Spartleton

On the B6355 beside the Whiteadder Reservoir. The Tour would begin here to climb Wanside Rig in the Lammermuirs KOM 3 Cat 2. Once at the top, the riders would drop down into Gifford and continue on to finish at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh.

Later in the day the riders would race along here B6355 by the Whiteadder Reservoir. They would start at Hawick, passing through Lauder, Duns and Cranshaws before reaching this spot. Then just around this corner, they would climb KOM 3 Cat2 at Wanside Rig in the Lammermuirs before dropping down into Gifford.

Here come the breakaway and they are 6 mins ahead of the peloton! They are on the B6355 between Cranshaws and Gifford in the Lammermuirs and about to start the KOM 3 Cat 2 at Wanside Rig Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) is in the lead. Also here are Matthew Gibson (Ribble Weldtite), Christopher Blevins (Trinity), Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck Quickstep), Davide Ballerini (Deceuninck) Quickstep) and Pascal Eenkhoorn (Jumbo Visma). Later on Yves Lampaert would win Stage 7 in Edinburgh. Pascal would give his bottle as a prize to an enthusiastic young 12 year old cyclist from Bonnyrigg who raced them along the pavement! This clip of the Tour went viral and the boy was invited to meet the team etc in Aberdeen the next day, where he was presented with a Jumbo Visma jersey.

Motor bikes ahead of the peloton near Whiteadder Reservoir.

Motor bike and cameraman ride ahead of the peloton by Whiteadder Reservoir. Just round the corner was the KOM start at Wanside Rig in the Lammermuirs.

The Race Director's car. In the background is the Whiteadder Reservoir.

Ribble Weldtite and other team cars follow the peloton near the start of KOM 3 at Wanside Rig in the Lammermuirs.

Team cars followed the peloton near the Whiteadder Reservoir in the Lammermuirs. ST PIRAN Team car is white. St Piran is a Pro Cycling Team based in Cornwall. Founded in 2018 with the intent of developing Cornish Cycling Talent and hopefully getting an invitation to the Tour de France.

One of the SKODA organisation cars near the Whiteadder Reservoir in the Lammermuirs.

Richie Porte (Ineos Grenadiers) leads the chase from the front of the peloton about 6 minutes behind the breakaway! They are about to start the KOM 3 Cat 2 climb at Wanside Rig (which would be won by Matthew Gibson). In this bunch can be seen Julian Alaphilippe in his World Champion jersey, Wout Van Aert in his Belgium Champion jersey and Ethan Hayter wearing the leader's jersey. Today's Stage 7 finishing in Edinburgh would be won by Yves Lampaert, with Ethan Hayter of Ineos Grenadiers becoming the leader in general classification, Wout Van Aert in 2nd place and Julian Alaphilippe in 3rd. After the next day's Stage 8 finishing at Aberdeen, Wout Van Aert would win the stage by winning 10 bonus seconds at the finish line to become the overall Winner of the Tour of Britain 2021, with Ethan Hayter being 2nd and Julian Alaphilippe coming 3rd. Two weeks later, in Leuven, Flanders BELGIUM, Julian Alaphilippe won the UCI ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS for the 2nd year running and gained the privilege of wearing the winner’s Rainbow Jersey for yet another year. Tom Pidcock GB won 6th Place. Wout Van Aert was 11th. Ethan Hayter was in 35th Place.

Only after the Race had passed by, the team cars had all driven away and most of the spectators had gone home, did bright sunshine burst out!

Earlier in the day the Tour of Britain had ridden past on their way up Wanside Rig KOM 3 Cat 2 in Stage 7. Only after the Race had passed by and all the spectators had gone home did the sun shine!

Here comes the BREAKAWAY, about 6 mins ahead of the PELOTON! They are on the B6355 between CRANSHAWS and GIFFORD and are just about to start the KOM 3 Cat2 climb at Wanside Rig in the Lammermuirs. Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) is in the lead. Also here are Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck Quick-Step) Davide Ballerini (Deceuninck Quick-Step) Matthew Gibson (Ribble Weldtite) Christopher Blevins (Trinity) and Pascal Eenkhoorn (Jumbo Visma). Matthew Gibson would outsprint the others here and win the Prime at Wanside Rig. Later on Yves Lampaert would be the winner of Stage 7 in Edinburgh. Pascal Eenkhoorn would give away his drinking bottle as a prize to an enthusiastic 12 year old cyclist from Bonnyrigg who raced them along the pavement! This clip of the Tour went viral and the boy was invited to meet the team etc in Aberdeen the next day, where he was presented with a Jumbo Visma jersey.

The Herring Road is a traditional route which crosses the Lammermuir Hills. It extends for 28 miles (28km) and was the path used in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries by fish-wives carrying heavy baskets of cured herring from the coast at Dunbar to market in Lauder.

Although the reservoir and the Outdoor Education Centre are in East Lothian, it has been managed by the Outdoor Education department of Scottish Borders Council for over 20 years. Through a partnership between East Lothian Council, Scottish Borders Council and Borders Sailing Club, funds were obtained for a major refurbishment, and the new Centre was opened in 2005.

Imagine the noise!

Cottage in sheep country beside Whiteadder Reservoir.

View over Priestlaw from the hill above.