One of the joys of the first UK Lockdown was learning new skills. I decided I’d learn how to create videos. You can read about it here.
Trying to create a show every week from scratch was hard work. So, for season two, we decided we’d film videos during the summer and then put them together into episodes in the Autumn. This has hopefully resulted in a more interesting show to watch as its not just shots of my garden for 10 weeks.
Here’s a preview of season 2.
There is no running/biking or swimming in the videos but it does fit into the general theme of this blog which is a love of Scotland and a passion for showing off all the great places you can visit.
John Muir was one of America’s most famous and influential ‘Outdoor Enthusiasts’ – although in a letter back to his native Scotland he did describe himself instead as a “poetico-trampo-geologist-botanist and ornithologist-naturalist etc. etc.” Which must be annoying to write when he was filling in the job title section of forms.
The John Muir Way is a 130 mile walking/biking route that stretches from his birthplace of Dunbar to where he left Scotland to head to America – Helensburgh.
I didn’t realize, until I looked at the route map, that I have actually done all of it but unintentionally whilst exploring various routes and paths along the Central Belt.
One of my favorite sections is Longniddry to North Berwick. I love the beaches in East Lothian and this section includes a run along one of the best: Yellowcraigs.
This section was easy to run. I parked my car in North Berwick. Got a train to Longniddry (10 minutes away) and then jogged back following the easy to follow route. There are lots of signs pointing out the route.
Its not a wild trail run, more like a mild trail run as it passes through some of the most affluent towns in Scotland. Its mostly flat and there are some sections near roads.
Parking
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I had no problem parking in North Berwick but it can be busy on a nice day.
Facilities
⭐
Rating: 1 out of 5.
No facilities.
Nearest cafe
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Plenty of options allong the route and in North Berwick.
Run Surface
80% off road, 20% pavement.
Dog Friendly
It depends on your dog. I ran with mine but she had to be on the lead a lot due to nearby traffic.
“Pinkston is home to Scotland’s only artificial whitewater course, a flat water basin with bathing quality water, meeting rooms and storage facilities for clubs and groups, Pinkston Watersports is an official Glasgow 2014 Legacy project and is operated by Glasgow Watersports Ltd, a registered Scottish charity run by a volunteer board of trustees.”
Threre is much debate about where the name Pinkston originates from. Supposedly the Scottish version of the name originated in the old barony of Pinkerton near Dunbar. The barony had the motto “Post nubila sol” which translates to “After clouds sunshine,” which is a fittingly apt motto for an outdoor pool because anyone who uses an outdoor pool needs a positive attitude – it might be cloudy today but the next time I swim it will be sunny!
I’ve used the facility for the last few years. It’s a great place to get an outdoor swim in a safe environment.
This year they have been running pay and swim session which has been hugely popular. During lockdown Pinkston was the only swimming pool that could open as it could operate in a COVID safe manner due to it being outdoors.
The only downside is that Pinkston can’t open the changing rooms to users. Everyone has to get changed outside. Which I think is a positive move as getting changed outdoors is a skill all outdoor swimmers have to learn.
I’ve been swimming regularly at 1700 on a Monday. Up unti this week (late Oct) the swim was in daylight. But this week the clocks went backwards. My 1700 swim became a night swim.
I didn’t realize just how dark the swim would be. I brought the wrong swim googles. I brought my shaded ones. I couldn’t see a thing. I was blinder than Stevie Wonder in a dark room with his eyes shut. I’m glad I did not record the swim on my GPS. It would have shown me swimming all over the place and, at one point, I’m sure I was swimming in a circle.
Lesson learned. I’ll bring a torch next time… and clear googles.
The area around Pinkston is getting regenerated. Local roads and access points are sometime closed so always check google maps first to find the best way there.
Water quality:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The water is murky. Don’t expect to see the bottom of the basin. The pool is not that deep. I can stand up at any point in it (I’m 6ft tall)
Swim Quality:
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Their is a 400m-ish loop when the basin is fully open. The site is open to the east and west which means it can be tricky swimming at sunrise/sunset as the Sun shines directly into your face.
Other People:
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Due to Covid regulations only a small number of people can swim at a time. It never feels busy and there is plenty of room to swim in.
Would I go back:
Yes – it is convenient to have somewhere in the city. It is good for beginners and it is a great starting point for people who want to move from the pool to outdoor swimming.
The day I didn’t make it to the Windfarm when my derailleur broke
Through lockdown I’ve tried to keep to Windfarm Wednesday. This is a ride out to Eaglesham wind farm on the Southside of Glasgow on a Wednesday. Unless it’s raining in which case it’s wind farm Thursday. Or, because it’s Scotland in the summer, Windfarm Maybe Next Week When The Rain Finally Stops.
Now that the clocks are going back I will need to pause Windfarm Wednesday until the Spring, assuming that we’ll still be working from home, which, given current conditions, is a safe an assumption as Donald Trump will lie when he opens his mouth.
I will miss Windfarm Wednesday because it’s been the first time in six years that I’ve had the chance to consistently ride outside during the week. Normally I’d be commuting to and from Larbert and would only get the occasional chance to head out between arriving home and dinner and dog walking and all the other things we need to do at night. Instead, I would try and grab 45 minutes on an indoor bike before the evening overtakes me.
