new year, n'ice

 

1st Jan 2021

The year began very well, if you can ignore the horrors of all that. We did well to ignore it and instead jumped into the car and drove to this end of the Pencaitland cyclepath, approx 5miles from the Edinburgh boundary and therefore a legit start/finish point for our run. 

The day started when I took out the rubbish and waited for Mary to arrive downstairs. It was gloriously sunny and I took a couple of pics while I waited. A bottle of British Wine stood unfinished from the covid-limited traditional Hogmanay debauchery of the night before. I haven't felt inclined to celebrate Hogmanay in a number of years and the killjoy in me was very pleased that Edinburgh was not allowed to celebrate in the usual manner. No fireworks, no crowds in town, no arseholes in Leith (or fewer than usual) staggering about drunk and shouting about Auld Acquaintance in an extremely unfriendly and aggressive manner. A great improvement on the usual, although there was still a residual amount of diehards swilling and shouting and leaving the remains of their paraffin-like British Wine. Excuse me not wine. It's Fusion. I wonder if that is short for confusion. A "sparkling alcoholic mixed beverage" 5.5% and a 1 star review on Tesco's website. 

one of the scabbiest streets in Leith bears my name, oh joy!

nice to see blue skies on the way out of town

lots of ice in the car park

Redwing

This was about the only redwing I got within a decent distance of. There were lots about but they were keeping their distance and had an uncanny knack of flying off just as I got them into frame. The car park at Crossgatehall was a skating rink and Nick got off his bike rather than cycle across it. I was not looking forward to negotiating the Berlingo back out but Mary managed fine, slowly and carefully.

We were hoping the cyclepath would be free from ice. It was for about 20~30% of the distance but that still left long stretches of either ice or compressed snow that was equally dangerous. I was very glad we weren't cycling. There were a few brave (incautious) souls out on bikes and they were mostly tensed and nervous and grimly soldiering on at low speeds. Running wise you had to be fairly careful and mostly run on or near the grass verge. All 3 of us stayed on our feet.

redwings teasing by staying just a few branches away

robin was a bit more friendly

lots of muddy bits

We followed the path down the road and into Pencaitland. The dry road was a welcome change from the icy cyclepath. It also gives a chance to admire a few garden ornaments. Over the bridge and then turn right onto the woodland paths again. We stopped for a chance for Mary to chat about spectacles and a standard interpretation of normal eyesight and I think Nick and I were a little lost as to the direction of conversation. However it gave us a rest and maybe we had a sports bar or drink of juice. 

From this point on the next couple of miles are great. Along the paths down to Kingfisher bridge then left through the fields past the swamp and then join up to the main path back towards Crossgatehall.

Kingfisher bridge. Still none there!

The last 2 or 3 miles are usually a bit of a drag up a very slight gradient. They passed quickly on this occasion as I was kept busy looking for birds or bushes to photograph while Mary and Nick ran on ahead. I eventually gave in and ran to catch Mary before the car park.

big puddle

walking gingerly back out the ice rink

12 miles in 2.5 hrs Nice route.