I'm really missing this project! I've had a miserable cold for several weeks that has settled into a nagging chest congestion. So many friends have this and it just seems to linger on, regardless of what I do. I'm going to give it a few more days in the hopes it completely clears up.
We had an amazing few days of Indian Summer (can I say that? Native American Summer? Indigenous Peoples Summer?) last week -- better than any day during the Real Summer, although Scotland doesn't DO Real Summer .... Days that were perfect for Arthur's Seat, and I mostly kept the sofa company. Boo hoo.
05 October 2011
07 September 2011
One with Nature
Climbs 5 & 6
Tuesday Sept 6 & Wednesday Sept 7
Time: 30 minutes-ish both days. Too windy for much lingering.
Weather: mid fifties, VERY windy, radio reporting "gale force winds."
Number of times I wondered if I could keep this up in the forthcoming unpleasant weather of the late fall and winter ("dreich"): 4
I was hoping for something interesting to report this week and was more than amply rewarded.
After reaching the peak yesterday and trying to select a path down that would not involve being blown to death and dismemberment by the strong wind gusts, I very quickly noticed something I had not yet seen on these hikes.
About 1/4 of the way down from the peak on the Dunsapie Loch side, a gent had selected a sunny grassy knoll on which to engage in some calisthenics. While I watched he was doing those leg lifts which involve raising the legs in a straight line from the torso, bending the knees, then straightening the legs at a 90 degree angle from the body, then reversing that motion. This maneuver was performed repeatedly at a very controlled, yoga-like tempo.
Because the grass and heather is rather high, I couldn't see the rest of him, and used the zoom to take the picture. I don't think he knew he was being observed. As I passed below the knoll he was on, I could only see his legs going up and down, almost as if a modern art installation had been placed in Holyrood Park below Arthur's Seat.
The wind these two days has been invigorating, but as I would like to return in one piece, I'm trying to be very cautious. One last area near the peak is tricky in the wind, but if I clamber up low using my hands, it seems to be OK.
The wind was crazy just getting out of the car and getting started!
06 September 2011
Meet Tom, Intrepid Climber
Climb #4
Monday, September 5, 2011
Weather: sunny with fluffy clouds, high fifties, mild wind
Time: 30 minutes
Huffing & Puffing breaks: less than yesterday
Number of times nearly maimed self by falling in trying to get a good photo of a patch of heather near the peak: at least three times before moving to a safer point.
Meet Tom Grant. I did yesterday, near the top, on the rockier, less-obvious-path side of Arthur's Seat. He saw me taking pictures of the heather and commented, "More of that than you can photograph in the highlands." He then went on to relate how his wife doesn't like him to climb bigger hills (in the Scottish Highlands) alone. So he climbs Arthur's Seat -- five or six times in a morning! I didn't ask his age, but I'm guessing seventies. He worked his way right to the top, let me take a photo and promptly began a sure-footed descent while I admired the view (and caught my breath).
Tom at the Peak
Tom on one of the trails that leads past the ruins to St. Margaret's Loch.
04 September 2011
Sunshine, mountain bikes and a longer path: Day Three
September 3, 2011 (Saturday)
Weather: warm (68 F), breezy mix of clouds and sunPerspiration: heaviest yet
Time: 62 minutes
Amount of time giving skeptical advice to deranged-looking mountain bike dude: 4 minutes
Deep thoughts thought: 1 1/2
Feeling adventurous and loving the warm weather, I tackled a new route to the top, following the path from St. Margaret's Loch past the ruins of St. Anthony's Chapel, winding along the path that climbs above the sharply carved valley. The trail has a gentle slope, compared with the peak, but is steeper than it looks and I was huffing and puffing sooner than I anticipated.
After about 1/4 mile, the drop offs the valley below become quite steep and I suppressed the urge to tumble myself down them calling "As you wish ...... ooh, ow, oof, ooch, ouch ....."
As I neared the top and stopped for a break, I was distracted by a chap pushing his mountain bike up the hill, followed by a friend with a tripod and serious camera. The biker spent several minutes examining a steep slope nearby and I lingered, hoping to see him in action. He moved on, and I spoke with him as he surveyed another possibility.
