christmas cracker

24/12/20

With the weather looking promising Nick and I went for an xmas eve run round some of his local beauty spots. We set off from his place in Bonnyrigg. It is not an area I am that familiar with though recognised many places we passed; from the Lasswade 10 race and the annual Carnethy Eskapade. 

Carrington Church

view across the fields to the Pentlands

I hadn't realised just how close to the Pentlands we were. We kept getting views of  the hills just over the next field although the closest we got was about Roslin. The first few miles were on small roads. Very little traffic and the sun being out made this all very pleasant. There were lots of small birds, robins and the like, flitting around the roadside hedges but none were that keen on sitting still for a photo.

Redrum ears

We did the final section of the Lasswade 10. 

After Rosewell we headed West to Roslin Glen, which was the most dynamic section. Also the muddiest. Lots of thin dirt trails up and down through the trees. It started fine and dry but suddenly you would turn a corner and be confronted by a lake of mud and realise there was no alternative but to dance through the splosh.

first major mud lake you couldn't easily sidestep and shoes were filthied up

superb trails

more quagmire

There was a brilliant section of downhill on thin trails about here. Plenty of roots, muddy leaves and hidden holes to trip you up so you had to be careful. But it was also fast downhill. The photos were a bit disappointing as it was a wee bit dark and there was too much shoogle. Had we thought about it we should have done some staged photos of Nick running past while I stood still and took pics but there was no thinking being done. Huge grin factor as we bombed downhill twisting and turning and trying to stay upright. I didn't recognise much of this area, possibly because I have only done it coming in the other direction.

I did recognise these steps up, and then the next section on a fine ridge I only usually get to see during the Eskapade (which like everything else was cancelled this year.) Again it would have been better recorded by standing still and taking decent photos, but was more fun just to blast through.

Back before the steps, I seem to remember, on previous occasions, passing signs featuring kingfishers and otters, which always struck me as a triumph of optimism over truth. And yet in the passing 2 years we have had so many sightings of both these rarities on the waterways of Edinburgh that the signs have at last become factual. I wonder if they brought about the appearance of said animals due to enough people having faith in their reality? Although in that case where is the Loch Ness Monster? Maybe properly fictional beasts are harder to realise.

The last mile or so was an interesting route through Lasswade and back to Bonnyrigg. Couldn't compare to the excellent riverside trails but wasn't horrible either. I look forward to the doing this route again in the Spring or Summer. Nick has already earmarked the best butterfly bits. He knows how to get my attention!

13.95miles in 2hrs