Three legs and one wheel

Three legs and one wheel ... if you're looking for a Triskelion on a Unicycle, that would definitely be a specialist subject, and you've landed in the wrong place, sorry. This blog is supposed to be about trail running, I mean running off-road, on-earth as much as possible. I think, today, I must confess to deviation. For sure, almost all of my run today was off-road, as in not along the roads, but almost all of my run today was on the canal side, which is not really on-earth, really not really. Anyway, enough of a preamble witter, let's start eh?

I did a moderate hill run last weekend, it was good, but the ascents were more of a challenge for me than usual, and I know my body is still not 100% at the moment. I've been wondering what to do this weekend, thinking maybe something a bit less steep, maybe something a bit more long. Driving back from work along the M9 on Thursday, noticing as always the works at the end an idea came into my little old mind ... I'll do a load of canal side running, including an aggregate mile underground in the tunnels, with a wee bit of a wander along the Antonine Wall for variation. Oh, yes, forgot to mention, also we'll see two magnificent kelpie!

I've left the car at the car park for the Falkirk Wheel (aka, Millenium Wheel) on a misty mid-morning. The route plan for today runs in three legs, and I'm starting the first leg. This will take me about four miles along the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Carron sea loch, where the canal discharges into the tidal estuary of the River Carron.

Misty morning start

Loving the mist laden spider webs, and swan on the water

The canal boats, cheerful colours

Loch 15, the Canal Inn is the white building on the left

Intriguing two-dimensional sculptures, I guess they were intended to be photographed

There are a lot of locks on this section of the canal as it descends toward the sea, with two main flights. The bottom of the second flight is Lock 5 where swans are preening. Soon the kelpies at the sea loch come into sight in the distance. These sculptures are massive, and will be magnificent, when they are finished. You can see the workers in the cranes building up these superb structures. The Carron sea lock here is the eastern end of this canal where, it discharges into the muddy Carron estuary, near the M9 motorway.

Swans preening above Lock 5

The kelpies in the distance ...

... they are massive and magnificent

The Carron sea lock where the canal discharges ...

... into the muddy tidal estuary of the River Carron

The kelpies again, sorry, but I adore the kelpies!

So the first leg is an out-and-back job, now I turn around and back-track. I usually do not much like to back-track, but this morning I'm enjoying seeing the locks from below, always more scenic. There are some gorgeous autumn colours in the young rowan trees, and although I'm often running through an uninteresting urban/industrial landscape the reflections in the still waters of the canal are really worth the effort for me today.

Nice running up the canal locks now

Some gorgeous autumn colours ....

... and reflections in the still waters ...

... and I'm still loving running up the locks.

I'm up to Lock 16, the top of the last flight on return, and a historic place. Long ago the Union Canal descended a steep flight of locks to join the Forth and Clyde Canal here, so this was an important place, at the junction of transport routes between Edinburgh, with the Port of Leith, on the east coast, and Glasgow, on the River Clyde, the major port on the west coast. Ah, well, same old story, the railways came, the canals fell into disuse and decline, sections were filled in and built over, and the great canals no longer meet here. Still, the pub is called the "Union Inn", there's something reassuring about that, for me anyway. I'm surprised, and very pleasantly so I must say, how soon I am approaching the end of this first leg.

Historic Loch 16

Near the end of the first leg, time for lunch

I'm hungry, it's been a few hours since breakfast, and I'm looking forward to a spot of lunch at the visitor centre, where I opt for a cheese filled baked potato and side salad, with a pot of tea, and it's delicious, devoured. You might have noticed the mist has cleared, and it's a lot warmer now, so I've decided to remove the 3/4 tights and leave them in the car. I need to head to the car anyway to pick up a head torch in preparation for the third leg, I'll be underground for about a mile, also time to top up the water bottle.

I start the second leg. Here the plan is to run along the canal west to Bonnybridge, then a drudge section of roadwork, and then relief along the earth on the Antonine Wall and some exploration of Rough Castle. This should deposit me nicely on the Union Canal above the wheel in preparation for the third leg of the journey.

