Social events, runs & activities
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Halloween Night Run
24 Carnethies met up for this years Halloween Run.
With one missing from the spreadsheet list we headed off through The Witchy Wood (spooky), then along The Kill Burn (that ran red with blood at The Battle of Roslin) to the Bilston Viaduct (original was built by Thomas Bouch of Tay Bridge Disaster Fame).
A right turn led us along a track that had recently been covered in slurry. which some of us ran through (Lovely), then a couple of Carnethy witches appeared having missed the start of the run (read the start time!).
We descended and headed along Stinking Rigg (where the bodies were piled high in 1303) and the round The Maiden Castle and back towards Roslin passing Hawthornden Castle and General Monck’s Battery (In 1650, General Monck, with a force of 600 men, attacked and took Rosslyn Castle), then round Roslin Castle and into Roslin Country Park where a few fireworks lit the night (Thanks Bob Cali and Margaret).
We ran along and up Jacobs Ladder and back to Roslin including a circumnavigation to The world famour Rosslyn Chapel.
The into The Original Rosslyn Inn to refuel.
Willie Gibson
Soutra Splash
The storm cleared to leave a day of sunshine with 6 rivers that were entertaining rather than threatening. Carfraemill Hotel provided their usual excellent friendly service to even damp and scruffy customers. The return loop gave us time to dry out hardly a puddle in the way as we circumnavigated Hartside Hill looking for the missing link that would avoid the tarmac after Crookston North Mains Farm. Another day – – – .
Adam, Andy, Bob, Gio, Martha, Jon W, Keith, (plus Willie M searching but not finding us).
Keith Burns
Nothing going on in the Pentlands today
Staff complaining it is too busy for some reason. James Nicolson ran the opposite direction and counted 175 people enjoying the tops in a CW direction.
Mark Hartree
Taproom Special 2.0
It’s not often that you end up with a brewery all to yourselves to watch a Scotland rugby match, but that’s how the Taproom Special finished this time round. Not sure why Campervan was so quiet but it did mean that a group of slightly soggy runners didn’t offend anyone else and we had the best seats in the house. Rewind 7 hours and 14 of us met at Cross Borders Brewery to ensure we were fully hydrated for a long run visiting a total of 7 brewery taprooms. From the photos at each of the taprooms you’ll see that 4 of us made the full distance, with a few cameo appearances and many opting to run various sections of the route, plus Mark taking his bike over Caerketton. Thankfully the rain never got too heavy, although it may have contributed to quite a few staying to enjoy the comforts of Summerhall rather than continuing. One runner is alleged to have left Stewart’s with all the beer they could carry and gone bikini shopping, before returning to the group in Leith. Was great to finally get to Newbarns as their taproom opening was part of the inspiration for doing the Taproom Special again. Will have to spend longer next time I’m up! Bellfield was also a pleasant surprise as I didn’t know what to expect from a brewery tap tucked away in a housing estate. Thanks to Oz for getting the flight of Oktoberfest beer at Moonwake to share with everyone, and to Elly and Fiona for doing battle with the pizza ordering app to at least get us half a pizza each before it stopped taking orders! A great day out catching up with everyone, and hopefully it won’t be another 5 years between now and the next time we run this route. Approx. 32km with 650m up.
Jeff Roberts
7 Reservoirs Swimrun
Mike Lynch organised this but was crooked and could not run for this annual trip around the Pentland reservoirs.
Based on the half marathon route, but cutting several corners, the route swims across the widths of Torduff, Clubiedean, Harlaw, Threipmuir, Loganlea, Glencorse and Bonaly reservoirs with short runs of up to 4km between them. The total route is about 19km with 1300-1600m of swimming. It took us up to 3.5hrs with some of the group faster.
There are a few variants of the route now with more swimming – like doing lengths of the reservoirs (5km swim, 16km run, 4hrs) or a much more challenging route swimming the circumference or the 7 reservoirs, recently completed by Rob EJ and Rebecca Gentek (14km swim, 21km run, 9hrs 30mins). We are yet to do hill between each swim….
