26/09/15 - Edinburgh Seaside

Distance - 5 Miles
Geocaches - 2
Walk From - 25 Walks in Edinburgh and Lothian

Last Night
A chance to show the Student what Edinburgh Night Life can be like.  So where else to take him but Rose Street?  We walk the length, passing the pissed, the desperate, the buskers and the hen parties.

Unexpectedly, we grab the last table in Dirty Dicks.  Rejoicing our joy, I go to the bar to order drinks only to have an excitable chef come running over to question the age of our Student.  Its OK I say, it's 7:30pm, he is 17 and drinking coke and we are all eating.

Edinburgh, once again, maintains the honour of the only City where I have been ejected from a pub.  This time two years ago, it was the Guildford Arms for the exact same reason. We are sent elsewhere, where we check their web site and laugh long and hard at their "Child Friendly Claim".

Today's Walk
Edinburgh, once again, throws up unexpected surprises.

I'm out the flat at 8am and driving the short distance to Cramond.  I know its by the sea - nestling on the shore of the Firth of Forth.  I was not expecting it to resemble a Cornish fishing village.

It's lovely.

Unexpected Edinburgh - Crammond

This is a walk of thirds.

The first third is along the River Almond - all rock strewn, with the occasional weir to add to the drama.

River Almond

At Cramond Old Bridge, I head in land - walking through what must be Edinburgh's millionaire's row.  No two properties are the same in style by all undoubtedly share a high price tag.

Cramond Old Bridge

The final third is a drop down Silverknowes golf course to pick up the promenade.  A proper seaside feel with kids with ice-creams and the smell of seaweed in the air.

Silverhowes

Edinburgh Seaside

Soon back at the car to reflect on how I can only be 15 minutes out of the City and walk in a completely different experience.

Edinburgh, unfriendly family licencing apart, is a wonderful and varied City that throws up constant surprises.

25/09/15 - Pentland High

Distance - 8 Miles
Geocaches - 3
Walk Inspiration
Pub - Flotterstone Inn, Edinburgh Gold


Another University Open Day.  At 303 miles, this one wins the longest distance from home by a country mile but we don't mind ferrying our talented offspring when it means returning to our favourite City.

Edinburgh is becoming a home from home.  We have rented the same apartment that we used two years ago.  We must be due a tech refresh as both my mini laptop and Sonia's phone connected the Wi-Fi without prompting for a password.

The plan for today is for me to drop the Student and Sonia off at Heriot Watt University and then head off to the other side of the Pentland Hills to start a walk from Flotterstone.

And if I am going to walk the Pentland Hills for the first time, I may as well aim for the highest part - Scald Law.

Directions

The start of the walk couldn't be easier.  Walk around the edge of Glencorse and Loganlea reservoirs, very gently gaining height.  A few dog walkers, joggers and fly fishermen in boats to say hello to.

Glencorse Reservoir

At the far Western end of Loganlea, the heavy lifting starts.  A steep climb to a gap between Scald Law and Carnethy hill.

Scald Hill is going to be a detour - but its worth it for the views over the rest of the range, the Firth of Forth and a geocache.

Astride Scald Law

Range Views

Then its drop back down to where I was before - finding a lovely spot out the wind for lunch, before climbing back to the top of Carnethy Hill.

In some respects, this walk is like the Malverns - albeit on a grander scale.  Once on the ridge, its fine walking dropping and re-climbing between the various peaks.

Views on the Descent

Another cache at an unnamed hill past White Craig Heads and then its down, down, down.  This route certainly tackles the hills in the correct order as its very steep.  Knees Hurting, ears popping, at least I am not going the other way like some hardy souls.

I tell them that if they follow me, they will get to the pub.  Their motivation is strong, as they carry on going up - if anything, slightly faster than they were before.

Back at the car park - all that remains is my first pint in Scotland for 12 months.  A very, very cold Edinburgh Gold.

Very Cold Edinburgh Gold

20/09/15 - Shaken not Stirred

Distance - 5 Miles
Geocaches Found - 17
Geocaches Not So Found - 8
Pint - Otter at the Fox and Hounds, Lulsley

With a free day on the weekend and the sun shining, I decide to entertain Mrs Mappiman by taking her on a new, local geocaching trail. 26 James Bond Themed caches in a 5 mile amble around countryside that I know reasonably well.