Starting second leg, east along the canal, popular with cyclists here

I see a solitary white swan feeding ...

... and delightful reflections in the still waters

The Antonine Wall ...

.... and Rough Castle

Giant footprints? No ... post holes on the northern defences of the ancient roman fort

I have some red gravel trails leading me up and down through bushes and trees then above Rough Castle tunnel on the Union Canal, above the wheel below. Here ends the second leg of my journey and begins the third leg. Down and through the small tunnel which is is just 180m and well lit. I'm heading east for the long tunnel near Hallglen, the locals call it the "Dark Tunnel". There are two locks of modern concrete construction here, like the tunnel these created when the new link between the canals was built around the millenium. I'm on my canal, the Union  Canal, where my running life began back in March 2011 at the Lochrin Basin in Edinburgh, but I'm at the opposite end here near Falkirk. (Note to self, maybe do a "memory lane" job from Lochrin Basin to home sometime.)

Gravel trails after rough castle ...

... lead me above the tunnel above wheel ... 

... and down through the Roughcastle tunnel ...

... then up alongside a couple of modern concrete locks ...

... and I'm on the Union Canal for leg three today.

I've been finding it hard going for a while now. I'm still far less than 100% and breath control has been a challenge. The left heel is very sore and my body is adjusting movement to minimize discomfort there, which is causing discomfort everywhere else. I am wondering how far I must continue for the long tunnel ... a couple of cyclists approach, and they tell me its 2-3 miles. I feel disheartened, I have thoughts of giving up, but a little voice in the back of my head is saying "no, this cannot be right, you recently passed a sign giving distance to Polmont, must have been a mile back, and for sure its at least a couple of miles distance from there to the tunnel, it must be less than two miles from here". Little voice, thank you, I love you today, I continue. I lose track of time, right now I sink into the music in my ears and lose track of myself, then all of a surprise the long tunnel is before me. I've read that although there are some lights in the tunnel, they are not good, a torch is advised, so I pause a moment to don my headtorch. The tunnel is 620m long, you can see the other end, but it is a dark damp rough and slippery place. It reminds me a bit of my caving years as a late teenager, which was a lot of fun, but these days I am a little afflicted with claustrophobia.

The long tunnel is before me ...

... despite feeble lighting it is dark ...

... straw stalactites hang from the roof ...

... the walls remind me of caving expeditions.

Thankfully soon I reach the end of the dark place and the sunlight is welcome. I have not far to go to a bridge over the canal which is my turning point for this third leg. There are some notable face carvings here, a brief stop for an energy snack and water, a little toilet ... thankfully there was nobody else here at the time. Now turn around and face the long dark place once more.

Escape from the dark damp place ...

... and soon to the bridge where I will rest and turn.

Angry face to the west

Happy face to the east

I turn and one more face the long dark place

This time through the Hallglen tunnel I am noticing the reflections of the lit rocks in the water, for me thay are all grotesque threatening faces, but my camera fails to capture these emotions for me. There are several water leaks through the roof above, this one runs into the water of the canal, others have given me mixed-feelings cold showers. The wee cobbled path here is slippery and uneven, I am pleased I brought the headtorch today. The end comes once more and the sight of three swans in the water warms me.

Reflections were ghostly, alas my little camera ..

... but the end is in sight, and its leaking bad here!

The end, and a welcome party of swans.

Well folks, I just have to continue to backtrack now along the same side of the canal to the wheel, maybe two or three miles. I had been struggling but somehow I'm starting to find a third wind, I'm able to go a little faster (its still dead slow of course). I pass a milestone which tells me I am 31.5 miles from the Lochrin Basin in Edinburgh, like I've said before, that's a special place for the old plodder, that's where my running began ... I've decided now, I will definitely do a memory lane photo job there soon, its in me now, and it needs to get out. Anyway, I digress, there are a few boats coming toward me along the canal, I love the sight, and folk are almost always friendly. I am surprisingly soon back at the wheel, and its moving so my timing was a bit of luck. Standing on the canal bank where I started the first leg this morning, I am done with the third and final leg, and a great view of the wheel. Hard to believe, but this morning it was lost in the mist.