Me: "Have you picked a spot?"
Crazy Biker: "Not yet."
Me: "Have you ever done this?"
CB: "Not yet."
Me: "Are you going the whole way down the hill?"
CB: "Hope so."
Me: "Watch out for the small shrubs with the giant thorns hidden among the tall grasses."
CB: "Aye. Wait, what?"
I saw him again near the peak as I was on the way back down. He had walked the bike nearly to the top; I don't know if he found a reasonable way down on the bike or not. I hope he had band aids with him. I was quite disappointed not to witness his attempt, but I was running out of time and needed to be back to the barn where Janie was taking a riding lesson.
This sweet border collie drank from the rain puddles at the peak and
then just plopped down on top of a small one, waiting to roam back down to his supper.
Wind & Rain: Day Two
Date: September 2, 2011
Time: 34 minutes
Weather: 61 F, wild weather: breezy, rainy & gloomy
Number of strangers I spoke to about their dogs: 1
Number of strangers I offered to photograph: 0
As I was parking and putting on my hikers, the most lovely young golden retriever approached from a car parked nearby. He had that happy, eager look that is so common in dogs in Scotland. Happy dogs can be found around the world (maybe not so much in countries where they are eaten), but in my opinion Scottish dogs must rank among the happiest. The golden's owner was not far behind, so of course I began a short conversation (which almost almost always begins the same way): How old was he? (six months) What was his name? (Barley) He looks so happy to out and about. (yes, we have him so I will get more exercise, he loves his walk.) The dogs here are rarely on leashes, although most owners carry one and are quick to attach it if someone is appears uncomfortable (I've yet to meet that person in Scotland) or another dog is threatening (very rare). The dogs either stay close to their people or romp on ahead, circling back to check in frequently.
It's rather otherworldly up here watching the clouds and rain move in against the sun in the distance.
The sky was low and mildly threatening as I started my way up. I didn't see many people out, but a few seemed to be at the peak. The rain started when I was about three quarters of the way up, but only just enough for me to put up my hood. The rocky bits and stones as you approach the top are so worn that they become very slippery in the rain and I had visions of being carried down pieces. The peak was deserted, the first time I've been on Arthur's Seat completely alone, the people I had seen at the top earlier had begun their descents when the rain started.
Rather boring alone up there in the rain.
Time: 34 minutes
Weather: 61 F, wild weather: breezy, rainy & gloomy
Number of strangers I spoke to about their dogs: 1
Number of strangers I offered to photograph: 0
As I was parking and putting on my hikers, the most lovely young golden retriever approached from a car parked nearby. He had that happy, eager look that is so common in dogs in Scotland. Happy dogs can be found around the world (maybe not so much in countries where they are eaten), but in my opinion Scottish dogs must rank among the happiest. The golden's owner was not far behind, so of course I began a short conversation (which almost almost always begins the same way): How old was he? (six months) What was his name? (Barley) He looks so happy to out and about. (yes, we have him so I will get more exercise, he loves his walk.) The dogs here are rarely on leashes, although most owners carry one and are quick to attach it if someone is appears uncomfortable (I've yet to meet that person in Scotland) or another dog is threatening (very rare). The dogs either stay close to their people or romp on ahead, circling back to check in frequently.
I think I need to start borrowing neighbors dogs for some of my climbs.
It's rather otherworldly up here watching the clouds and rain move in against the sun in the distance.
The sky was low and mildly threatening as I started my way up. I didn't see many people out, but a few seemed to be at the peak. The rain started when I was about three quarters of the way up, but only just enough for me to put up my hood. The rocky bits and stones as you approach the top are so worn that they become very slippery in the rain and I had visions of being carried down pieces. The peak was deserted, the first time I've been on Arthur's Seat completely alone, the people I had seen at the top earlier had begun their descents when the rain started.
Rather boring alone up there in the rain.
02 September 2011
100 Climbs
I'm setting myself the goal to climb Arthur's Seat 100 times in the next 12 months. It's practically on my doorstep, the views are ever-changing and you never know who you will meet at the summit.
