Silverburn Scamper

So a question came up recently, "How do you keep running interesting?". Couple of answers: run different routes; run off-road in the great outdoors. Today I'm setting off to run a route in the Pentland Hills (off-road, natch) which I haven't done since June 2012, and its a beauty. Conditions are fair, a little cool, good, small chance of rain, good, but there is a strong wind coming from the west, less good. I'm parked up on the A702 near Silverburn and the start today is through a gate onto the Kirk Road across (usually) boggy ground. We've had buckets of rain recently so I am expecting some moisture here, but surprisingly its mostly dry. Someone has laid stones over the almost-always soaking-wet patch after the kissing gate.

The start. through the kissing gate onto the Kirk Road ...

... and what's this here, new stones over the "wet patch".

There's a stream running through the field here, first decision of the day, splash through or hop over the stones? Most times I've been here the feet are already wet so its splash through, today feet are dry so time to hop. Lovely running over the soft grass up to Charlie's Loup and gate #2. I'm on the route of the Carnethy 5 here, for a short while. The stoney Kirk Road continues up to the bealach between Scald Law and Carnethy Hill, the route turns left through the heather and bracken to gate #3, over the stream and back up again on hard to find (easy to lose) tracks through more heather and bracken.

Splash through or hop over the stones on the left?

Lovely soft grass running up to the gate at Charlie's Loup

The Kirk Road continues up to the pass high above ...

... the route dives down through heather and bracken ...

... to gate number three ...

... over the stream and what goes down must go up.

I lose the path at a patch of high bracken and then "enjoy" high-knee-raise exercises through the heather for a while. Somewhere about here the Carnethy racers might make a sharp right to climb Scald Law. Its a steep climb on a narrow path through the heather, its the "walking section" for almost everyone. I'll be up Scald Law later, but for now I'm going to continue along this most-excellent-not footpath (hoping to find it soon!) and traverse to the foot of South Black Hill. Yay! I find the good(ish) footpath! Just a quick glance behind me at the scree slope on Carnethy Hill, mmm, might be tempted to divert there for a bit of a scree ski a bit later today. Anyway, soon some gorgeous going downhill (yay!) on a smooth grassy patch past the old Silverburn Quarry, which these days is used as a clay pigeon shooting venue (great fun, try it!).

Losing the path here in the bracken ...

... sharp right for the Carnethy races somewhere near but not exactly here!

Tempted by the scree slopes on Carnethy Hill

Gorgeous going down the grassy slope beside ...

... the old quarry, now used for clay pigeon shooting.

I'm approaching the foot of South Black Hill now where the main climbing section of the day will commence. Small hiccup with the electronics preparation arrangements, the camera is telling me its out of charge. Ho-hum, I'll just have to use the rubbish camera in my cheapo mobile phone, much lower quality pictures from here, and much more pfaff time. So, somewhat less crisply than expected, before me stands South Black Hill. In the next kilometre I have about 300 metres of ascent, a short section on a rough stoney farm track and then right onto another not-so-easy to find path, which at first I fail to find, more high-knee-raise exercises and then once more happy to stumble onto the path. Its unrelentingly steep, gasp, huff, rasp, puff, but I enjoy the sight of Carnethy Hill over Grain Hill (wee daughter of Scald Law). Its a great feeling, the anticipation of being there, but first I must haul my fat carcass up to the top here, huff, gasp, puff, rasp ...

South Black Hill before me ...

... but where is the footpath ...

... footpath found and unrelenting steep ...

... but super views of Carnethy Hill looking over Grain Hill.

Oh joy of joys the stone shelter at the summit comes into sight, I am there, and time for a short stop to drink some diluted fruit juice. I see a large group of walkers approaching from the direction of the Kips. Turns out to be a busy day in the hills today (all good). The next summit, Scald Law, is ahead to my right and some straightforward running over soft wet ground, I'm going to really enjoy this section.

Then at last the stone shelter at the summit appears :-)

The next summit, Scald Law, not far away ...

... and good, sometimes wet, running ground.

