frosty fun

Another blog from last month, still catching up! Sat 30th Nov, and Nick, Graeme, Mary and myself headed into the Lammermuirs for frosty fun. It was great. We had coffee and cake (I think) at the Lanterne Rouge, then parked near Hopes for the turbine run. 

Skies were blue and there was a decent hard frost, perfect conditions!

we went round the North side of the reservoir on the

more narrow path, a particular favourite of Nick's

lots of water about and some of the stream crossings took
more than the usual step across

I am a big fan of frozen puddles. The shapes they form, presumably as the result of thaw and freeze, usually echoing the shape of the boundary, make for interesting patterns and photos. I didn't stop at every one, and tried to limit my enthusiasm to just the most exciting looking ones. However there are hundreds of puddles all the way along the road to the turbines so there was no shortage to chose from. In some way it is compensation for the lack of wildlife. Few birds and nothing much else. I had hoped we might see a mountain hare or 2 but suspect the landowners have been doing their best to kill them off, under the spurious notion they somehow impact grouse production.

Nick charged off up the big hill with Graeme just behind. I think I was busy taking photos and keeping Mary company against her will; using that as an excuse not to get into a race up the hill. Which I would have lost. Happily since then I have increased the hill training (mainly in Tenerife) as there is the Feel the Burns race fast approaching. Not that I am in shape for it. Carrying a little too much 'christmas pudding'. But at least we have been doing some hills. And when doing them, I have been saying to M, "are you feeling the burns yet?"

those boys!

tubines
we turn around here and return to the car park

I was at a loss to make out what info the above sign was trying to convey. It might say 50 Ways. And when you phone the Edinburgh number there is a recorded message saying "just slip out the back Jack..."

Eildons.

Nice to see Karl...

and Mrs. Z out biking;
our paths crossed a few times

Lawyer on the Law

I suggested that there might be a more direct path back to Hopes Res. Mary had opted not to climb Lammer Law but returned back pretty much the way we came. Nick said we could go the route of the (I've forgotten the name of the event Help runners do: Goats Gallop or Turkey Sandwich.) Anyway it went from bad to worse so NO route finding points Nick! First some sploshy lumpy ground, not great and cold wet feet. Then a near vertical slope on slippy rooty heather stems. I was carrying the good camera and did not want to fall while carrying it so was reduced to tip-toeing down the greasy slipway cursing Nick for most of it. Graeme was no keener than I.

This required a run up, but we all kept our now wet feet from a further soaking.

Nick took us a slight variation on the usual route round the back of the Reservoir 

and it was actually pretty good.

We were not long behind Mary by the time we got back to the car.

Passed Karl and Fiona again

15.5 miles, excellent run