RttS Scout Bike Transport Service – Check In Details

Bike drop-off and coach-boarding will take place at the rear car park at Tesco, Davidson Mains: 36 Cramond Rd South, Edinburgh, EH4 6AA. The car-park is accessible from the National Cycle Network Route 1 (Barnton Path) using the short spur path adjacent to Silverknowes Road.

Please park somewhere nearby which will not inconvenience local residents and cycle to our loading area. This can be accessed both from the main entrance and via the spur path from NCN1.

Please DO NOT park in the Tesco car park – we already use a large area and rely on the good will of Tesco customers and staff to be able to run this service each year.

Please note which service you booked from the ticket we sent you and follow the appropriate times below:

Coach Departure – 15.00

• 13.00 – Bike Loading Starts
• 14.30 – Bike Loading End
• 14.45 – Coach Passengers boarded
• 15.00 – Coach departs
• 18.00 – Coach arrives, Carlisle
• 18.30 – Unloading completed

Coach Departure – 15.30

• 13.30 – Bike Loading Starts
• 15.00 – Bike Loading End
• 15.15 – Coach Passengers boarded
• 15.30 – Coach departs
• 18.30 – Coach arrives, Carlisle
• 19.00 – Unloading completed

Coach Departure – 16.00

• 14.00 – Bike Loading Starts
• 15.30 – Bike Loading End
• 15.45 – Coach Passengers boarded
• 16.00 – Coach departs
• 19.00 – Coach arrives, Carlisle
• 19.30 – Unloading completed

NOTES

• Lorries (with bikes) and coaches will depart early if loading/boarding is completed ahead of schedule, so please stay in the vicinity of Tesco.
• Coach passengers should be ready to board their coach by the last boarding time shown. There is no alternative transport for latecomers.
• Coach travel to Carlisle will take 3 hours approx. depending on traffic conditions – it is generally a little less.

Coach Departure – 06.00

• 05.00 – Bike Loading Starts
• 05.45 – Bike Loading End
• 05.45 – Coach Passengers boarded
• 06.00 – Coach departs Cramond
• 09.00 – Coach arrives, Castle Car Park, Carlisle (approx.)
• 09.30 – All bikes unloaded

NOTE

• Lorries (with bikes) and coaches will depart early if loading/boarding is completed ahead of schedule.
• Coach passengers should be ready to board their coach by the last boarding time shown. There is no alternative transport for latecomers.
• Coach travel to Carlisle will take 3 hours approx. depending on traffic conditions.

There are lots of food and refreshment options for you close to our departure point if you have some time to pass until coach boarding, or for last minute snacks for the ride:

• Tesco Store – right beside check-in, with the usual sandwiches, snacks, and a Costa coffee vending machine
• Ye Olde Inn in Davidsons Mains has an entry directly from the Tesco car park and serves hot meals/refreshments Facebook.
• Costa – beside the Tesco store, download the app and place orders ready to collect when you arrive,or drop in and join the queue.
• Greggs – located just round the corner from Costa
• Boots Pharmacy – within 5 minutes’ walk of check-in
• SPAR – new shop, just beside Boots

• Please ensure you have removed all bar bags, paniers, extending mirrors, lights etc. to avoid damage during transit. These can be carried on to the coach or placed in a bag in the coach luggage compartment.
• There will be protective bubble wrap available for your bike.  We do not require you to wrap you bike – most riders in previous years chose to transport their bike with no wrapping. 
• If you do want to use the bubble wrap, refer to our FAQ info on what we provide before the event, and go to the wrapping area on arrival to wrap your bike – but do make sure the pedals can rotate freely.
• The booker and their full party should join the queue for bike loading/checkin when everyone is present.
• You will be checked in while in the queue – please have the QR codes for each of your tickets ready to scan ( either on paper or on your phone screen ).
• You will be given tags for each bike and bag booked in – please write your surname and mobile phone number on the tag for your bike, secure it to the bike, and tear off the numbered stub and keep for reclaim of your bike in Carlisle.  Retain the tag for your bag and have it completed and attached to your bag when you drop it off at the collection points in Carlisle.
• Be ready to board your allocated coach by your allocated time – seats are not pre-assigned. 
• You can take your bag on the coach or place it in the hold, but you must remove all bags when disembarking as the coaches will not be returning to Cramond. 
• Each coach has a toilet and there are no planned stops, so you may wish to have a coffee or tea and quick “pit stop” in one of the local cafes. Please be considerate of the business owners and other customers – there have been issues in previous years when a large queue of cyclists caused significant inconvenience and little actual business for the cafe.
• We will ask for a volunteer on each coach to act as a Coach Contact during the journey. so that if we need to check where a coach is on the route we can phone them, and if there is any issue on the coach the contact can let us know.

