a poster advertising the April Critical Mass ride around Gorgie

Looking forward Silent Reading next week, I've read Muckle Flugga (A brilliant story!).
We went to early days Neu!Reekie! when Michael was just starting out, so exciting to see his blossoming and blooming!

📣 CC meeting – Mon 20 Apr, 7pm
McDonald Rd Library

On the agenda:
• Policing
• Housing (PBSA/STL)
• Elm Row & Leith Walk
• Transport & streets
• Parks & local projects
• How we work

Agenda: leithcentralcc.co.uk/reports/

All welcome — just come along 👍

Finger food 3D pasta for glamorous aperitifs Artisia is a line of 3D-printed dry pasta designed to elevate finger food aperitif tasting experiences to the highest level.

3D printed pasta is a 'thing' - a fascinating use of technology... hey @bitemagazine.bsky.social check it out!
artisia.com/en?srsltid=A...
(Learnt from a @lillyherself.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy post).

I like the second pose best... 🚲

Front page of the new spokes bulletin, with pictures of a new Leith Cycleroute opening, and of a primary school cyclist and an 89-year-old daily cyclist... BIKE LANES WORKING Edinburgh’s protected bike lanes on Leith Walk and on Roseburn CCWEL route now account for almost 10% of vehicle and pedestrian journeys on both, based on Cycling Scotland survey data in late 2025. What’s more, despite its tramlines, Leith Walk has had zero bike tramline crashes, whilst serious injuries continue in the badly designed initial tram route. LESSONS LEARNED – AND TO BE LEARNED  The protected bike lane success affirms the Council’s decision [p8] that its Primary Cycle Network should largely comprise segregated lanes on main roads. But - gaps need filled! What would bike usage be on the above routes if the missing George St link between them existed? – we suggest [p9] how to do this quickly if the planned complete revamp is currently too costly.  The absence of tramline injuries affirms the Council’s wisdom in providing segregated lanes on Leith Walk. But - potentially dangerous sections of the Granton/ Bioquarter future tramline proposals [p9] concern us. FOOT OF WALK to DOCK STREET The traffic-free Foot of Walk - Dock Street route, largely comprising bidirectional segregated onroad bike lanes, extends CCWEL and Leith Walk lanes north, with a planned continuation to Ocean Terminal. Importantly, for many trips this is an alternative to tramlined roads. A cut that we support!! Transport Convener Cllr Stephen Jenkinson opens the section at Sandport Bridge over the Water of Leith. Also pictured, Cllrs Kayleigh Kinross-O'Neill (in wheelchair) and Chas Booth (behind Kayleigh). Photo: DdF CYCLING Cyclist Edith has a quick word before she heads off: “Hi – I love cycling, it’s really fun! What would be really good would be to have more space to explore the roads, see where they go, have fun, and not have cars hovering around! Bye!” THROUGH THE AGES 89-year-old Michael Owen says: “I use my …

What's in the Bulletin... The Bulletin content is intended to remain useful throughout the year, rather than covering current or ephemeral issues. Important topics include… Edinburgh’s ‘Primary Cycle Network‘ – expected 2026 developments, and the success already of early onroad segregated bike lanes Big 2026 Council decisions expected – the future of Princes Street and George Street and of the possible Granton/Bioquarter tramline extensions Traffic Growth – having scrapped its traffic-reduction commitment, the Scottish Government is this year developing a traffic growth target! And they are also expanding the road capacity which will help encourage it. E-Bikes – the incredible value of e-bikes (including Edinburgh’s VOI bike hire scheme) must not be lost amidst valid concerns over illegal use of modified e-bikes and over unscrupulous suppliers of fire-risk batteries Tramline crashes – insights into the causes, how to minimise your risks, and how the Council can minimise risks in future extensions Climate Crisis – likely continuing to grow, and accelerate, in 2026. Insurance companies are noticing, but road-expansionist decision-makers don’t seem to Spokes maps – why people love them! Spokes 2026 competition (to be launched this summer) – it’s all in preparation for our 50th (yes, 50!) anniversary next year

Bulletin 140 is now being delivered by volunteers to 1000 Spokes members, bike shops, libraries, community centres, councillors, etc, and used for bike leafletting. As a thank-you for being a member, all members are also being sent a free copy of our lovely new ‘Favourite Cycle Rides‘ Edition 3 booklet, based on entries from our 2025 competition. See what you’ve missed if you’ve not joined!

