happy hills

 

01-06-24

The first of June promised to be a scorcher and it pretty much was. Having enjoyed the last hilly hike we did, we were up for more. Nowhere in particular was calling to us so we just did something very similar to last time, but in reverse, catching a bus to Balerno, walking up to Red Moss, Beech Avenue, Black Hill, Bell's Hill, Harbour Hill, Capelaw and Allermuir. 

caught the 44 from Regents Road

Red Moss boardwalk

large red damselflies were out but not much more

spider on yellow iris

another Rhagium bifasciatum

meadow pipit

Last trip we were escorted by wheatears, stonechats and meadow pipits. This time I think the wheatears had migrated and there weren't so many stonechats. Lots of meadow pipits but there was a general feeling that there wasn't that much wildlife out and about. 

sandwich early on near Green Cleugh

kestrel

male stonechat

looking back to where we'd just come from

pondskater

We bumped into a red grouse family. The dad flew off a bit while the mum (above) stayed nearby and kept calling to the invisible chicks while slinking through the heather. We hung back but nobody wanted to come out and have their photos taken so we moved on and let them regroup.

GVW

up Black Hill - glorious day for it

looking across between the Kips

meadow pipit

It was so warm that many sheep & lambs 

were hiding in the only shade available.

reservoirs all looked very full

stonechat family

fledgeling stonechat

Capelaw Hill

As we climbed Capelaw, Mary did "an impression" of me complaining about the lack of butterflies. She specifically made mention of Painted Ladies. Their had been some rumours of a large invasion headed to these shores, although a total lack of evidence to confirm it. I was offsetting these complaints with a bit of elevated heartrate - going uphill with the sort of vigour that gets you sweating and panting, and finding it surprisingly enjoyable. Mary took some photos at the top where she had anticipated a flock of painted ladies swarming around the rusty summit markers.

The curious thing was that a couple of hundred yards later a Painted Lady appeared as if in answer to recent complaints. It swooped round us then landed very close by. Coincidence? I got a record shot or 2 but it flew off before either of us got much more than a glimpse. As you can imagine we scoured the area for a while, but no further sign. It was both great and terrible; a gift, but one snatched away again. Oh well. Maybe there will be a swarm round the top of the next hill, Allermuir?

we looked here and there

we looked everywhere

but no Painted Lady

It took another 20 minutes to hike down to the stile then all the way up Allermuir. Again, trying to go faster passed the time and raised the heart rate which felt like a return to the game we used to play a few years ago when we called ourselves hillrunners. Haven't done that in ages but this was a good reminder that it can be fun and not just a slog or torture. Anyway when we got to the trig point there was indeed a Painted Lady waiting there for us. It was quite flighty but as we stood still and waited for it to come to us it became more settled and let us get quite close for decent photos.

on a cow pat

Now the big question - was it the same one we saw on Capelaw or a different one? I didn't get great photos of the first one but enough to match the 2 notches out the wings and confirm it was the same one, which flew up here in front of us. It almost made up for the lack of wildlife today, although a swarm would have been better. Like red admirals and PLs in Holyrood park, it seems they are draw to summits and hilltops. This one also enjoyed sitting on the sun-baked crusts of cow flops. 😝

have not seen many this year 
(despite the so-called invasion!)

giant hoverfly on Mary's shoe

as we descended we met Pam and Stewart

They were quickly to the top and caught back up with us descending, and we all chatted the last mile or 2 past Swanston along to Hillend. I didn't notice the miles disappear (I was talking about cameras!) and it just left the short walk up to Fairmilehead where we caught a number 11 bus all the way home.

meadow pipit with beak full of caterpillars

Mary would normally avoid cattle like the plague. Not so much a phobia as a realistic fear of the damage they can (and regularly) do. However the highland cows there are very placid and also spread out over all the paths so there was no way we could easily avoid them. Happily they were not in the mood for an argument and remained totally calm as we passed.

10.8miles, 5.5hrs
Fantastic day out, if a bit short on insects and birds to photo.