Milestone, distance from Lochrin Basn in Edinburgh

Here comes a canal boat

Here comes a canal boat

I'm back at the wheel ...

... its tunring at the moment .. 

... almost done now.

Now done, viewed from the beginning and the ending of my run today.

I will summarise at first with three words: long, hard, and good. The word hard has two meanings, the terrain underfoot most of the time, and how is was for the old plodder. I've run (ahem) about 31km with a total ascent of about 390m, and I've been on the go for about four hours, not including the lunch stop at the visitor centre, but I have spent a lot of minutes filddling about with the camera today. Now about the under ground, stuff, I went through Roughcastle tunnel and Hallglen tunnel twice, so that is 2 x (180m + 620m) = 1600m = one mile. I'm thinking to plan on softer terrain the next time, my legs are hurting a bit now, thump, thump, thump, thump ... hey you legs you better be saying hello to mister rumble roller in the morning methinks.

Enjoy!

Lamington Lollop

lollop
verb
Move in an ungainly way in a series of clumsy paces or bounds

I guess I'm a little under the weather at the moment, running has been a struggle these last few days. This morning I'll be doing a scientific (not) experiment to explore the boundaries between running and walking. The field work expedition starts at the small car park near the church in the little village of Lamington on the A702, a few miles south of Biggar. The top of Tinto Hill to the north-west is lost in low cloud. I'm heading eastwards to a couple of easier hills this morning, along the Nips Road, past some very pretty cottages, and then up through the trees. I'm passing the kennels here and the dogs are excited, barking loud, as I pause to photograph a statue of a stag.

The experiment commences near Lamington Kirk

The top of nearby Tinto Hill is lost in low cloud

I'm along the Nips Road passing pretty cottages ...

... through the trees ...

... and a statue of a stag outside the (loud) dog kennels.

The path soon leaves the trees onto open ground and the first ascent of the morning, Lamington Hill, is before me. I've startled a deer, not a statue, a real live one, but it dissapears into the trees too fast for me and my little camera. I'm still on this track called Nips Road until it reaches the ridge, from here the thing dives down the other side so I'm over the stile and left onto the little path by the wall, and my efforts are entertaining the cattle (again). I wonder if they are thinking "Look at that creature, doesn't it move in an ungainly way, in a series of clumsy paces or bounds?". The going soon gets steep and I'm discovering new places in the running-walking boundary, so I'm relieved as I near the top and look back at where I've just come up, and the trig point arrives earlier than expected, still very welcome this morning.

Leaving the trees behind, the ascent of Lamington Hill comes into sight

The Nips Road (Track) dives down the other side, I'm turning left after the stile to ascend ...

... and my efforts entertain the cattle (again).

The going gets steep and deeper exploration of the running-walking boundary

It feels good to look back where I've just ascended ...

... and the welcome summit trig is in front me sooner than expected.

Time for a little pause to admire the views and scan the terrain for the next section of the route this morning. I need to rejoin the tracks and fences below me and head along the ridge, over a bump called Overburns Hill, and then up to the cairn on top of Turkey Hill.

Just admiring the views ...

... not resting ...

... just admiring the views ...

... and scanning the next section of the route

First I must cross some rough ground through the heather. I can't find even sheep tracks so I'm bouncing through and this adds a whole new dimension to the running-walking experiment. The walls and tracks are reached and the going gets a lot easier, so I'm on top of the bump of Overburns Hill in a few minutes. Time to pause for just a moment to scan the terrain for ascent of Turkey Hill. I can make out an ATV track to the right of the wall, I'll use that, then hop over the wall and through the rough to the cairn.

Turkey Hill ahead, I'll take the tracks to the right of the wall ...

... then across the rough ground ...

... to the small summit cairn.