Climb Number One:
Wednesday, August 31
Weather: warmish day (60 F, which is warmish for Edinburgh), no rain, which always pleasant, light breeze
Time: 31 minutes, up & down
Time spent singing & nattering to myself: 23 minutes
Perspiration: mild, and I needed to remove my sweater three-quarters of the way up.
Clumsy misstep resulting in possible death: 0
Clumsy misstep resulting in near mud-covering and humiliation: 1
Although Festival has ended the kids are back in school, the hills around and paths to Arthur's Seat are still busy. I pass & am passed by a variety of climbers: older tourists, students, and those fit outdoorsy types running, not jogging, up the hill. I'll be taking the "easy way" up until I can get the best of the vertigo that bothers me on the steep, narrow stone steps on the opposite side of the hill. Not many dogs today. Maybe I can borrow a neighbors for some of these climbs.
http://walking.visitscotland.com/walks/centralscotland/holyrood_park_arthurs_seat
At the peak I offered to take a photo for a lovely older couple -- he was perfectly posed against the city view and she was taking the picture, so she joined him for a great photo. I don't think I would carry around the massive camera they had, I was nervous to take it while standing perched on uneven rocks. But their holiday photos are probably spectacular. I'll continue to buy postcards and use my small sony.
I'm trying to avoid being "plugged in" during the climbs, other than checking in & photos. Good time for prayer and contemplation.
Here's to Day Two, I need to leave now to avoid what looks like a big rain shower heading my way.
Cheers.
Climb Number One:
Wednesday, August 31
Just up the hill from Dunsapie Loch (Portobello in the distance and the white blank area is the Firth of Forth leading out to the North Sea.)
Time: 31 minutes, up & down
Time spent singing & nattering to myself: 23 minutes
Perspiration: mild, and I needed to remove my sweater three-quarters of the way up.
Clumsy misstep resulting in possible death: 0
Clumsy misstep resulting in near mud-covering and humiliation: 1
Although Festival has ended the kids are back in school, the hills around and paths to Arthur's Seat are still busy. I pass & am passed by a variety of climbers: older tourists, students, and those fit outdoorsy types running, not jogging, up the hill. I'll be taking the "easy way" up until I can get the best of the vertigo that bothers me on the steep, narrow stone steps on the opposite side of the hill. Not many dogs today. Maybe I can borrow a neighbors for some of these climbs.
http://walking.visitscotland.com/walks/centralscotland/holyrood_park_arthurs_seat
At the peak I offered to take a photo for a lovely older couple -- he was perfectly posed against the city view and she was taking the picture, so she joined him for a great photo. I don't think I would carry around the massive camera they had, I was nervous to take it while standing perched on uneven rocks. But their holiday photos are probably spectacular. I'll continue to buy postcards and use my small sony.
I'm trying to avoid being "plugged in" during the climbs, other than checking in & photos. Good time for prayer and contemplation.
Here's to Day Two, I need to leave now to avoid what looks like a big rain shower heading my way.
Cheers.
08 July 2011
The Party Stops when the Grandparents Drop
We've been thrilled to have my Mom and Dad (aka Grammie & Pa) in Edinburgh with us for the past two weeks (one to go). Daryl's brother's family, Doug & Teresa, Shelley & Melanie, joined us from June 28 to July 5 to add to the fun, or what some might call insanity.
Tonight as I was stewing my weary bones in my small boat of a soaking tub, I mentally compiled a list of everything we've done/seen in the past two weeks, but couldn't quite do it without the help of the calendar. I thought you might be amused by a brief recounting of the itinerary. I believe I have earned my Tour Guide Barbie patch.
Here goes:
June
23: Grammie & Pa arrive midday (girls out of school for their arrival); we did let them rest briefly (too much not good for jet lag) in the afternoon, off to Blackford Hill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackford_Hill after supper for the lovely views of Edinburgh in the amazingly beautiful late evening sunshine.
