An American in the Lammermuirs

Monday 26th Aug

Now I don't always take English Bank Holidays or even understand what they are but seeing as Ian and Emma TrailMonsters are over from Portland Maine and the sun was shining, the Bank Holiday theme was adopted and I hastily came up with a mini tour of the Lammermuirs, cut-and-shutting the best (most scenic) bits we have found for running there. 

Emma decided to give her tweaked calf a partial day off (they have come directly from a couple of running days in the lake district,) so did some shopping in town instead - not much easier in the current season. Amanda was taking 3 days off work so opted in and the 3 of us set off heading northish from Blinkbonny Wood on roads, getting the least interesting bit out of the way first so the route started with a moderate introduction but quickly built into a late summer spectacle of purply heather hills and red berried loch side trees. 

The first fungi AGH drew our attention to.

In the game of Beehive Chess white will often open with, appropriately, the Queen's Gambit.

Photo: Ian

Hopes Reservoir

Photo: Ian

An echo in the valley.

2nd fungi of the day

'scuse the sweat on the lens.

Here is a map if you want to run this route. It is exactly 16 miles.

We parked at Blinkbonny Wood and ran on the roads (just take first left a couple of times and you are there) till B when you take the gravelly hard pack trail up to the dam then continue up to point C. As you descend the main trail which goes to Carfrae Mill take the second left which takes you down to the cabin then back up and along to the turbines. Reverse this route and carry on straight past point C. As you climb Lammer Law take the smaller track veering right which contours round the shoulder and takes you back down the hill to Blinkbonny.

As a point of interest for Emma, these photos are pretty much as they came out the camera (because the light was good) and virtually no photoshop / camerbag other than a bit of crop (so they fill the screen on a modern widescreen monitor).