• All coaches and bike lorries will arrive at Castle Car Park on Devonshire Way, Carlisle 
• As you leave the coach, check you have all your posessions as the coaches will leave immediately and are not returning to Cramond.
• Please follow the instructions of our carpark marshal – you may be asked to wait in a group in a safe area on the side of the car park until the lorry arrives and is ready for unloading.
• Have your  tag ready, and come forward to the area indicated by the marshall at the rear of the lorry when unloading starts.
• We will call tag numbers as the bikes are unloaded. Listen for your number and step forward when it is called, then move away, and if you remove any bubble wrap please leave it at the recycling point.
• All bikes must be collected immediately on disembarking from the coach as we cannot store them for later collection.
• The start of Ride To The Sun is a short walk or cycle of 0.25 miles to Bitts Park, Dacre Rd, Carlisle CA3 8UZ. As you leave Castle Car Park, turn left and follow the circular road clockwise round the castle.
• There are usually some basic toilet facilities in Bitts Park, and shops and other facilities about 10 minutes walk away.

Our bag drop service allows you to drop off a bag with personal items in Carlisle just before you start Ride to the Sun and we will transport it back to Cramond, and keep it in a secure room in Cramond Kirk ready for when you finish.

Bag Drop

• You can book tickets for your bag in advance, or pay by card when you drop the bag off.
• You can use the service even if you don’t use the coach/bike service
• You can drop off your bag in Castle Car Park close to the coach unloading area anytime between the arrival of the first and last coach services – 6pm  – 7pm approx. Ask any of our team if you can’t find us.
• Once the last coach has unloaded, we move the drop-off to Bitts Park for anyone wanting to leave a bag just before starting –  this is open to 8pm.
• When you drop off the bag, have your ticket ready for scanning, or debit/credit card ready to make payment.
• Write a contact phone number on the tag for your bag, secure this to your bag, and detach and retain your collection stub.
• Keep this safe for when you arrive in Cramond

Bag Pickup

• Your bag is kept in a locked room in Cramond Kirk Hall close to the Freshstart cafe area – check for signs in the Cramond Kirk Hall, or ask any of the volunteers wearing a Scout scarf/neckie.
• Collection is open from 2am – 6am – if no-one is present at the room, contact any of our team who will be there to help run the Freshstart Cafe and run the 6am coach service.
• Remember to have your tag ready and a brief description of the bag colour etc. to speed up retrieval from the several hundred bags we hold.
• Any bags uncollected when we vacate the Hall at 7am will be stored – please email us to arrange collection if required.

Safety

Please don’t pack anything in you rbag that could cause harm to our volunteers or others, and to bags stored alongside your one:

• Sharp objects
• Breakable items especially glass
• Containers with liquids that could leak
• Inflammable materials

Security

• The bags are held in locked vehicles or rooms from when you drop it off to its return. We will look after your bag carefully – however we are not liable for any losses, damage or theft, so please don’t pack any high value items.

• If you are unwell or have a high temperature, please follow relevant guidance on care and on safety for yourself and others

• You are welcome to wear face coverings at any time

• While in our operating areas at any of our car parks, keep the safety of yourself and others in mind as there will be vehicles moving, loading and unloading of lorries, and up to 250 coach passengers embarking and disembarking from vehicles.

• On arrival at Carlisle by coach, please go to the indicated waiting area on leaving your coach and do not approach the rear of the lorry until  you are called forward to collect you bike when it is unloaded.

• There will be a Safety Controller in overall charge at each of these locations – please raise any questions or concerns with them or members of the team.

• When a vehicle is entering or leaving our car parks, the Safety controller will ask all individuals to remain in safe areas until the movement is completed. Please remain in one place until the all clear is given.

• Please be patient when waiting to board or disembark from a coach – we may need to complete some other task before you can proceed.

• There will be a trained First Aider at each location – please ask if you require assistance.

Please use the information below if you need to contact us urgently:

• Saturday 10:00  –  12:00 – 07986 283732  – before check-in opens
• Saturday  12:00 – 16:00 – 07432 866520 – for Saturday coach/bike check-in and loading  – Tesco carpark
• Saturday  16:00 – 22:00 – 07986 283732  – for Saturday coach/bike unloading & bag collection – Carlisle
• Saturday  01:00 – Sunday 04:30 – contact Scout leader in Cramond Kirk Hall
• Sunday     04:30 –  10:00 –  07745 727 542 – for Sunday bag return and coach/bike service to Carlisle

We will load the lorry with bikes for transport to Carlisle in the car park just to the north of the Kirk Hall close to the shoreline. This car park provides space for a larger truck and our team will provide instructions when you check-in at the Hall on where to take your bike for loading ( a short 5 minute walk).

The coach will also depart about 5 minutes walk from the hall. One of our team will guide passengers as a group to the boarding point for the coach. As this is in a residential area, we ask that everyone minimise noise and disturbance.