Two Cairns and a Slap

I am back in Scotland and looking forward to running on softer ground after a week on city streets and rocky dusty hill trails in Pune. I rise this Sunday morning about half an hour after dawn, and the weather is beautiful. I'm feeling the jet lag but this didn't stop me the last time, see Jet Lag Jog, December 2, 2012, when I ran along the Thiefs' Road from Baddinsgill to the Cauldstane Slap and over East Cairn and West Cairn hills. Today I have the Two Cairns and the Slap in mind, approaching this time from Little Vantage to the north west. The ground was frozen solid in December, today ground conditions should be soft, despite the patches of snow lingering on the hill sides.

I start on the Thiefs' Road with the Cairns and the Slap in the distance. The sun shines bright, the sky is blue, the ground underfoot is soft. In fact it's too soft - it's soggy, boggy, and often flooded. I can tell already that today is going to be hard work, and slower than I'd have liked ... oh well, carry on. There are a lot of places where railway sleepers have been used to bridge across streams and the wetter parts of the marshland here. These bridges work well enough, except where the path is flooded and the sleepers themselves are underwater. The runner needs to take care here, the wood is incredibly slippery when wet, this morning the walshies lost grip on a sleeper a few minutes after the start and I went tumbling over into shallow water.

East Cairn, Cauldstane Slap and West Cairn, on the Thiefs' Road near Little Vantage

Railway sleeper bridges over streams and wetter marshland ...

... sometimes underwater where the path is flooded.

I decide to leave the Thief's Road at the earliest opportunity before reaching the Cauldstane Slap and ascend East Cairn on a narrow, very steep track. The path makes for a tough ascent, slippery and rocky, not runnable, but the views behind are wonderful and the stone shelter on the west end of the ridge is soon reached. The shelter has a small stone bench affair inside, it's a great place to picnic when out walking with the family, today the bench is covered in frozen snow.

The steep ascent of East Cairn

The views behind are beautiful ...

... but the path is rocky and slippy and mostly not runnable

The stone shelter soon enough comes into view ...

... today the bench is covered in frozen snow.

This is not the summit of East Cairn. To reach the summit I run east along the very boggy flat ridge. The surface water is frozen in places, but the ground has thawed. I approach a group of three mad mountain bikers pushing their bikes through this quagmire. I feel my feet sinking ankle deep and more, oddly enough, although it's hard work, I'm loving it, and as I whoop with joy the mountain bikers turn and laugh. The summit is marked by a small cairn. I must now turn around and back track a little for descent of East Cairn to the Cauldstane Slap. The frozen drift snow clinging to the fence line provides an interesting visual contrast. The three mountain bikers are coming through the gate, still slowly pushing their bikes, and now wondering about the route to their destination. We chat a little and have a bit of a laugh together at the conditions, consult my map for route guidance, and they are kind enough to take a photograph.

The surface is water is frozen in places, the ground, not so much.

This small cairn marks the summit of East Cairn

Frozen drift snow and mad mountain bikers

Chatting with mad mountain bikers on East Cairn

The descent from East Cairn to Cauldstane Slap is another rocky muddy slippery affair although not quite as steep as the ascent had been. This is kind of runnable. I do not recognise this tree, perhaps someone has recently planted their Christmas tree here?! The ascent of West Cairn is not so steep and not at all rocky ... it's very soggy and the climb is slow but hard sapping the energy from my legs as my feet sink into the ground on every step. There is a lot of surface water, and even where there is none the ground gives way to my every step ... I'm really starting to feel it in the calves today. No matter the summit is soon reached with cairn and trig and the views are great.

Did someone plant their christmas tree here?

Descending East Cairn toward Cauldstane Slap

Tough ascending West Cairn on wet ground

Cairn and trig at summit of West Cairn

View toward East Cairn

Harperrig Reservoir

Baddinsgill Reservoir and surrounding hills

I descend West Cairn to the north on rough ground through boulders and patches of frozen snow, big fun. Just before the horrible tussocky grassy marshland below I pick up an ATV track turning to the right, hoping to traverse above the marsh, and rejoin the Thiefs' Road on the other side of the marsh. The track does not traverse, it ascends a while and then disappears, and I must make my way across the tussocky grassy marsh back to the Cauldstane Slap. Here I find a couple of walkers taking a picnic at the stile before they head up East Cairn. I stop to chat for a few minutes and then head down the Thiefs' Road back toward Little Vantage.

