New Year, Fresh Snow
January 2025: a month that started with bitterly cold rain and sleet, has given so much since.
Broughton from Trahenna:
Greenmantle Dash
The 2nd of Jauary saw the Greenmantle Dash, a short steep hill race from the village of Broughton. Temperatures of -7°C on the drive over, trees dripping with snow, fields as thrillingly blank as a fresh page: the previous day's sleet had transformed the Borders into a wonderland.
Pentlands Snow
Would you like to do the Pentland Way? asked a friend. This is a 20 mile route through the Pentland hills near Edinburgh, from Dunsyre to Swanston. I was up for it, but we hadn't factored in fresh snowfall! It was bitterly cold on the hills, and we abandoned the official route after the first top for the shelter of the glens. But what a route! I haven't run so far in a long time and spent the next day tottering.
Carpe Diem
People had been posting their postcard-perfect pictures of the Pentlands on social media. This had been going on for days, and at quarter to four on a work day, I snapped. I logged off (thank you flexi-time!), drove to the Pentlands, and marched up the hill. It was 4pm, already sunset, but the snow was bright and the sky clear. At 4:45pm the dog and I were on Allermuir for the very last of the light: we ran back down by torchlight.
Comments