What you can do Please repost our bluesky of this article If you’d like a supply of the Bulletin for work colleagues, a local leaflet pick-up point, bike leafletting at shops in your area, or whatever, get in touch

🙋 Spokes 2026 Bulletin 🚲🚲🚲

HERE-> www.spokes.org.uk/2026/04/spok...

🙋 Ask for copies for leafletting or local pick-up locations

@edi.bike @edfoc.bsky.social @edcriticalmass.bsky.social @sw20.info @edinreporter.bsky.social @keithirving.bsky.social @thecockburn.bsky.social @jarlathflynn.bsky.social

Pesticide Free Edinburgh Edinburgh City Council use pesticides for weed control on our streets, pavements, parks, playgrounds, around schools, cemeteries and green spaces. Pesticide use has multiple harmful effects on hum...

Let's make auld reekie glyphosphate free - please sign: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/pe...

📣 LCCC Meeting – Monday 20 April 7.00pm
📍 Nelson Hall, McDonald Road Library

On the agenda: policing, planning, licensing, transport & clean streets, parks — plus an open forum for local residents and businesses.

Come along, listen in, or raise an issue that matters to you-papers to follow.

Urban Arrow cargo bike hire EdFoC's Urban Arrow cargo bike is available for hire and rental

In response to the current increasing costs of fuel, we have decided to cut the cost of our cargo bike hire by up to 15%
edfoc.org.uk/cargo-bike-h...
Find out if you could replace increasingly expensive car journeys with a cargo bike, by hiring ours for a week 😉

🍵 Pure Leith x Griffen Fitness tea parlour pop-up | Leith - Thu 16 Apr Happy 21st birthday to Griffen Fitness - we're celebrating with a Pure Leith mint tea parlour this Thursday. Pop by, try some tea, have a wee blether and see what we do in the studio... Old faces and ...

🎁🎂 Happy 21st birthday to Griffen Fitness! 🎂🎁
21 today, woot!
Thanks @edinburghminute.com for the mention...
www.townspot.co/event/pure-l...

Painting of the upper half a ginger and white cat facing left with head tilted upwards sniffing a red and white flower

Atsuko Suwa (諏訪温子), contemporary Japanese painter specializing in Nihonga (traditional Japanese painting) #Womensart

Ladybird on mossy ground

Beetles like ladybirds pollinate crops, keep harmful insects like aphids under control, and improve the quality of the soil.
How to help them:
🐞 avoid pesticides
🐞 create a 'dead' hedge
🐞 don't be too tidy!
More: littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/bee...

Grow your own! An easy-to-follow guide to growing vegetables This easy-to-follow, printable guide gives you all the information you need to produce your own tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkins, beans and more! Focusing on 14 vegetables that are straightforward to grow

We've just published a short, easy-to-follow guide to growing 14 different vegetables. Ideal for anyone new to vegetable growing, school gardening groups, etc. Printable PDF available for a small donation (which helps keep Little Green Space going!)
buymeacoffee.com/LGSpace/e/52...

Happy Saturday!

Wherever you roam, leave it cleaner & safer than you found it. It only takes a minute to save an animal from the harm of #litter

Who can you tag below to join us?

Help us reach 30,000 members & followers to protect more animals, communities & the #environment

#dogsofbluesky

The 26-year-old mapping Edinburgh's planning applications For the past year, Harry Williams has been mapping the large swathes of planning applications across Edinburgh.

Deadline news wrote an article about me, my projects and my thinking behind them.

Check it out 👉

www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2026/04/10/t...