24: Today was Janie's all day-dress rehearsal for the St. George's Junior School spring musical, Rainbow Spectacular at a church on the other side of town. I let Caroline skip again, and we took Janie to the church, then went to Stockbridge for shopping & lunch, then back to the church at 1:30 to watch the dress rehearsal (couldn't bring everyone to the performance, restricted by the size of the church to three guests), then home with Janie, then Daryl & I back again with Janie to watch the performance in the evening. Ice cream at S Luca in Morningside on the way home. With the three round trips to the church, this was a surprisingly exhausting day.
25: Church picnic to Harlaw Reservoir at base of the Pentland Hills. We arrived dressed for the outdoors, but did not know the picnic included a 2 mile hike to the picnic site. Not strenuous, however, but Janie was quite muddy and almost entirely soaked by the time we arrived back at the car. I learned that "paddling" (as mentioned in the picnic announcement email) here does not involve a boat of any sort, but wading at the water's edge. If I had known that, a change of clothes for her would certainly have been packed with the lunch.
26: Church in the morning. Craigmillar Castle in the afternoon. Craigmillar is a great 14th century ruin about 2 miles from our house. We had a great time roaming and scrambling around the grounds and climbing the rocks at the base of the tower walls.
27: Quiet day, puttering, getting the rest of the basement flat ready for the Ohio Wehmeyer arrival Tuesday. Trip to Costco (including picture out front -- hey, it's the Edinburgh Costco!) Oh, and the daily double games of Frogger (making the school drives).
28: Dumferline Abbey and Palace (really an abbey guest house that became a royal residence as various HMs decided they liked it for a retreat). Robert the Bruce is buried here and many other kings and queens of Scotland. The property dates to 1072. Simply amazing. Afternoon was Caroline's Lower School Sports Day at St. Georges. She ran a great 80m race :)
29: We are now 10 with the late night arrival of the Ohio Wehmeyers. No rest for the weary travelers, however, and as soon as I return from taking the girls to school, we head for Edinburgh Castle & the Royal Mile. It was a sunny, warmish (for us) day, and we all enjoyed the castle views and seeing the "rock from the King's Speech" -- the Stone of Scone or Stone of Destiny. http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/index/tour/highlights/highlights-stone-of-destiny.htm. I'm up to four visits to the castle and always want to stand and admire the views in every direction.
After I left for the afternoon school run, the rest of the crowd caught the tour at Mary King's Close of underground Edinburgh -- they highly recommend it & I'll need to do that.
30: Daryl & the Ohio Wehmeyers drove to St. Andrews to see the coast, the university, the town and the golf courses. And not necessarily in that order!
After we took the girls to school, Mom, Dad & I walked back into the city center and walked through the St. Cuthbert's cemetary, admired the masses of gorgeous roses in Princes Street Garden, then spent a quick hour in the National Gallery before picking up the girls at noon from their last day at school. We then took the bus back into town for an afternoon of shopping & a picnic lunch in the Princes Street Garden. When the rest of crowd returned home, we went to Leith for fish & chips at the King's Wark (BEST in town!)
JULY:
1: Yea! Caroline's 13th birthday is today, so we organized our day around her celebration. We all trekked out to Ocean Terminal in Leith for lunch (Caroline invited several school chums); while Caroline & her friends shopped & went to a movie, the rest of toured the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Queen's former yacht, upon which Charles & Diana honeymooned. http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/ Home for chocolate birthday cake & pizza.
2: We spent all day in Stirling, about an hour northwest-ish of Edinburgh. We started at the Wallace Monument and then drove into town to Stirling Castle. The palace there was recently re-opened after refurbishment, and we hadn't been able to see it on a previous visit. Mary Queen of Scots parents lived at Stirling and established their court there.. It was a day of beautiful views everywhere we looked!
Tonight as I was stewing my weary bones in my small boat of a soaking tub, I mentally compiled a list of everything we've done/seen in the past two weeks, but couldn't quite do it without the help of the calendar. I thought you might be amused by a brief recounting of the itinerary. I believe I have earned my Tour Guide Barbie patch.
Here goes:
June
23: Grammie & Pa arrive midday (girls out of school for their arrival); we did let them rest briefly (too much not good for jet lag) in the afternoon, off to Blackford Hill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackford_Hill after supper for the lovely views of Edinburgh in the amazingly beautiful late evening sunshine.
