With a three hour window of opportunity for a run this morning, and the weather forecast saying that it would be warm, I decided that an outing from Carlops would be fun.
A quick email late friday and a few text exchanges saw 6 of us heading off from Carlops at 9am.
The plan was a 14 mile clockwise circuit taking in East Cairn Hill , Hare Hill and the Kips. Climbing Mount Maw the weather was grey, and the pathless mossy, cattle divoted hill was hard work and as we reached the Trig the wind was getting up.
The track from here was good running and with the wind behind it was nice climbing Grain Heads, and then on to The Mount. Turning more sideways to the wind we dropped into Deer Hope and up the well named Wether Law. The Weather closed in and being blown sideways in heavy rain we crossed the Henshaw Burn watershed and found the shelter of the wall on the way towards East Cairn. Leaving the wall for the last 500 metres it was very wild and wet.
After a regroup and replacing the pertex with full waterproofs we ran off to the shelter of the lower ground at the Bore Stane with the wild weather on our backs. Looking at the watch and the rain and the sign saying Carlops 3 miles, a quick decision to abort was made and we followed the path through the valley.
My legs and knees were paying the price of a 60 mile week as the young things scooted off down the path. The track loving Joanne and Kathy quickly disappeared into the distance. Regrouping at the gates the last mile into Carlops saw Fraser and I taking up the rear but we made it back to Carlops in just under the promised 3 hours and four miles short of the promised 14, (10.01 miles on my Garmin).
A grand day out with Fraser, Joel, Joanne, Kathy and Graeme.
Willie Gibson