10-01-25 I had seen a number of folk post photos from the Pentlands with them covered in snow. I can't remember the last time we had a decent covering there. Maybe 2011 or 2012? It has been a while and I was a little concerned it would be gone by the time I managed to get my act together and plan a run there. Mary was available on Friday the 10th so we got up early and caught a bus to Fairmilehead. We decided on an Alpine approach - to travel light and fast with a minimum of kit as the forecast was supposed to be sunshine all day and we would never be far away from an escape route.
From Fairmilehead we ran along to Swanston and up past the cottages heading up to Allermuir. The first part is mainly slogging uphill and got the heart pumping. There were a couple of places the snow had been hardpacked into a slippy icy surface early on but once on the hill proper it was mainly decent snow and not so slippy. I nearly regretted not taking our Yaktrax but after the first quarter mile above the thatched cottages they weren't required. We both wore grippy shoes and conditions were good. On the lower hills the snow was about 6~8" deep.
There was quite a climb in the shadow of the hills. We could see the sunshine on snow from below and looked forward to getting high enough and back into the warmth. It was great to get up and feel the sun on our faces again. Although we were following thin trails of footsteps it was easy to go the wrong way as the paths were not as clear cut as they are marked through the grass. There was a mix of sled and ski trails and footsteps.
Alpine conditions atop Allermuir
It was amusing to crest Allermuir and suddenly bump into half a dozen skiers. It was like a scene from the Alps. The views were spectacular and I took loads of photos. I took my older bridge camera. I didn't want to risk slipping and damaging my good camera, plus it is about twice the weight of the bridge camera which covers wide angle to zoom without having to change lenses. It was the right choice and the results were better quality than a small compact. I also took the DJI but the still results weren't as good. I'll post a video clip below.
Holyrood from Allermuir
We get proper snow so seldom in the Pentlands that I'd forgotten what is is like. My last memories of it at this depth were tainted by a tricky ascent up Black Hill maybe ten years ago. It started fine but halfway up the snow got deeper and had an icy crust on top which would break when you stood on it and you'd go knee deep, scraping shins to the extent of drawing blood. It took a painful age to get over the hill and the descent down to Green Cleugh was long and exhausting. Today was much better with no sign of any ice on top of the snow. It seemed to be light and powdery. So far!
there was very little in the way of wildlife
Bob D had posted photos of this snow cat the day before
I thought it was good form to make a snow cat and leave it at the top of Capelaw. I thought it was very bad form whoever peed on it. Come on, nobody wants to see that.
We felt really lucky and delighted the whole time we were out - it was perfect conditions. The early morning clouds vanished and it was blue skies all day with decent snow and importantly, no wind. It didn't feel cold. It probably would have if we'd stopped for sandwiches but we just took some sports bars and reckoned on getting food at the coop in Balerno. Last time we were there they did hot pies and potato wedges. Which kept us focussed.
I saw this biker and was very glad I didn't have a bike slowing me down. He was off and pushing 2 photos later. Not really ideal conditions for biking.
This was the first place we were forced to slow down. Many of the previous passers-by went to the left at Bells Hill, and the direct path over to Black Hill was less well established. It wasn't deep but it was slightly harder going. Down into the valley between Bells and Black it got very tussocky under the snow and walking was slow and tricky.
difficult going
Once we got over the small stream and began up Black Hill things were easier. We could see a hiker a couple of hundred yards ahead that we slowly reeled in as we went. Very slowly and incrementally the snow got deeper. At places it had a frozen crust - you could stand on it and walk 3 paces and then on the fourth you'd go through and up to your knees. Memories of our previous ordeal returned, though I felt today was generally much easier going. It was good to have someone ahead breaking the trail and we followed in their footsteps.
Then I was really excited to see an Osprey. Not a feathery one; in a way rarer than that. A Bell Boeing V22 Osprey. A futuristic looking plane that wikipedia describes as an "American multi-use tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing and short takeoff and landing capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long range high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft." Unfortunately it had nearly disappeared by the time I got a photo.
