Mary put forward the idea we should be
up the Lammermuirs for dawn today and witness the spectacular
daybreak as forecast by the met office and BBC weather websites.
Could we really be arsed getting up shortly after 5am and driving the
45 minutes via Gifford? Nothing ventured, nothing gained and it added
to the possibility of making today a little bit special. I
have been requiring special in my running calendar to get me out the
door of late. A dull, routine run is just not cutting it. A dawn hill
run promised spectacle and adventure.
I was quietly appalled by the numbers
of early morning workers zooming about between here and there. I
thought the roads would be as desolate as my mind at that ungodly
hour. But hundreds of unfortunates were commuting. Does modern life
really insist all these lost souls clamber out their warm beds to
face the horrors of work long before sun-up (7.21am today) every day.
And I thought my life was harsh. Get some perspective
people. What is really that important?
Anyway, I tend towards the sunset
rather than the sunrise and was curious as to how the spectacular
colours and radiant sunshine would emerge from this overcast cold
dark start. Unfortunately as we drove to, and parked up at Blinkbonny
Woods it was fast becoming apparent we were on a fool's errand. No
sunrise happened and no sign of blue sky or indeed the sun was
available. Today's photos would have looked identical if we had slept
long then headed to Lammer Law and the 21 mile circuit catching the
afternoon light instead of the red-eye dawn express. It will be quite
some time before I fall for that promise again.
Which is not to say we didn't have a
fun run. The early start added some mild hysteria (and quite a bit of
complaining about the inaccuracy of the forecast,) though this was
tempered by the cold air on the first long ascent up Lammer Law. I wished
I'd brought my balaclava as well as my 2 pairs of gloves, earband and
hat. Over the top and the climate improved as we descended to
Carfraemill where we stopped at the hotel and had a coffee and
shortbread which lifted spirits. Mary was fairly chipper – I was
concerned she had chosen quite a committing route. After you get
about half way there is no short cut back to the car. We usually take
4 hrs.
Up where the track ends before the windfarm someone had laid out these 10 dead hares.
They looked to have been snared rather than shot. We saw a few others - alive - but too distant to photograph.
Its 5 miles over the first hills,
another 5 of mostly tarmac flat roads then you turn off the main road
from Carfraemill and complete the circuit by going up to the
windfarm, back along to Lammer Law and down towards Gifford again.
Our faces got used to the cold and we even managed a brief stop after
the windfarm for a quick sandwich before pushing on. It was not a day
for hanging around.
On the way back we had fun breaking the
ice puddles which crashed like thin glass in a satisfying way
underfoot. The pace was very relaxed and I felt I could have gone a
lot further. Usually I am pretty glad to get back to the car and change. The Hokas worked well today. I only just avoided getting
them soaked at one of the stream crossings when the rock I was
jumping from turned over as I leapt off it.
Yak and Yeti - conclusive evidence, massive even beside Mafates, of bigfoot.
The frozen ground captured prints of Inov-8s, hiking boots, bikes, sheep, wolves, etc.
When we got home we had to catch up on
the missed sleep. I dropped off very quickly but woke up feeling it
was like Sunday night not Friday evening. I have also been developing
a cold which gains ground every time I exert myself – Carnethy –
Weds nights at club – today. I could carry it forward to September
at this rate. I should be looking forward to Sunday's trail race. May
have to take it easy tomorrow.
Mary's blog here
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