Saturday 7th November was Mary's birthday and because she had been so very good, Weather Jesus gave her an amazing day in the Pentlands. It was as good a day as I can remember there. We even anticipated (given the forecast) the covid crowds that would be jamming the car parks from sun-up and cleverly approached the hills from Bonaly, parking just over the bypass on the Torduff Road before even that area became mobbed. We had noted the deteriorating forecast later in the day, so got there for the crack of 10.
It was grey and dull where we parked the car. However we hoped we would shortly be climbing above the cloud inversion and into the sunlight. We went up past the Scout car park and headed right, into the woods and the more direct line up towards Bonaly Reservoir. It is more rewarding and less busy than the main path. The anticipation became immense, as slowly we could see the outline of the sun then the cloud thinned just before the stile over the fence and through the trees towards the reservoir. It was totally spectacular with the whole Forth basin invisible below the cloud layer. Fantastic!
Bonaly Reservoir
Then, like Zeus descending from heaven, Mark H appeared!
Mark was doing a Carnethy virtual race, a Glencorse Skyline or something. Not sure exactly where it went but I'm guessing a few peaks round Glencorse was the idea. We saw several runners out, some doing this event, others just enjoying the hills. Mark chatted briefly then headed off, watching out for cattle!
geese over the Forth, with the hills of Fife behind
Edinburgh University Exmoor Pony Trekking
I had thought that as the day went on and warmed up, the fog would lift. In fact it seemed to come more inland and filled up the area (above the reservoirs) between the ridges.
the cloud was sweeping in from the Forth
(moving in from the left)
It was fun to momentarily descend into the cloud then back out again to climb Allermuir. We could see we were almost getting a Brocken Spectre but conditions were not quite right. There was something of a fogbow - like a colourless rainbow, and it definitely felt weird - as if Sherlock Holmes might appear at any moment. Frank T let me know that A fog bow is colourless because the spheres of water are similar in size to the wavelength of light so the dispersion of colour due to refraction is ‘overwhelmed’ by that due to diffraction.
stylish
fogbow
James B also doing the virtual race
Fab to see the Pentlands outstanding in cloud
Lovely to bump into Fergus, who was out just for the fun of it rather than competing. We stopped for a bit of a catch-up. I have been threatening to return to Wintervals sometime soon; it might be this coming week as the workload has lightened for the first time in a while.
we ran round Castlelaw rather than over the top
There was someone doing a very good job of swimming up the reservoir below Turnhouse. I took some pics and it seemed like maybe they weren't even wearing a wetsuit. They were moving at a good pace though.
a flock of gnats on a thermal?
We returned roughly by the same way we had approached the hills, dropping down from Capelaw towards Bonaly Reservoir then heading North past the Scout camp car park, the alpaca centre!!! and then down the road to the car. We timed it just right to cross paths with an alpaca walk. A last birthday treat for Mary to get quite close to these placid creatures. Must sign up for a trek with them sometime, they are super cute. And do seem very tame.
took a different line through the trees
Bobcat Alpacas
When we got back to the car this leaf had landed on the bonnet.
a spectacular 10miles over 3hrs, brilliant day out!
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