extended gullane run

 

Saturday 12th Sept.

There were a number of days during a mild September where I got the mixed emotions of "last day of summer" and "it's all downhill from here on in". I looked out for the last of the season's butterflies while knowing it could easily be the last day to enjoy them before 6 months of cold turkey.

It was so long ago I can't remember any of the scintillating chat but it was no doubt delightful. The low cloud was doing it's best to obscure the sunshine but there was enough to have the ice cream vans out in force and Mary had a vague plan to do more miles than usual, so decided to use them (the ice cream vans) to keep sufficiently refreshed for the 11plus miles extended circuit. I would have almost certainly be mentally mapping out all the places that might have butterflies. It changes on a weekly basis depending on many things: what's in flower, wind direction and other unknowable criteria.

hairy oobit

enough breeze for the wind and wetsuit brigade

number one ice cream van

I reckon when the old bin is brim full they replace it and bury the whole thing with the waste from Torness. I hope nobody has the task of actually having to empty it.

aid station number 2!

While Mary stood in the queue at Yellowcraigs for more overpriced stuff (I was charged more than a pound for 300mls of tapwater last time I was daft enough to require it from this highway robbery outfit!) Nick spotted a small tort nearby - the only one of the day. It refused to sit anywhere photogenic before flying off. I went in search of RAs which had until recently been abundant on the ragwort in the next field. However they had dispersed and there were just a handful of speckleds and maybe 3 RAs.

Nice to see that purple stuff (lacy phacelia) in the field in front of Lysander House. There seemed to be a few whites fluttering there but I had already used my get out of jail free cards and had to jog on. Also I knew we were approaching the yellow buddleias at Dirleton and therefore might require a negotiated time out as they proved popular with the local RAs. 

foursome

Nice to see a group of Admirals on the yellow buddleia. If I stood at the right point I could get up to 4 in the same photo. Numbers were to dwindle over the next week or 2 as did the flowers, turning brown. Nick and Mary ran on leaving me to take a few more photos then chase them down over the last mile or 2. No significant butterfly action at Archerfields gatehouse.

just under 12 miles and very pleasant