Turf Zone – TreeCircus
Having now finally completed the 140-zone mission that is the Edinburgh Roon, which you can find listed here, I want to share a few thoughts on my experience while cycling across what seems the length and breadth of Edinburgh, often experiencing a sense of déjà vu on more than once occasion when you find yourself cycling the same street you cycled not that long ago.
For me, the main challenge of the Edinburgh Roon was not that there were 140 zones to be taken in strict alphabetical order but the fact that they were often 2 or 3 miles apart and as Edinburgh is a hilly city you will find yourself enjoying a delightful freewheel down to, say the Inverleith area, only to have to slog your way back up again all the way to the Meadows. Back that’s all part of the challenge and the mission would be diminished if it was otherwise.
The next point I would mention is that a bicycle is highly recommended as your method of transport and an electric bicycle would really be of enormous assistance. Yes, you could do the mission on foot, or combine with using public transport, but that would take much longer. However, cycling in Edinburgh is not for the faint hearted. Traffic is sometimes totally mental, as you would expect for this bustling Scottish capital, and you need to keep your wits about you as you negotiate the cars, buses, taxis, trams and pedestrians, not forgetting the tourists who wander across roads in a daze while filming selfies and the illegally over-powered food delivery riders. One point to note, there are two mission zones in Holyrood park that cannot be reached by bicycle and are best taken on foot.
The city streets of Edinburgh are not the smooth thoroughfares you might imagine. I’ve encountered all the following during the mission: missing gully gratings, loose manhole covers, screeds of broken glass, tram lines, dead splattered pigeons, badly patched road surfaces, cobbles slippery with wet leaves and cobbles with gaps large enough to trap a bicycle wheel. So, I would strongly advise your bicycle to have big chunky tyres with good puncture resistance and above all, watch where you are riding.
My mission plan was generally to take between 10 – 15 zones each session, taking me around 2 – 3 hours, which is a pretty dismal ratio of takes to duration. In addition, I wholly concentrated on only taking mission zones, avoiding as much as possible taking any other zones along the way. I made this decision at the very start, mainly to keep my time focused on the mission but also to avoid blocking myself by taking a zone I would need to take for the mission later on. However, I did manage to block myself once and had to create another turf user to take the zone so I could take it again and continue the mission. One thing I would add is that not taking other zones during the mission makes it something different from normal turfing.
Something else I found challenging was working out where the next zone actually was. I’m not overly familiar with Edinburgh zone names and while you can follow the zone link from the mission page to the turf map, it’s quite small and not all that easy to determine where you are heading. It can take time to work out where you need to go and how to get there. I should mention that any route that avoids cobbled streets is worth following. I also found that the most direct route is not always the best way, often taking a slightly longer way round, following the main thoroughfares, was both easier and even quicker.
As all the mission zones are located in and around the city centre, as you would expect, there are plenty of other turfers out and about as well as yourself, so be prepared for zones to be blocked when you reached them. There’s nothing worse that arriving at your next zone to find it’s just been taken by another turfer who runs with their GPS switched off between zones, so you have no knowledge of their existence. You have no other option other than to wait for the block to clear and that can be as long as 25 minutes. You cannot move onto the next zone, so have to wait it out. On one occasion I found my target zone condoned off with police tape and officers keeping everyone away from the area. That ended my turf mission for that day.
Next, riding a bicycle in Edinburgh, a few hints and tips. Firstly, be bold, hold your place on the road and avoid cowering in the gutter. Make use of the advance stop lines at traffic lights, they are there for cyclists and it does not matter what other road users might think. Watch out for pedestrians, they don’t always pay attention, are unpredictable and they also have right of way over cyclists. Stay clear of private hire cars as their knowledge of traffic rules can be somewhat lacking. At traffic lights, you are permitted to walk your bicycle during the pedestrian phase, though you must not ride across. It can also be quicker than waiting for your phase of the traffic light sequence. I would also add that there’s no shame in walking your bike up hills. Not only does it give your legs and back muscles a rest but as they say, a change is as good as a rest.
When riding a bicycle in Edinburgh I would strongly recommend you stay highly visible. I use my 1800 lumen Knog Blinder front LED light on flash mode as well as two very bright flashing LED rear lamps during the turf mission. They do seem to make a difference keeping you visible in traffic, though some pedestrians have looked rather annoyed at times. When stopping at traffic lights, or at a junction, plan ahead and change into the gear you will need for moving off. Makes things so much slicker than pulling a heavy gear. Oh, and finally in this paragraph, replace your little jingly bicycle bell with a 140-decibel air horn.
Riding on pavements is, as we all know, illegal under the Highways Act of 1835 and the Road Traffic Act of 1984 and you can be given a £30 Fixed Penalty Notice or face a fine of up to £500 in court. Having said that, the rule is usually not enforced unless you are really doing something stupid, like pulling a wheelie along Princess Street and police guidance is for discretion rather than issuing fines. Personally, I don’t generally ride on the pavement but will happily use short sections getting to and from zones, or avoiding cobbled streets. Always give way to pedestrians, be considerate and don’t ride on the pavement in front of a police vehicle or police officer. You get the idea?
Now, if I was starting the Edinburgh Roon again, how would I go about it in light of experience gained? Firstly, I would ride an electric bicycle with big chunky puncture-resistant tyres, I’d plan my session to the quieter times of the day, early mornings and into the night, thus avoiding the traffic, the pedestrians and the like. I’d spend more time planning each session, looking at where the cycle routes are and how to avoid cobbled streets. I’d also make an effort, at risk of needing to piddle more often, to drink more water. And I’d make a point of remembering to take my bicycle lock so I can pop into a public convenience when required. Mind you, there are alternative locations available when needs arise. You can work that out for yourself. Next misson, continue with Canal Quest 754 Westbound. Bye for now.
Copyright ©2025 Gary Buckham. All rights reserved.