The flattish part ends and the steeepish part starts, there are a couple of mountain bikers carrying up here (rubbishness of phone camera evident now), and they reach the summit plateau before me. I'm just happy to plod past the trig point and contemplate the next summit today, Carnethy Hill ahead. There's a steep frantic descent to the next bealach so the cameraphone needs to be stowed - I made it to the bottom before the mountain bikers! Lots of scouts with huge backpacks at the bealach (been there, done that, decades ago now) and the mountain bikers head down the Kirk Road toward the car park near Silverburn. I'm heading up Carnethy Hill and a nice flattish easily runnable part on very soft (often soggy) ground at first. Too soon I reach the steep part, a quick glance behind at the ground just covered (I'm now getting deep into the "gosh I was there just a few minutes ago" territory), then huff, gasp, puff, rasp to the stone shelters at the summit.

The steepish part starts and a mountain biker is carrying ahead of me ...

... mountain biker reaches the summit plateau before me. 

I'm just happy to plod past the trig point before another rmanic descent.

Next ascent toward Carnethy Hill, at first easy going.

Looking back toward Scald Law ....

... before the next huff, gasp, puff, rasp ...

... to reach the stone shelters at the summit.

So here I am on top of Carnethy Hill, remembering looking at the scree slope, and remembering big fun going down there many times in the past, and wondering what to do now. Sharp right and down the scree, or another manic descent to the next bealach, and then right onto a lovely little traversing and descending path to the boggy field near the car park, or instead from the bealach up to the top of Turnhouse Hill, one more summit. I think I'll just head up to one more summit. Its the manic descent that swayed me, so time to stow the cameraphone and again squeal with joy like a child. There is no flattish section between these two peaks, its just a case of steep down and then steep up again. Short pause at the gate to provide some nav help to a couple of confused walkers. The wind has got very strong, its making movement a bit difficult, but at least its a little bit to my back. Short pause to glance behind at Carnethy Hill and savour a bit more of the "I was there" feelings, then the last haul up to the cairn at the summit.

I'll just head up one more summit ...

... no flattish part, just steepish down and steepish up ...

... enjoying a short pause to glance back at Carnethy Hill ...

... and then the summit cairn on Turnhouse Hill.

The wind has become a bit of an issue now, the haul up here was difficult, I really want to get out of this wind. Decisions, decisions, bomb down the steep in the lee and try to pick up a path back toward the car park, or back-track down Turnhouse and follow the cute path traversing and descending underneath Carnethy. So a bit of a recce, the only clear paths in the lee lead back up to the bealach, may as well run back there along the ridge as fast as I can, and off goes me. Running fast on the stoney ground here turns out to be a bit tricky, not so much because of the stones, I've galloped over these so many times, but its the wind, now to my face my eyes are watering and I just can't see what my feet are doing. Well, anyway, I only tripped once, nothing to write home about, and soon the bealach is reached and happiness the wee track once more entices the old plodder. This is about as good as it gets from my point of view, and a quick look back over to Turnhouse Hill is rewarding (I was there ... feelings again). I'm in the lee, there is now no wind, there is some good sunshine, and I'm sweating buckets, most excellent! Soon crossing a stile and smiling to myself at a most informative signpost (not!). Anyway great running over soft grass back to the not-so-boggy-today field.

The enticing path down from the bealach ...

... doesn't get much better than this for me!

Good to glance back to Turnhouse Hill

Not the most informative sign ...

... but the well signed FOOTPATH is some very lovely running!

Remember the stream? Hopped over the stones earlier today, splish-splash-splosh through this time to cool hot feet and more good fun splashing through the muddy puddles back to the kissing gate. Checked the travel mug in the car, still half full of coffee, still just a little bit warm and much enjoyed. Good run today, although the ascent on South Black Hill was a real drain, just a shade under 10km, about 530m of ascent, and on the go for approx 1:45. Still got a lot of work to do on the hill-fitness here, but happy as a sand-boy be able to get up there anyway.

Enjoy!