Snow-clad Capelaw Caper

Snowing in Edinburgh again this morning, I was let out for an hour of happy scampering over a few of the lesser Pentland Hills.

I set out from the small car park at Bonaly country park ascending around the north side of White Hill. There are fresh studmarks in the snow here - two runners must have descended on this path already today. The short steep climb soon gives way to boggy marshy ground before the ascent of Capelaw. I have a big smile on my happy old face as my eyes feast on the views of Allermuir Hill and Capelaw.

The beginning at Bonaly Country Park

Ascent around the north side White Hill

Allermuir Hill

Capelaw

The ascent of Capelaw is not difficult and a friendly walker takes a couple of photographs for me. The views from the summit take away what is left of my breath ... the Kips, Scald Law, Carnethy Turnhouse ... I'm heading for Harbour Hill. The descending run along Capelaw in this direction is often waterlogged but today is largely frozen. The conditions here are superb. Then at the short steep section ending the descent the weather turns and a brief heavy snow shower. I turn to look up at Turnhouse and Carnethy but for the moment these hills have dissapeared.

Ascent of Capelaw

Ascent of Capelaw

The beauty of snow, sun, clouds and hills

Looking toward Harbour Hill

The weather tuns and a brief heavy snow shower

For the moment the distant hills have dissapeared

The ascent of Harbour Hill is short and sharp and my feet are sliding away beneath me - even the PB's have no traction here today. I realize that underneath this thin layer of snow there must be a thicker layer of ice, and soon find patches where the wind has blown the snow away to drift elsewhere. Reaching the indistinct summit of Harbour Hill the shower is over and visibility is good again. I'm going to descend to the left of the reservoir. I'm delighted to find that for the first few minutes the snow here is soft and fresh, the only footprints here are mine. The path alongside the trees here is very often very boggy. Today there is a frozen crust, which is not always strong enough to bear the weight of my footfall ... I'm whooping and laughing every time my foot crashes through and squirts muddy water over my legs.

Beneath the snow ... ice ...

The shower soon ends and sumptuous views are restored

I'll descend to the left of Bonaly Reservoir

The only footprints here are mine in fresh soft snow

The frozen crust here often breaking as my foot strikes

I have a few minutes to spare before I need to be back at the car park so I've decided to take a short diversion over little Torduff Hill. There are some fun routes up this little rocky hill which involve easy scrambling, today I'm on a running route. It's just a short haul up to the top, and once more the views today have me smiling and laughing to myself with the simplest happiness. I turn to face White Hill, where I climbed just under an hour ago. Camera away now, time is running out, down from Torduff hill, and back to the car park.

Little Torduff Hill

On top of Torduff Hill ...

... overlooking Torduff Reservoir ...

... and toward White Hill.

That was a short run for me today, just 6.6km distance and 330m climbed, a couple of minutes under the hour ... but it was a wonderful happy smiley run. I think, perhaps, sometimes the snow does a little bit bring out the child in me.

Enjoy!