best part of the day: edinburgh alps

Tuesday 31 January 2017

edinburgh alps

I was a little weary on Sunday. Game for a few miles in the Pentlands given the snow and sun, but not delighted to hear Mary was after 12 miles to make up her shortened running week. Even freshly ground coffee out the new percolator didn't give me the usual joie de vivre. And I wasn't looking forward to the queues at Flotterstone since we were late in setting off. The car park would be jammed.

It was but we got lucky and folk were leaving by the time we arrived. No idea why folk prefer the supposed moral high ground of an early morning jaunt when the forecast says the best part of the day will be 1 and 2pm. And it pretty much was. The skies darkened worryingly around Scald Law but then relented and it was fine, more than fine, for the rest of the circuit.

We raced to get up the first hump, Turnhouse in under 25mins, doing it with a handful of seconds to spare. It was Mary setting the route and goals today, I was just along for the ride, and according to some, not in the best mood. I tried to keep quiet, not always managing.

The plan was to run up Carnethy in one go rather than breaking into a walk. Tricky with all that slippery stuff about. I took a random shot over my shoulder which wasn't easy as I was trying to run, and also the camera was on a leash to my pocket (in the event I hit the ground, it wouldn't) so it wasn't able to reach much of a distance, and only really good for shots of my ear.

Mary wasn't far behind.

Her running seems to be on the improve currently. Hurray!

We set off to do the same running-all-the-way with Scald Law as well but quickly came to a halt as we bumped into Joel and Merlin. Should have taken a photo of their better sides.

near?

far!

Now the above (the long arm of the Hunter) is a lesson in why not to stand on the end of a team photo when shot with a wide angle lens as it distorts your fat ass and you wonder if you are really that wide? No, but now it's up on facebook and folk are body-shaming-victim-blaming you. A long arm is good you say, it can grip the edge of the frame and support you on slippery ground. There's only one of us on slippery ground here I hear.

We turned right before the Kips (although did do South Black Hill, so weren't complete slackers) and ran down a different path (from the C5 route) past the sheep folds but then left and round the back of Black Hill. I was defo feeling the miles by this point while Mary was shouting TWELVE at me if I suggested shortcuts or missing hills. My legs were beginning to ease off though and I cheered up once I could see the end was in sight. It was a very pleasant day to be out, almost unbelievably nice after the horrors of the day before.

I always appreciate those reeds at the end of the reservoir and imagine they are home to a number of mottled brown birds that sit motionless while you run past. Never seen any.

Just before the gulch between Black Hill and Bells Hill Mary stepped through the frosty surface into some deep mud. TURD FOOT! Right up and over the sock! Bad luck.