill, imagining I’m a bird, Mercury’s beguiling presence like a light pressure on my back, giving confidence, and a secret sense of power.
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