24: Today was Janie's all day-dress rehearsal for the St. George's Junior School spring musical, Rainbow Spectacular at a church on the other side of town. I let Caroline skip again, and we took Janie to the church, then went to Stockbridge for shopping & lunch, then back to the church at 1:30 to watch the dress rehearsal (couldn't bring everyone to the performance, restricted by the size of the church to three guests), then home with Janie, then Daryl & I back again with Janie to watch the performance in the evening. Ice cream at S Luca in Morningside on the way home. With the three round trips to the church, this was a surprisingly exhausting day.
25: Church picnic to Harlaw Reservoir at base of the Pentland Hills. We arrived dressed for the outdoors, but did not know the picnic included a 2 mile hike to the picnic site. Not strenuous, however, but Janie was quite muddy and almost entirely soaked by the time we arrived back at the car. I learned that "paddling" (as mentioned in the picnic announcement email) here does not involve a boat of any sort, but wading at the water's edge. If I had known that, a change of clothes for her would certainly have been packed with the lunch.
26: Church in the morning. Craigmillar Castle in the afternoon. Craigmillar is a great 14th century ruin about 2 miles from our house. We had a great time roaming and scrambling around the grounds and climbing the rocks at the base of the tower walls.
Janie @ Craigmillar Castle
28: Dumferline Abbey and Palace (really an abbey guest house that became a royal residence as various HMs decided they liked it for a retreat). Robert the Bruce is buried here and many other kings and queens of Scotland. The property dates to 1072. Simply amazing. Afternoon was Caroline's Lower School Sports Day at St. Georges. She ran a great 80m race :)
Dumferline Abbey
29: We are now 10 with the late night arrival of the Ohio Wehmeyers. No rest for the weary travelers, however, and as soon as I return from taking the girls to school, we head for Edinburgh Castle & the Royal Mile. It was a sunny, warmish (for us) day, and we all enjoyed the castle views and seeing the "rock from the King's Speech" -- the Stone of Scone or Stone of Destiny. http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/index/tour/highlights/highlights-stone-of-destiny.htm. I'm up to four visits to the castle and always want to stand and admire the views in every direction.
Edinburgh Castle, canon pointed right at our house about 1.5 miles away
After I left for the afternoon school run, the rest of the crowd caught the tour at Mary King's Close of underground Edinburgh -- they highly recommend it & I'll need to do that.
30: Daryl & the Ohio Wehmeyers drove to St. Andrews to see the coast, the university, the town and the golf courses. And not necessarily in that order!
After we took the girls to school, Mom, Dad & I walked back into the city center and walked through the St. Cuthbert's cemetary, admired the masses of gorgeous roses in Princes Street Garden, then spent a quick hour in the National Gallery before picking up the girls at noon from their last day at school. We then took the bus back into town for an afternoon of shopping & a picnic lunch in the Princes Street Garden. When the rest of crowd returned home, we went to Leith for fish & chips at the King's Wark (BEST in town!)
JULY:
1: Yea! Caroline's 13th birthday is today, so we organized our day around her celebration. We all trekked out to Ocean Terminal in Leith for lunch (Caroline invited several school chums); while Caroline & her friends shopped & went to a movie, the rest of toured the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Queen's former yacht, upon which Charles & Diana honeymooned. http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/ Home for chocolate birthday cake & pizza.
2: We spent all day in Stirling, about an hour northwest-ish of Edinburgh. We started at the Wallace Monument and then drove into town to Stirling Castle. The palace there was recently re-opened after refurbishment, and we hadn't been able to see it on a previous visit. Mary Queen of Scots parents lived at Stirling and established their court there.. It was a day of beautiful views everywhere we looked!