Descending West Cairn ...

... steep, boulders, and patches of snow.

Crossing tussocky marshland back to Cauldstane Slap

Thiefs' Road from Cauldstane Slap to Little Vantage

Running down the Thiefs' Road I take a moment to look around. To my left West Cairn and the edge I descended a short while earlier. To my right East Cairn and the edge I ascended a long while earlier. Ahead is Harperrig Reservoir. The Water of Leith flows from this reservoir You can find a couple of "Riverside Ramble" posts here and here on this blog about great runs along the river side path.

West Cairn, descent along the edge

East Cairn, ascent along the edge

Harperrig Reservoir

In a few minutes I approach the car park, and to be frank today I'm happy that it's almost over. I'm tired, the jet lag has really kicked in, my calves are aching. I must first cross my nemesis, the wooden railway sleeper bridge where I slithered and tumbled into shallow water a couple of hours ago.

The relief of the end in sight., but first ...

... my nemesis ...

So I am done, back at the car park at Little Vantage. I've run just over 16km, climbed just under 550m, and it's taken me a little more than two and a half hours. It's been slow, but hard, and I'm very glad now that it's all done and dusted. The bottom halves of my calves are plastered in mud. I have mud inside my shoes, I have mud inside my socks. It was great to get out in the lush green hills for a bit of a run today. I could have chosen a less sodden route, perhaps I'll learn, perhaps not ;-)

Enjoy!

Two dawn dallies: Wednesday 13, Friday 15

Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5, Saturday February 16, 8:50AM, all jet lag and aches after interminable uncomfortable hours in airplanes and airports on return from a week in Pune, India. Just an hour or so left here, and then the short hop home to Edinburgh.

I've been fortunate to be able to run around the city streets and hill trails every day. On arrival on Sunday I started on a tired right foot with Pune Pootle. Monday morning, before breakfast, around dawn I set the pattern for the week with Misty Maharashtra Sunrise. I was out running before breakfast every day this week, and I have a small number of pictures from the dawn dallies of Wednesday and Friday to share.

Wednesday, February 13

The Wednesday morning run for me was the usual climb of Vetal Tekdi, then a bit of exploration on unfamiliar hill trails descending on the wrong side of the ridge relative to base at the hotel, a short-ish (but it felt so-o-o long) section of road work, more hill trails over Chaturshrungi Hill and down to the temple, to finish with a dash back to base along the Senapati Bapat Road. The early sun, the morning mist, and the dusty rocky trails were again the main event for me this morning.

Rising sun ascending Chaturshringi Hill from the north west ...

... on a track of bare hard rock.

Views over the misty city ..

... the edifice in centre shot is the Marriot Hotel, home for the week.

The sun through the misty haze.

Friday, February 15

We've noticed a temple low on the hill side, just above the city streets, with visible lines of trails stretching over the hill side from the temple. This morning I plan a shorter run. I have a little less free time, I must prepare for departure today, I have quite the hangover from the night before feasting and drinking with excellent folk who are colleagues and friends, from India and Romania. This feels like the right time for a bit more exploration. I set off to find the temple, and discover some new trails around and over Vetal Tekdi.

Gateway to temple steps.

Pretty little ornate temple.

Golden cow (or bull?) with rising sun behind.

From behind the trails there is a maze of footpaths through the trees. I choose the most obvious line of direct ascent. This soon turns into a delightful traverse to Hanuman Mandhir and along the way I spy a peacock in a tree. The views over the city to the east are gorgeous.

Trails through the trees ascend from the temple.

Peacock in the trees.

View to the east, sun over Hanuman Tekdi.

