Calder Canter

I'm up early on a wonderful late summer Sunday morning, clear deep blue skies with candy floss whisps of pink and orange cirrus clouds, they look good enough to eat ... the thoughts of candy floss are bringing back childhood memories, days of excitement at the fair ground. The excitement for the old plodder today is thoughts of another run on the trails around the River Almond. There's something special for me when I'm running on trails through trees alongside a river. I very often run along the Water of Leith here in Edinburgh, its pretty much on my doorstep, either up toward Balerno, or down toward the Port of Leith. I less often run along the River Almond, there's a cross-city drive involved, but a few times I've enjoyed the delightful section up river from Cramond, and then further along toward the airport from Cammo Estate. This morning I'm just a little further afield, up-stream of the River Almond, starting near Mid-Calder, and running around the Almondell and Calderwood Country Park.

The start from the small car park on the Pumpherston Road in Mid-Calder has me running along cycle route 75 and almost immediately a bridge over Murieston Water, a major tributary of the River Almond. Now running eastwards along the south bank of the River Almond, among the sweet morning bird songs, I hear the sound of rushing water over a weir. It's a joy for me running through the trees with the early sun shining through. The river here is deep and slow and still and reflective. Soon I reach another, larger, weir dividing the water to create a sluice which feeds the Union Canal a couple of miles away.

The start from the small car park on the Pumpherston Road ...

... soon leads over Murieston Water 

Through the trees beside the River Almond ...

... divine early sunlight ...

... and the still waters of the river like a mirror.

The large weir divides the waters ...

... and this sluice will feed the Union Canal.

Running along between the river and the sluice I am soon greeted by the sight of an old stone viaduct, and under the bridge the footpath runs through a decorative wooden construction. To my right the river is louder, through the trees, a fine sight. The route now follows the sluice over the river on an iron bridge and I am loving the contrast of the peace down river.

The old stone viaduct comes into sight ...

... with wooden arch structure beneath.

The river to my right flows fast and loud.

The sluice crosses the river on an iron bridge ...

... and I enjoy the peace down river.

Soon the elegant old stone Naysmith's Bride comes into view. Here I have two choices, cross the bridge and run on easier grit paths, or ahead on narrow tracks over the dirt. Easy choice, and running through the trees with sunlight breaking through from my right again is a delight. Beside the sluice there is a sign, "WARNING Sheep". Well, perhaps there is an unusual breed of dangerous sheep here, you never know. Then the sluice heads underground a while and the old plodder ascends on steps.

Soon the old stone Naismyth's Bridge approaches ...

... and of course I choose the rougher narrower path ahead.

So wonderful running through the trees here and then back down ...

... to the sluice with warnings of sheep!?

The sluice dissappears underground ...

... and the old plodder must head up on muddy steps.

In the fields to my left I've found them, the dangerous sheep ... well, they look pretty normal to me, but perhaps I should be grateful of the barbed wire fence today. There are many fallen trees over the water of the sluice here, and then across the fields my target comes into sight, Lin's Mill aquaduct, a very fine canal construction indeed, carrying the Union Canal high over the River Almond. I'm running over the aquaduct and along the towpath a short while with a couple of canoeists in the water. The views down to the river are sublime. Soon I must leave the canal and a couple of miles of tiresome roadwork ahead of me.

Aha, I've found the dangerous sheep :)

Lots of fallen trees over the sluice here 

Lin's Mill aquaduct in the distance

Crossing the aquaduct, and a couple of canoeists

Leaving the towpath to the right, now a couple of miles of tedious roadowrk

Dratted roadwork, it seems endless, repetitive, my feet are bored. Well, there is something, cute cottages, harvest time in the fields and views over the bings near Broxburn. Oh, perhaps a little explanation is due here, in Scotland a "bing" is a kind of mining/excavation rubbish heap, well, a bit like a slag heap in Wales. So, that would be, www.rubbishheap.com, haha, I'll just keep using google :) The bright red of the rowan berries are a weclome sight. Then in the trees to my right I notice a stone engraved with roman numerals. Mercifully, soon my patience is rewarded, I am relieved of the tarmac, and back down to the riverside, yay!

Pretty row of cottages

Harvest time and bings in the distance

Lovely red rowan berries

Stone something in the trees and ... 

... at last the riverside regained and relief from the terror of the tarmac.

I think what I love about riverside trails is the river, such contrasts, sometime raging and fast, sometimes sleepy and slow. I ran over the footbridge ahead about an hour ago and noticed a grassy path below, now it is before me, and I have a mind to explore. The path is a dead end, but a very pretty dead end, this is where the sluice divides from the river. Oh well, a pleasant diversion and time to back-track. Now, I seem to have a choice, back-track again over the bridge, or up the steps ... I still have this mind to explore, I'm up the steps and along the edge of a ploughed field, but then the farm track leads me in completely the wrong direction, so back-track again old plodder and you must run over that bridge once more.

The river, sometimes rushing and fast ...

... then peaceful and slow.

Looks like a delightful diversion ...

... to a pretty little dead end where the sluice divides from the river.

Nearby another delicious diversion up steps ...

... to a farm track in the wrong direction and time to back-track once more. 

The route this morning brings me back near the car park and there's a part of me which is tempted to just continue to the car and be done (mostly, the legs, honestly) but I set out to explore Almondwell and Calderwood. I've been around Almondwell and some, but I havenn't yet been to Calderwood, so my mind forces my body to continue along a gorgeous narrow track through the overgrown undergrowth. Calderwood is such a contrast to Almondell, the footpaths are unmaintained, and my feet are really enjoying the feel of soft damp earth here. The autumn colours are just starting to come into the trees, I'm a bit excited, the riot of yellow and orange will be here soon, the delightful carpet of leaf-fall underfoot, I really love running in the autumn.

The narrow track through the ovegrown undergrowth  takes me onward ...

... to delightful soft damp earth 

The autumn colours are just starting in the trees here.

I am so glad I did not throw in the towel earlier, running through the trees here is pure pleasure, the silver birch are beautiful. So many of the trees here are magnificent, perhaps most of all the scots pine. The russet colours of the bracken are an exquisite early indicator of the changing season. Soon I am back on the track of overgrown undergrowth and one last peek at the river through the yellowing leaves, then I am done this morning.

Loving the sliver birch here ...

... the colours of the bracken tell of the changing season ...

... and the scots pine always majestic.

Back track through the overgrown undergrowth ...

... and one last peek at the river through the leaves, some yellow already,

I've had a very pleasant early Sunday outing this morning, about ten miles, around 800 feet ascent with all the undulations, and with a lot of stops for photos, chatting with walkers, and petting dogs, I've been going for a bit under two hours. Time to head home, grab a bit of lunch, a wee strolll to share the delights of Roslin Glen with the family, then bbq, yay, love bbq.

Enjoy!