O-H-I-O @ Stirling Castle
3: THE ALL DAY, ALL HIGHLAND BUS TOUR! We departed from the Royal Mile at 8:00 a.m. with stops in Pitlochry (small Victorian town in Perth), Ft. Augustus for Loch Ness boat ride, Ft. William (Inverlochy Castle: http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertydetail.htm?PropID=PL_159&PropName=Inverlochy%20Castle), Glencoe for pictures, Stirlingshire to visit a highland cow and assorted miscellaneous photo stops & points of interest. We dragged back into Edinburgh just shy of 9:00 p.m. just in time for a lovely relaxing walk home via the Old Town, Quartermile & Meadows to work out the kinks after spending the day on the bus.
4: Janie turns 7 today! We mustered early Monday morning for a hike up Arthur's Seat. Dad made a new friend at the top who explained some of the basics of rugby, including the variations of rugby league rules. Everyone made it up and down in one piece. We had great views down to Holyrood Palace, where people were arriving for HM The Queen's Garden Party. Just as we were heading down, the first strains of God Save the Queen were reaching the peak. It was quite warm and we were glad we weren't making the climb later in the day, which is highly unusual in Edinburgh!
Most of the girls went to Princes Street for shopping while Grammie, Pa & me took Janie to the first part of her birthday party. Four of her school friends met us at a small cinema in Morningside for Kung Fu Panda 2, then we walked 10 minutes up the street to S Luca for ice cream with the girls and the rest of the family. The upstairs cafe was nearly deserted, so the school girls gave a repeat performance from some of the songs from the spring musical.
5: Up early to take the Ohio Wehmeyers to the train station, as they spend a day in London before returning to Ohio & Kansas City. The rest of us spent the day chilling and recovering from the whirlwind of the previous week.
6: One day off is enough. Today we (Grammie & Pa, me & the girls) went up to the Royal Mile for lunch at Carrubers Cafe, at Carrubers Church. http://www.carrubbers.org/ Dad tried the national soft drink, Irn Bru; to say it tastes of orange fizzy cough syrup would be generous. http://www.irn-bru.co.uk/home.html
We walked the few blocks to the National Museum of Scotland; this was our first visit and won't be our last. The museum has some great kids areas and more on the way for a late July expansion opening. http://www.nms.ac.uk/our_collections/highlights/dolly_the_sheep.aspx
We saw the preserved Dolly the Sheep, lots of ROS (Really Old "Stuff") In fact, after these last few weeks, I'm thinking of changing the title of the blog to "Really Old Stuff." Walked home through a misty Edinburgh.
7: Janie & I saw the HM the Queen today! Very exciting, if fleeting. We were driving home from the orthodontist and HM's motorcade came through the roundabout we were waiting to enter. Maybe on the way north to Balmoral? HM was wearing a pink hat and looked small in the back seat of HM's lovely black Rolls. Or is it a Bentley? I was Too Busy Shrieking "Janie, Janie, LOOK!" to get a good look at the automobile. HM didn't seem to notice us...
The rest of the day was spent castle-ing: we visited Doune Castle and Castle Campbell. Doune Castle http://montypython.wikia.com/wiki/Monty_Python_and_the_Holy_Grail is well-preserved semi-ruin dating from the 14th century. It is well-known at the "Monty Python Holy Grail" castle. It is also the home to many very small birds (swallows, perhaps?) that dart quickly in and out of the rooms, stairways and arches, sometimes very close to one's head. Sometimes freaking one out. Sometimes.
Doune Castle
After lunch in Callander, we spend about an hour at Castle Campbell in Dollar. The location is simply breathtaking and the castle itself is remotely situated at the top of heavily wooded glen. It is only reached by vehicle on a narrow winding steep road, or by foot climbing the hillside along the winding creek. As we approached the castle, I had the thought that perhaps it's inhabitants weren't terribly popular. It is situated in such a was as to be very easily defended. My father's paternal grandmother, Blanche, was a Campbell, so this was a fun stop. We'll need to visit both these places again with Daryl.
Castle Campbell
8: And that brings us today. Janie went swimming at Leith Waterworld (indoor playground pool) with Grammie & Pa. We puttered the rest of the day, as it was unusually stormy with very heavy rain showers. I made a banofee pie, which I hope be an improvement over the last attempt. Tomorrow (Saturday 9th) we go to Linlithow to see the palace and watch a jousting event with a team from England. Woo hoo, the fun never stops!
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