Having the chance to spend at least one night a week outside has been fantastic and has provided a good break from lockdown life as it allowed me to not become too insular by living and working from home 24 hours a day. Instead, it’s an escape to flee the city and, most importantly, to find new places and visit parts of Scotland I’ve never been before, even if only an hours distance from my house.
Over the last six months I’ve tried to explore new routes but to always pass the windfarm on the way out or the way back. It’s good to have a target – the Windfarm – but the journey changes every week.
Over the winter I hope to flip this approach to the long nights and not fall into an easy routine on the indoor bike as the journey doesn’t change: the bike doesn’t even move.
Instead I’m going to try various simulated climbs and try a new one each week through Zwift and other apps so while my journey may not change each week then at least I’ll always have a different target.
Last week I shared a few tips and handy links about winter swimming. You can find it here: Introduction to winter swimming.
This week I share one tip to help you acclimatise and train to love the cold. If you want to know what swimming in winter is like then just do this – headbutt a tub of ice cream. Easy!
My Granny’s favorite mountain was Ben Lawers. She grew up in nearby Aberfeldy. During her youth she climbed Ben Lawers many times. Before she passed away she asked to be cremated so that her ashes could be spread upon the top.
So if you ever climb it, say hello to my granny. Knowing her, she will be haunting the trig point shouting at anyone nearby to stop chatting so she can concentrate on her crossword.
The Etape caledonia (https://www.etapecaledonia.co.uk/) uses some of the roads near Ben Lawers but I think this route is much more beautiful.
Video
Climb Review
Difficulty:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
It can be brutal on a bad weather day but when the weather is nice its a steady climb but no big gradients.
Views:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Views across Loch Tay on the way up. Views into Glen Lyon on the way down. Scotland at its best.
Traffic:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
It’s normally a quiet road but there may be a few cars on the first part of the climb heading to the Ben Lawers car park to start climbing.
Parking
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I parked in Aberfeldy. There is plenty of parking.
Toilets
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
There are public toilets in Aberfeldy but bring 20p to use them
A couple of week ago I had to attend a first aid course. The course covered all the major topics – sprains, injuries etc. but it also covered some unusual topics.
I have to admit I have never thought what would be in my top 10 communicable diseases BUT that’s because it’s so hard to pick a favourite. I love ebola but COVID is so hot right now…decisions…decisions…what to put as number 1?!
The instructor of the course tried to keep it light hearted but in doing so he did come out with some cracking phrases like his introduction to the course: “Blood, guts and gore are your bread and butter but first let’s get these gory pictures on the go!”
He then went on to show some gory pictures. One of which he was very proud of. It was a puncture wound. It looked sore. I know he was proud of it because when he put it up on screen he said “I’m very proud of this one”. Although, now I think about it, maybe it was the wound he was proud of not the picture.
He then showed a few more pictures. which he introduced by gleefully shouting, “gory picture time! gory picture time!”
To pass the course I have to demonstrate on video how to give CPR. I was thinking I’d use a pillow to demonstate on. He said “don’t use a pillow find something interesting instead like a teddy bear”
I now have a vision of him sitting at home watching a video of me giving CPR whilst he gleefully shouts, “teddy bear time! Teddy Bear time!”
If you want to know the first signs of hypothermia then here’s a video of me trying to eat a Twix after 90 minutes of cycling in zero degrees in just a short sleeved t-shirt. I’m wearing three layers of clothes to warm up and I still look like this:
Now, try to imagine swimming when you can’t control your body. Grim – and dangerous.
I normally stop swimming in October, once the water temperature falls below 12 degrees, and will only try a few quick dips until April. While I like the ‘shock’ of cold water I don’t like the ‘reward to travel’ ratio as it shrinks considerably in winter months. Why do I want to travel for an hour or more just to spend five minutes in the water? Instead I could walk to my bath and sit on some icecubes for five minutes and still have time to read a good book by an open fire?!?!
For anyone considering longer swims in winter than I thought it would be helpful to share a few links on how to prepare, what to expect and what to do if you get too cold – or, worse, get hypothermia and can’t eat a Twix. The links are below but if I had any tips to share these would be them:
Never swim alone
Swim for less time than you think you would comfortably manage
Never swim alone
Keep to the edge, the water will be much colder the deeper you get
Never swim alone
If in doubt, don’t get in or, if you are in, get out.
Devilla Forest is just north east of the Kincardine Bridge. I’ve always been intrigued by the name. If it has ‘devil’ in the title it must be a pretty scary place – right?
Wrong! According to https://fife-placenames.glasgow.ac.uk/placename/?id=317 Devilla means “bad farm” because the land is bad for growing things. How boring. I’d have written he farm was bad because of devil worshiping. That would be a more exciting story.
The forest is slighly scary. It has a stone which a local legend says is marked by the grooves from a witches apron string. Do witches have aprons? I though aprons are just used by great British Bake Off contestants?!
Other than a dubious connections to baking witches there are four lochs, burns, meadowland and rich wildlife – including red squirrels. Lots of variety packed into a small area.
The route I choose was an eight mile loop from the car park. The routes is signposted but I’d advise taking a map or a GPS device with you. I took a couple of wrong turns and its easy to lose track of how to get back to the car park.
The paths were a mix of firetrack road and muddy trails. There isn’t much elevation on the route so its good for a flatter trail run.
It was pretty wet when I visited But I look forward to going back in better weather so I can see more of it. I might even spot a witch.
Twin brothers swimming, cycling and running in Scotland 