THE Thistly Cross Cyclocross competition drew crowds of cycle enthusiasts to East Lothian's Winton Castle, near Pencaitland, for the fourth round of the Scottish Super Quaich Series.

The series has been organised by Haddington Cycle Club and attracted people of all ages and abilities.

Cyclocross originally came from Belgium and is gaining popularity across the world. It involves cycling as many laps of the course as possible in an hour. The course consists of different types of terrain, meaning that often cyclists have to dismount and carry their bike before remounting and carrying on.

The route ran past the castle and loch, along estate roads and through woods, and Winton Castle is hoping to give cyclocross competitions a permanent home there.

A spokesperson for the organisers said: “Winton provides a fabulous venue; with the castle as a backdrop, it’s very picturesque and the Winton team were brilliant to work with, going above and beyond.

“We really can’t thank everyone who helped enough for all they did to make sure that the day went smoothly.

"We have had a lot of feedback from competitors and spectators to say how much they enjoyed the event, the venue and the organisation. They all loved it, so we hope to be back next year."