7 hills recce and scum-shine on Leith

7 hills recce team

The bad thing about living near a football stadium is when there's a home game it's difficult to find a space to park the car. And you get a handful of lowlifes hanging around the local pubs tipping overpriced booze into themselves because they are not smart enough to save money on beer and ticket prices and do it at home. However once every 114 years they win the cup and all hell breaks loose. They tear up the pitch, they get drunk and behave like arseholes and show themselves up for the savages they are. Not all. I'm sure there are many who contain their joy. It's the yobs and scum that can't walk home without pulling mirrors off buses in their own town and behaving like pack animals chanting violence and aggression. You'd think they lost. Late into the night it goes. 

rubbish left next to bins

Making retarded barking noises, not really singing, but the sort of thing that other dipshits recognise and join in with in a cacophony of noise-sludge in celebration of the the fact that their carers dressed them in green and white. Outside our window. We are being serenaded by fucktards. At 11.40 I phone the police because I've heard the entire routine of 3 songs and 2 chants too many times. They are using the bins for percussion but don't have the sense to use them as bins and leave their empties in the street for someone else to pick up. Bravo. Shitting on their own doorstep. And they are pissing in the street. The police are sympathetic and I let them know it's not because I support Rangers. I have as little interest in football as I do in Saturday night telly. I don't know or care if it was a good game. Some of my family support Hibs so I am glad they won. It's just a shame the arseholes see this as a lame excuse to get drunk and vandalise the place for a weekend like they achieved something. They watched a game. You could see it as a triumph if they read a book, but no, they just watched a game. If you put them down, the city-wide average IQ would rise and we'd all be better off. 

I took these photos this morning. The council had already cleared a certain amount away as last night the streets were awash with heaps more rubbish. I was going to go out to film and photo it as I was finding it hard to believe just how poorly Leithers were treating Leith. It was like a zombie movie and I hope the pubs that were fuelling it all were properly trashed. There was a crowd of several hundred outside Robbies and it sounded like mob rule. But not in a good way. Thankfully either the rain, the police or the pub running out of beer saw the crowds disperse by midnight. Apart from handfuls of fuckwits passing through in the manner of most Saturday nights. Leith and the Hibs fans should hang their heads in shame. Not be boasting about it in the comments section of online reports about their antics. Round 2 has been warming up since 3pm this (Sunday) afternoon but yet to blossom into more. Thankfully there isn't sunshine on Leith to bring them out. 

So, much as I would have liked to blast loud ugly noise through the streets of Leith in revenge early this morning, I had a recce of the 7 Hills course to do. Mary set off 30 minutes ahead expecting us to catch her two thirds round, though she needn't have bothered. I met the gang at Calton Hill and we set off at 9.01. Lots of tourists up at the Castle and we quickly ducked down Johnston terrace and out to Haymarket and Corstorphine, the new way to start the route. It has the benefit of missing Ravelston Dykes which is a boon. 

I must have done this race a dozen times. Nearly every time I go wrong at Corstorphine. So it was good to have the time today to check out the right way and not be led astray by racers ahead cutting right too soon after the Clermiston Tower checkpoint. Back out to the water tables and down the cinder trail to the dirt path that runs parallel to Kaimes Rd. Andrew Stavert (having checked out the wrong routes in the woods below the tower) left us at this point, as you can imagine, to our great disappointment.

the sun coming through the trees was lovely

down Kaimes Rd and over the tramline

still smiling up Craiglockhart

the important thing about modern additions is to keep them in character so they blend in

so busy blethering nearly missed this wee lane

(look out for railings)

fly walk

Braids

Hermitage

Amy reaches hill-saturation

back again skippy

Through Pollock Halls and the dreaded turnstile. It has had an extra pole welded in but some said it was still possible to limbo through. It certainly doesn't look it and I was fairly sure I wouldn't fit. I had forgotten to take a pack of butter for hips and shoulders but managed to squeeze through by turning slightly diagonally and making a face like Houdini. However Amy did have to take my pack off halfway and I'll be going over the top on race day because it is quicker. There could be long queues forming!

Amy goes over.

the Seat

This may not be the fastest way for everyone but having lost a couple of places going up the Gutted Haddie a couple of years back I am probably going to be sticking to this route.

the bad step.

Amy did well not to squeal!

Just as we topped out there was a dramatic shower of rain which produced a rainbow over Hunter's Bog. I tried not to get the camera soaked while taking pics. Not the last shower of the day. I was disappointed not to have caught up with Mary but given we had a couple of toilet breaks and various breathers along the way I think she stayed just a short distance ahead. The shower we experienced on the summit she caught at the other end of Hunter's Bog before going past the Parliament Building. Her blog here. (Not just me having a go at the hibs fans then!) She waited briefly on Carlton Hill then, unsure if we were behind or ahead, went home via the shops for lunch. The short time she went into the shop was enough to allow me to overtake and I got home a few minutes in front. That close! Great morning's run (9am~midday) and indoors before the weather deteriorated. Maybe that will keep the worst of the football hooligans inside tonight. Just seen the forecast for tomorrow and it looks like a Tynecastle Bronze 30+miler is in order. Hmm not sure where yet. Watch this space.

byeeee!