It was a cracking night with great weather and calm flat, 18c water. I think we had 8 people, Rob took the photos but broke his camera sadly, Jasmin and Ellie joined us for four swims, we met the local farmer near Harlaw…oops, Neil Burnett and Rebecca swam extra distances while us slower runners caught up, Barra swam 4 widths totalling 500m and surprising swimmers as he swam past them, Sandra and I ticked Torduff again at the end by moonlight and had chips in Oxgangs to warm up.
A great way to run, or swim, or both. If you do this as an organised event it will cost you about £300. It is free with Carnethy.
Mark Hartree
Slow Sunday Pentlands May
Another lovely morning run round the northern edge of the Pentlands. Eight of us (Nikki, Fiona, Eli, Sorrel, Cathy, Ken, Nick and myself) set out from Cobbs/Craigdon towards the Steading. After a discussion of how the new construction at Hill End will impact various race start finishes (Caerketton, Doonhiller and Skyline) we carried on up to Allermuir following the race route of the Pentland Skyline. At this point we headed towards Green Craig to find a set of paths that I had recced a few weeks ago. The problem was I had approached them from below and as I am still relatively new at leading group runs I made the cardinal error of showing doubt in the route. The helpful group pounced immediatley with multiple routes being offered and claims of knowing the path I was after. On a lovely sunny Sunday morning this was fine and it meant we ran through masses of blooming gorse bushes. We didn’t find the paths I was after (but we will next time…) but many of us learned about a grassy path around Swanston Golf Course thanks to Ken. In the end it was just over 5 miles, 1400 feet of elevatin and 1.5 hours. Followed by coffee and snacks on Cobbs’ sunny patio.
If you fancy something similar come out on Sunday, July 2. Craigdon/Cobbs, 9:00 am. Route TBD.
Sean Walker
Does a Wednesday run get any better?
Having skived off running for a month, I was wondering if this was really a run for me. Fortunately, having put my name in the box, I left it too late to wimp out. Gordon was ‘fresh’ back from Goatfell on Sunday, and sporting a fine new top. Perfectly suited to the evening’s conditions he insisted. Despite being 5 deg C warmer than yesterday, Julia wasn’t entirely convinced, but we all agreed it was shorts weather.
Thus a dozen of us set off as if for Swanston hill reps, with Phillipa noting she’d never been through the T wood before. There followed a short debate about the name. Something to do with the golf course, or originally a Darjeeling plantation your scribe wondered. But no. “It looks like a T from any direction”. If I were being picky, I might point out that would be “any direction except from above”. However, I bow to a greater wisdom that says “T wood” is catchier than “+ wood“.
Does this look like a “T” to you?
After a zig and a zag by the ski slope, we carried up and over Caerketton to Allermuir. While the rate of ascent proved too much for a couple of runners, the remainder enjoyed a warm and gentle wind at the top of Allermuir. Just enough to cool you down.
Allermuir. Even Amber’s smiling.
Gordon hit the perfect note by then steering us round Castlelaw and down to the “Glencose door” the gentle way. After the semi-suicidal route of the recent handicap, this met with universal approval.
A postcard from the Glencorse door
Briefly running alongside the reservoir, some were heard to suggest a wee dip might be nice. Terrible as it was to miss this chance to turn warm body parts to ice, we instead took a sharp right back up the hill. Here there was a split in opinion about how many hills was a good number to climb of an evening. Gordon and the Enthusiasts, a little known 70s prog rock band, took off to add Bells and Harbour. Oliver and the Mere Mortals, a session band rumoured to have played on the OGWT, swung north-west to claim Capelaw and also snuck in Green Craig in the vain hope of being able to say they’d done one Gordon hadn’t. They woz spotted though, so that ploy didn’t work.
The last section took us on a favourite route home, where another photo op presented itself. The response to “give me some action” wasn’t quite that expected. The last of the animation sequence (if it works) required the more detailed “give me some running action”. It was that sort of night. 7 miles and 4 hills in, and still all smiles.
“Give me some action”
About this point the Mere Mortals realised they had donned virtual bunny suits. The Enthusiasts were gaining on them. Engaging downhill overdrive, the Mortals made it home without being overtaken. Not that it was a race, of course.
One of the routes: A bit more than 8 miles and 1700′
Taking the politicians’ approach and answering my own question: “Does it get any better? “No, I don’t think it does”.
Thanks again to everyone who joined in, and to Gordon for organising us.
Pete Cain