From Hanuman Mandhir I have the usual steep final ascent of Vetal Tekdi. I pause at the small temple atop the hill and do my best efforts to follow a generous elder gentleman performing suryanamaskar. From here easier and faster running along the ridge to Chaturshrungi Hill. I am entranced by the early sun this morning, like every morning this week. Looking to the south east just before the descent of Chaturshrungi Hill I am treated to the site of the city shrouded in mist and the distant mountains in silhouette.

Entranced by the early sun ...

... and the city shrouded in mist, distant mountains in silhouette

Now the short steep descent of Chaturshrungi Hill over rough ground, lots of bare rock, toward Chaturshrungi Temple. This is not ground to slip or fall on a fast descent, the volcanic rock is both hard and the surface is very rough.

Descent of Chaturshringi Hill on hard  rough bare rock

I am really enjoying the concentration needed for the irregular foot placement and balance correction here. The descent levels to a traverse to the right and soon the point where we can break off the trail into the top of the temple complex. Descending the temple complex on steps I am really enjoying the contrast with the descent on rough ground minutes earlier - now the movements are easier, regular, I feel like my body moves as a metronome. I have less than a mile of road work back to base, a good breakfast of grains, seeds, nuts an fruits, shower away the sweat which has my running kit soaked even at this early hour, an intense day of work, and then the long tiresome journey back home to Scotland.

I'll be back home soon, away from the heat and the sun, and back to the cold and the wind and the rain and the snow, but moreover back to the soft ground, and the lush green vegetation. I can hardly wait ...

Enjoy!

Misty Maharashtra Sunrise

Rose in the dark before dawn this morning for another mixed terrain meander around Pune city streets and hill trails before breakfast. The route today starts with a reverse of the Pune Pootle from Sunday, then diverts around city streets and through pretty a little park called Chittandjran Garden.

I think every day I've been here there has been mist around the city in the morning and today is no exception. Climbing Chaturshringi hill above the temple I look back over the misty city streets just below. I have a steep dusty rocky climb here. The hill side is covered with rain water capture ditches, part of the fauna development project.

Misty Pune Streets

Climbing Chaturshringi Hill

Rainwater capture ditches

Reaching the spur to the north west the city remains misty but the clouds ahead are changing to the rose colours of sunrise. I turn around toward the east and the great red globe has risen.

The misty city

Clouds changing to the rose colours of sunrise

Looking east the great red globe rises ...

Returning to the main hill trail I am still admiring the rising sun as I pass a shelter and watch tower. I bear right on the walking trails toward Vetal Tekdi, passing the quarry on my right, but my eyes are drawn to sights of the sun between the trees to my left. I reach the top of Vetal as the sun slides behind cloud.

Shelter and watchtower in Chaturshringi hills

Reaching the top of Vetal Tidke the sun slides behind cloud

I descend Vetal and the sun reappears from cloud, the shade is a little less red, a little more golden. Soon I have descended Vetal to city streets and after a few hundred yards start the ascent of Hanuman Tekdi. In contrast to Sunday afternoon, I am not the only runner out and about this morning. Reaching the summit we see the hand irrigation of trees and shrubs in progress. I think this is  just wonderful. The sight of the sun through trees here again, and everywhere you can see someone doing the yoga sun salutation. Descending Hanuman, I spy a bird of prey perched in the trees.

Descending Vetal the sun reappears

Runner ascending Hanuman Tekdi

Hand irrigation on Hanuman

The sun through trees atop Hanuman

Surya Namaskara

Bird of prey

I'm done with the trails for this morning. For the next couple of miles I'll be bashing around the streets, getting lost, and passing through pretty little Chittandjran Garden. The scenes of life on the street would make quite a photograph collection but I do not feel comfortable taking pictures of people sleeping, bathing, cooking, eating, laundering ... there is so much poverty here ..

Chittandran Garden

This morning was similar to the Pune Pootle in distance and ascent, about 12.5km and about 300m climbed, but so much easier going in the morning compared to the intense heat of the afternoon. I had a really pleasant hour and a half this morning.

Enjoy!