The fun begins - June 8

We took a 30-minute Uber ride to Edinburgh Gateway Station, where we met our Wilderness Scotland tour guides and a Canadian couple who would be joining us. From there, we hopped into a van to head to the start of our cycling adventure at The Kelpies in Falkirk. As the largest equine sculptures in the world, this impressive monument designed by sculptor Andy Scott and completed in 2013 represents both mythical shape-shifting water spirits and the Clydesdale horses of Scotland's industrial past. Our intimate group consisted of guides Paul and Craig, alongside participants HP, Joe, Andre, Krista, and Jeff. With such a small group, we were all looking forward to getting to know each other. Adrian and Kristine cycled on traditional road bikes, while Jeff, Joe, and HP rode e-bikes—a first-time experience for Jeff and Joe, though HP is an experienced e-bike rider.

After a bike fit and some quick test rides, we set off on the first leg of our adventure. Leaving the massive horse sculptures behind, we cycled along a canal that historically transported goods from this area to Edinburgh. We briefly transitioned to some urban streets, but the vast majority of our route kept us on bike trails. The urban landscape quickly faded into rural scenery as we rode through several large estates, spotting herds of deer and a pair of pheasants along the way.

Most of the day's ride traced the banks of the Firth of Forth (a "firth" being an inlet and "Forth" being the river). The Firth of Forth is a major Scottish bay and an inlet of the North Sea that separates Fife to the north from Lothian to the south; further inland, it becomes the estuary for the River Forth. Along the way, we paused to visit Blackness Castle, a striking 15th-century fortress built by Sir George Crichton in the 1440s on the south shore of the firth, likely on the site of an even earlier fort. We capped off the day's ride with an out-and-back journey over the impressive Forth Road Bridge. Opened in 1964, this suspension bridge crosses the Firth of Forth and was, at the time of its construction, the longest suspension bridge in the world outside of the United States.

It was a short but rewarding first day, covering 22 miles to our hotel, which sits right at the water's edge in the historic town of South Queensferry. Housed in a beautifully restored stone building, the hotel is fantastic, and its restaurant overlooks the River Forth, providing a gorgeous scenic backdrop for our dinner.

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