best part of the day: Macmerry trails and the Hamilton Hike

22nd August

A brilliant and accidental day out around the Pencaitland cycle path.

Mary had initially instigated a low level run in the Pentlands but the Flotterstone car park was rammed, and had cars circling for places. I hadn't been that keen and this was the nail in the coffin, so we left, heading coast-ward but mulling over alternative venues. As we got to Eskbank and Dalkeith, Mary suggested a favourite run from many years back which starts at Crossgatehall following the Pencaitland (Railway) Path to Winton (and back).

We probably stopped doing it because the last 3 miles of this 12 miler are a bit samey and can drag. But the middle section is magical and more than compensates. We had set off late and by the time we were diverted across town to the start, it was 3pm. However the sun was only just coming out and so by accident and good fortune more than planning, we definitely got the best part of the day.

The trails underfoot are cinderpath to begin with until you turn off the Pencaitland Railway Path around 3.5 miles, half a mile beyond Ormiston Station. We stopped for a saunter, some photos and a chat with the ladies gardening the plots at Ormiston, one of whom told us the names of the scarecrows guarding their produce, while her colleagues suggested she was making it all up!

After the turn off things start to improve and diversify; the trails narrow and become dirt paths with more variety and interest. It was Mary who had initially had us explore this route, not knowing what lay ahead and just following our noses hoping for luck and adventure and finding just that.

curious sign and grammar - happily no sign of shooters

It was just about here that Mary (who was ahead) saw a comma (the best butterfly of the day) fly up from its eye-level perch into an oak tree. It sat there looking down at us and refusing to come back for a better photo. It was to be the only comma of the day. 😢

Much more obliging was this admiral who posed proudly in the sunshine

despite having lost quite a large amount of his flying gear in previous sorties.

the crossroads (mentioned 21 pics later!)

By coincidence I saw someone else post a link to this part of the world. Winton Castle has produced a PDF (link: here) describing routes and trails around Pentcaitland and the Winton Estate and naming the routes. Our route is apparently Hamilton Hike although we take a slightly different way at the road crossing.

Looking for commas on the brambles I saw this pair of Spiked Shieldbugs

partying on the berries in the sunshine!

"Arthur's View"

"James' View"

outside looking in

inside looking out

delightful trails

I was trying hard not to stop for every butterfly we passed.

There were loads of speckleds and whites .

another old timer RA

I stole this photo from Mary

When we popped out onto the road Mary suggested we go the way of the route on the PDF. However we hadn't seen the PDF at this point. I knew the route went into the castle grounds and had previously wandered nervously through, waiting for the gamekeeper with shotgun to appear. So I wasn't keen. Also I thought we might be adding to the 12 miles we were already committed to, so I argued for sticking to the route we had done before, which turns right, onto the large road sans pavement and does half a mile or more until you take the next trail (right) up to the crossroads junction 21 photos ago.

After looking at the map it is quite possible to have taken the Hamilton Hike across the road and into the estate and to follow the road round (uninstinctively going East) skirting Pencaitland then back on trails to the Ormiston Express and Kingfisher Bridge. Maybe next time.

Mary was beginning to flag, so I let her set her own pace out front while I took photos of things along the way. I stopped to peer into the brambles and while trying to get a photo of the 2 speckled woods there, a green veined white landed just in front of the berries. I love the out-of-focus coloured rings the berry highlights make and the autumnal colours.

spot the speckled

It was becoming apparent just how different venues produce different types of butterfly. This sounds obvious enough to be crass, however near the coast (at this time) the prevailing white fly-by is more likely to be a small or large white. GVWs were the most frequent fliers inland, (a mere 5 or 6 miles from the coast) and instead of the luxuriant velvety RAs at Archerfields, newly emerged and gorging on buddleias, here the only 2 or 3 we saw were old wrecks, tattered from weeks of Summer forays. Lots of fresh speckled woods, as you would expect in a predominantly wooded area, very few peacocks and fewer tortoiseshells. Just the one comma but I suspect there were plenty hiding out in the trees and brambles, their underwings excellent camouflage.

The weather was really very bracing. A bit of a headwind on the return journey, but with the sun blasting down between white fluffy clouds, casting long shadows across the fields of crops, the pylons striding across the landscape. And those less well loved last 3 miles home telling on tiring legs. (They never seem particularly downhill on the way out but have found a long slow uphill gradient on the return!) (Just checked the gps and it rises no more than 60 feet (20m) in 3 miles, but yes, a steady climb all the way!) I assumed Mary would be hating it but when we regrouped at the end she had fought through the hard work to focus on the rewards of 12 miles run in pleasant surroundings. I had been busy looking for roadside joys to photograph and assuage the grind, and not been shortchanged. My camera loves the sunny bright conditions.