Time for a little pause to admire the views and consult the map for the next section of the route. I need to descend from here down into Wind Gill or Howe Gill, then down to Cow Gill. I opt for Howe Gill becuase earlier I think I saw some useful looking tracks on Howegill Rig, right now out of sight below me. The track is found after some more heather bouncing experiments and the going is good for a while until I must make right alongside the fence toward Howe Gill. There is often a bit of a sheep track alongside a fence or wall which can make easier going than rough ground, for example dense heather and bracken. The risk is that there will be stones from broken down old walls, or bits and bobs of an older fence which act like tripwire. Here was the classic case of ankle wrenching stones from an older wall, half hidden in the undergrowth, so in the end it was easier burrowing down through the bracken. Down in Howe Gill now, the route to Cow Gill looks a little moist, so I'll be keeping my eye open for half decent sheep tracks to avoid the worst of the soggy marsh.

Just admiring the views again ...

... not at all restful.

Down into How Gill beside the fence ...

... then burrowing through the bracken ...

... the next section down to Cow Gill looks moist.

The area of flat pasture land down at Cow Gill is very green this morning and I arrive at a beautiful picnic spot by the little river. I've enjoyed a pleasant lunch here once before with the family on an easy hill walking day a couple of years ago now. Today I just plan to keep moving, and I have two choices for the next section of the route from here, either pick my way along the sheep tracks beside the water, or cross and use the road above the river for about a mile. The sheep tracks are very rough underfoot and my feet are asking for a bit of a rest on some easier terrain for a short while. To my left is the track coming down from Cowgill Rig. I remember running down there, in June, and stopping to remove my shirt, being watched by the sheep. To my right the stream snakes around the flatter land below.

Flat pasture land, so green, in Cow Gill

There is a lovely picnic spot near the river ...

... I've eaten here before.

To my left the track coming down from Cowgill Rig ...

... to my right the stream snakes around below.

The road would take me to the two Cowgill reservoirs but I'm not going there today, I'm leaving the road to the right and heading to a gem of a place, the narrow steep sided Key Cleugh and little Cowgill Loch.

Leaving the road on a nice soft track ...

... through narrow Key Cleugh ...

... and past pretty little Cowgill Loch.

The Nips Road (Track), which I left at the stile high above some while ago, joins with the path from Cowgill Loch here. I could turn right and backtrack, instead I continue ahead on this track above the interestingly named Bottom Burn, in the direction of Baitlaws estate. Soon I reach the delightful footpaths through the trees alongside Lamington Burn.

The other end of the Nips Road is an option here ...

... I continue toward Baitlands estate ...

... and soon into the trees by Lamington Burn.

Ford or footbridge?

Pretty little Lamington Burn.

The footpath brings me past an old ruined cottage, and then out behind the buildings at the kennels so I have not much choice but to quietly walk between the buildings back onto Nips Road. The dogs bark again of course, and a polite gentleman comes out to greet me. Err, rewind ... this chap comes out and shouts at me about me walking over his private land ... he seemed a bit agitated ... so I explained what had happened, apologised politely, then ran away, muttering a little under my breath. Anyway, I'm doing "the running which is almost but not quite walking" back along the Nips Road toward the village and I see a sign for a footpath through the trees to my right "Holy Trinity Chapel (1857)", aye why not go have a bit of a look there. Its a lovely setting, then a short jog along the A702 back to the car park, passing the main street of Lamington village I notice the cloud has risen above the top of Tinto Hill by now.

The footpath leads past an overgrown ruin and back to the kennels.

Holy Trinity Chapel (1857)

Back in Lamington village and the cloud has lifted above Tinto.

This has certainly not been the biggest hill run I've done, distance only 12.8km, ascent only 480m, but it has probably the slowest hill run I've done since I seem to have been on the go for 2:09:24 according to mr garmin. There were a few conclusions on the running-walking boundary experiments: (a) easy enough on the flat and it's amazing how little time you can spend in flight if you try; (b) very easy to be almost but not quite walking on the ascent and I most often walk on the steeper sections anyway; (c) conversely very difficult on the descent but it doesn't much matter as gravity is doing most of the work; (d) impossible when bouncing through heather! I'm exhausted.

Oh, by the way, forgot to mention. I ate a Lamington once, in Cloncurry, Queensland. It was cake ... it was nice :)

Enjoy!