Brilliant work! What you do is so valuable and appreciated... thank you

Interested in joining the Hidden Door team?

We're hosting a volunteer gathering for folk to meet the team, chat to other volunteers and find out more about getting involved.

🗓️ Wednesday 15 April from 6:30pm @ Leith Arches

Sign up to let us know you're coming: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hidden-doo...

Patch of nettles

A patch of nettles can support over 40 insect species. They’re a vital source of food for the caterpillars of peacock and small tortoiseshell butterflies - so please let a few nettles grow!
More: www.littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/wil...

Thanks for the tip - have ISBN for both books & sell on my website www.griffenfitness.com/shop/book

Waterstone's used to stock HLY, but no longer. Have some indie stockists tho.

I'm closing my Amazon account - what's the best place sell my books online?
Any tips from #self-published #writers appreciated!
@scottishbooktrust.bsky.social pls share, thank you :)

Highly recommended!

We're inviting local residents, businesses and workers in West Edinburgh to our Community Drop-In Day to hear more about #HiddenDoorFestival

Join us for tours of the site, info about volunteering and a chance to chat to the team about this year’s plans.

Info: hiddendoorarts.org/community-dr...

A map of the UK showing maximum temperatures on Wednesday 8th April 2026. These are expected to be widely above average, particularly across England and Wales, with highs of widely 20-24 degrees Celsius and 26 degrees Celsius in the London area. Northwestern areas will be cooler with highs in Shetland and the northwest of Scotland of only 10 or 11 degrees Celsius respectively and 17 degrees Celsius in Northern Ireland.

A map of the UK showing how maximum temperatures will compare on Thursday to on Wednesday. Many places will see a drop in temperature of 5 to 10 degrees Celsius, but parts of eastern and southeastern England will be similar or slightly warmer than on Wednesday.

Wednesday will be very warm for early April, with potentially record breaking temperatures for this time of year 🌡️

For some, it may be the warmest spell this early in April since 2020.

But it will be brief. Temperatures will drop by up to 10 degrees Celsius by Thursday 📉

Close-up of a black-and-white street sticker pasted on a gray utility pole next to a textured blue wall, featuring bold serif text that reads “THE ONLY DANGEROUS MINORITY IS THE RICH.” The sticker is slightly peeling at the edges, with faint graffiti tags and pink spray paint marks visible around it, creating a raw urban setting that emphasizes the political and anti-inequality message.

Photo of a real tank covered in a pink knitted and crocheted wool fitted blanket on a street near a brick building

"Pink covered M.24 Chaffee Tank." 2006, by Danish artist Marianne Joergensen and various helpers....
Created as an anti war atwork #WomensArt

20 years of marriage selfie with sunset over smoggy Istanbul

Last night in Istanbul (not Constantinople).

Had an amazing time, but looking forward to fresh clean air and water of auld reekie...

They're playing Edinburgh Psychfest, which is brilliant festival. Highly recommended!

Brown long-eared bat in flight looking at a moth flying next to it

Bats are essential to healthy ecosystems, which agriculture needs to thrive. All 18 UK species feed on insects some of which can damage crops. Find out more: www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/w...

People walking through a city park in the rain holding brollies. Text over reads: The Edinburgh Minute - Weekend edition: 3 - 5 April 2026: Weather warning ahead of Storm Dave, new video show protestors confront uni boss, hundreds of students stripping-off for charity + Ottolenghi comes to town

🌤️  Good morning Edinburgh. The headlines: Weather warning ahead of Storm Dave, new video shows protestors confront uni boss, students stripping-off for charity + Ottolenghi comes to town

⏰ Edinburgh’s ad-free local news: www.edinburghminute.com/the-edinburg...

Photo: @tomduffinphotos.bsky.social

Front page of the April 2026 Spurtle.

ISSUE 360 PUBLISHED TODAY!—Pick up your copy from pubs, shops, services, libraries across Broughton and beyond. Or download the colour pdf from our website at: broughtonspurtle.org.uk
#Edinburgh #hyperlocal #news