Also we were just catching up with the hiker ahead of us. He turned out to be a she. When I was 20m away from her a small bird landed on some heather right beside her and she pointed at it to make sure we'd seen it. It seemed quite red in the sunshine, and while the hiker suggested it may be a wren I thought it looked more like a redstart or something more exotic. I took a few photos but it was some distance away. The hiker said she wasn't an expert but said it had some wren-like qualities. I waded in with my expert knowledge and like a total fanny was blathering on about redstarts. I was retro-embarrassed to find when I got home and examined the photos that sure enough, it was a wren. I can only blame the exertion of climbing through deep snow, and that there can't have been enough oxygen getting to my brain. What a mansplaining dick!
argh - a wren!
I thanked the hiker for doing all the trail breaking and she said it was maybe someone earlier or yesterday but let us forge on ahead. I said we'd take our turn and we pushed on. It was heavy going but at least we weren't getting scraped shins like the previous epic. It was maybe knee deep at worst and was constantly changing between easy and hard. Similarly over the other (West) side was also heavy going. The top wasn't too bad, fairly shallow but with the occasional unseen sink hole. It makes you lift your knees really high for the next step and is both a really good workout and a totally exhausting pain in the arse. We seemed to leave the hiker way behind us. We could tell from her kit (knee-high gaiters) she knew what she was doing and didn't need any help/company. BTW I wore Alpkit mini-gaiters and they stopped a ton of snow going in the tops of my shoes. Highly recommended.
This section was by now quite wearying. We were following ski trails which just floated over the surface, through which we trudged. Sometimes above the crust, mostly going through. I wished I'd worn broader Hokas not narrow Salomon hill shoes. (For a snow shoe effect.) But at least the grip was bomb proof. That said there was a LOT of slipping and dancing. Mary was out front and followed the skis until we could see we needed to go right, and they headed towards the wrong side of Hare Hill. We were now wading through untrod snow and no other footsteps in sight. As we got lower the snow became a little easier but was still a high stepping dance rather than being able to run or even walk quickly. Eventually we climbed the fence at the big post (the usual place) and descended to the path. We actually bumped into 2 young people (under 40s) who were intending to do the reverse of the route we had just done. I warned them it was fairly hard going and taking the contour round the side is what I'd have done if I knew how it was on top. Regardless, they set off up the hill. I suspect they might have slightly regretted that but hey I'd have done the same in their shoes (again they were properly dressed and were fit young things so hell mend them!)
Our hiker pal caught up with us having followed in our footsteps. When we hit the lower trail she went Green Cleugh way maybe towards Balerno and we turned right to contour back along to cross Threipmuir Reservoir. This was Mary's idea as she dislikes the largely pavementless descent from Red Moss to Balerno. Instead we would do the pavementless descent from Harlaw to Balerno. But M also had plans for that.
descending contour to Threipmuir Res
This little robin posed nicely for us before diving into the exposed gorse after an insect presumably. I think I threw it some seeds but it was possibly unfamiliar with the idea of handouts and ignored me.
more robin action nearer Harlaw
the farmer's fields were spectacular
with their covering of snow under the blue skies
Mary had an idea there was a path that parallelled the road and it possibly left out the far end of the car park. She was right and we found it. It wasn't quite a huge success as it had been muddy and rutted and then frozen and was now mostly unrunnable. We stepped carefully on the icy uneven surface and weren't unhappy to pop out onto the road after a short while. It is not a busy road and mostly we ran down the centre away from the slushy kerbs. Our minds were very much focussed on the hot pies in the Coop. Although I did find myself stopping to take photos of lots of different things. Perhaps because we had been visually starved all day, doing only 50 shades of white and no wildlife. I took photos of the moon and every bird I saw, which wasn't many. Delighted to report the coop was open and they had a hot macaroni pie for me. It was fantastic, really REALLY fantastic. Also the bus came almost too quickly. We knew from the small crowd gathered at the stop there must be one due so got our wallets out and ate our pies on the bus. Mmmm, pies!
Mary had one last brainwave. Last time we did this trip the bus back along Princes Street took an age - we would have been quicker walking or running. This time (Mary's idea!) we jumped off at Haymarket and caught the tram (it waited while we bought tickets!!!) which took us all the way down Leith Walk and we jumped off just 100 yards away from a hot shower and put the kettle on! What a fantastic day out. Just enough jeopardy to feel like a proper adventure. Ten out of ten, full marks, and the sort of conditions you only get once every decade.
best part of the day
video clips, click twice
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