armistice day recce

It does NOT feel like 4 years plus since I went for a run with Graham, (and Graeme and Kathy) on the first ever Tynecastle Bronze back in July 2014. (Blog here.) Here we are 53 months later and a 30 miler run (and war memorial photographed) for each of those 52 months, including a Summer Double and Winter Double and just one last run to be done on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. (Tomorrow!)

So last weekend (Sunday 4th Nov.) Mary and I went out to recce a route from West Linton to Balerno (to which we'll add the Water of Leith) as preparation. Although I have already done this route - in October 2016 I wanted to hone one section of it. It was one of the less pleasant episodes in my TB history as I was a bit under the weather and was the closest I came to missing a month, due to poor health. However, you only need to contemplate the hardships of those soldiers 100 years ago to get yourself out and limp round 30 miles. I mean how hard can it be, compared to the miserable conditions of life in the trenches?

Talking of hardships, Mary and I travelled on the stagecoach bus to West Linton. It took about 45 minutes alone to get along Princes St and up to Tollcross. On the way we passed this awful looking santa poppy tree in the gardens. Some of the rows of small crosses looked fine from the bus but this singing ringing tree looks like a heap of shit, to be polite. Some of the memorials to mark the centenary have been really thoughtful and moving. This isn't one of them. Here is a better one I saw on facebook; love the ghostly (chickenwire) soldiers. (Kudos to Jackie Lantelli (I think) for this installation at Slimbridge.)

Meanwhile back in the shitfest that is Scotland's capital, folk are wearing
tv advertising, because there isn't enough crap on Princes St already. omfg.

breath of fresh air

happy as a...

So we got off the bus (only about 25mins late after crawling through town) at the Gordon Arms and ran up the road to Baddinsgill Reservoir. It was nearly midday by the time we set off and the weather was swithering between nice and not-so-nice. Mostly the nice won. We were high as kites on lots of coffee and there was a lot of deranged chat, the only thing I can remember being: what is more painful, a nine mile burn or a cauldstane slap?

 a partridge and a pair of trees
(copyright Michael Law)

Soon the tarmac finishes and a lovely dirt trail ensues. This goes on for a long time and you begin to think this will be a doddle. Then it quickly becomes a thin single track with less good ground. Things continue to deteriorate underfoot but the sun was out and it was all pretty good.

Immediately after this sign you turn right and go up the hill parallel to the fence. You look for a dry route but you give up and splosh through. It is VERY cold water and quite unpleasant. About 5 and a bit miles at this point.

moth.

There were NO butterflies today. Too windy, too cold. A few micro moths including this one which flew up in front of me while I was taking a photo. I can't say I have any interest in small colour-less moths as they look too similar to those you occasionally find in your wardrobe and don't have the visual attributes that make butterflies like small beautiful paintings.

christmas tree

There were some brilliant views from East Cairn. (Although I singularly failed to do them justice here.) It marks the midpoint of the Baddinsgill Round race and it is considerably more pleasant to admire them from a non-participating point of view. 

Baddinsgill Res.

As you cross the summit plateau, vistas of the Pentlands open up and give you a mistaken impression you are "nearly there". On the upside it irks much less when you stand in a cold puddle as your feet are accustomed to the baltic water. Mary really enjoyed the descent on soft peaty ground to the stand of trees, where we had a sports bar.

If you lost a nipple during the skyline - I found it!
Complete with shit-fly on it, how lovely!

how many miles?

By the time we got here Mary had opted out of the crash site on Hare Hill.
It is a tricky grave marker to find, North West of the summit. Some fun for tomorrow.

Much to my surprise Mary was happy to do the raised boardwalk round Red Moss.

This will mark about the halfway point on the 11th, and our first pub of several planned. Regroup and refreshments before heading down the Water of Leith into town. Owned by my old drinking buddy Paul who has made some impressive refurbishments and extensions to the place. You may know it as the results pub after Red Moss Revolution / Kips Revolution races that Jamie Thin puts on. Paul has been warned about a dozen pairs of wet muddy shoes are imminent.

Mary and I had a pint in there to rehydrate before catching the bus home. Mary, unused to alcohol, wanted to stay for a second drink but the Nash Rules clearly state just one pint per pub. (Otherwise you can end up staying much longer than is wise with considerable jeopardy and regret.) It will be interesting to see how everyone manages with the planned refreshments en route tomorrow. Moderation could be the watchword. Watch this space.