What could possibly go wrong?

Park up at the village hall and head down to the Church.  They is a chance to get a church micro but it is fiercely guarded by an aging labrador with a gruff bark.  We decide to leave him alone and collect the clues for #1 - a multi.  I wonder if the church Gardener can understand why there is a such an interest in his bench?

Alfrick Church - Dutch Windows and a Sun Dial

#2 is the first find and confirms that we are not the only cachers out today.

By #3, Mrs Mappiman is complaining that I am not letting her have a fair go, so get her to Gz, provide the clue and she makes mincemeat of a sneaky hide.  She's been picking up caching skills over the years, even if I am not completely convinced she is enjoying herself.

#4 - we give up on.  We are looking at the thing that everyone says that it isn't hidden on.  First DNF broken and knowing that I am not getting a clean sweep.  Pressure off, we limit the hunts and concentrate on the walking.  Which is damn fine.

Fields of Gold

#5 becomes a can't search, as there is a man with dogs.  I don't know if he has previously shot the birds but he whistles, they run into the coppice and come back with a bird in their mouths.  Maybe they are just ultra efficient hunters.  As the route loops around, I do get chance to come back to this.

Nice walking around the pond, after a hopeless search for a MTT in a copse full of MTTs.

Ravenshill Pond

2nd Part of the multi found on the lane and a couple of finds before finding a classic container.  I do like it when a multi comes together.

Two more DNFs and then Mrs Mappiman decides to give me some Geocaching advice.  "Walk slowly towards me and stop when the arrow says you are at GZ", she advises.  I thank her kindly for showing so much interest but #11 remains elusive - although we do have the co-ords for #10 multi.

#12 has a clue - Base of Tree.  I proclaim that if we cannot find this, I will retire from the game.  10 minutes later, I am sweating that I may well have to until the Mrs Mappiman approach is adopted and we make a find.

Enjoy the dingle walking along Red Cliff and Hayley Dingle - despite the mud.  We do OK to #19 (only one more DNF) and I am most grateful for the detailed walking instructions where it would have been very easy to get lost forever in the land that time forgot.

Mappiman Loving the Dingles

We meet a family with a dog, who is enjoying the swimming.  They may have been cachers, as the caches are now signed with a new name.  They must have a time machine, as they are dated tomorrow.

In trouble at #21 where I cannot find the correct Base of Post and muggled at #22.  #23 found and then on the Map, I spy the "Big Blue Cup of Joy".

Its time for a pint.

Except it isn't.  The building looks like a pub, but the small sign says "The Old Swan Inn".  It's been converted into private residence.  Sometimes, it's just not your day.

After a lot of DNFs and no immediate sign of beer, we abort the mission.

I am off to phone Q and ask him to develop a better geocaching device.

Back to a car and a couple of miles to Lulsley, where we drown our sorrows at the Fox and Hounds.

Fox and Hounds Otter.

Mrs Mappiman announces that she would come Geocaching next week, but the bathroom needs regrouting.

Thanks to Thejenks7 for a great walk and a much harder than usual trail.

19/09/15 - Nervous G&T

Distance - 7 Miles
Geocaches - 9
Walk Inspiration - Stage 28 of the Millennium Way
Pint - Wye Valley Butty Bach at the Anchor Inn, Leek Wootton

A busy September means that this is the only weekend I can complete my monthly soujurn on the Millennium Way. It's good to be out walking, even if there is little to document on this, Stage 28 out of 44.
Park up at a layby where there is a "camper van" with very steamed up windows.  I am sure its a precaution too far, but the iPod is locked away in the glove box.  I've lost one this year and I want to finish off Sonic Youth's Goo on the way home.

Security arranged its out into the fields.  A warning sign tells me to keep my dog on a lead because of the high maize.

Terrifying to Hounds

With Warwickshire golf course to my left, I head South.  The majority of the caches are along this section, which keeps my mind off the gunfire from the police training school to my right.  At least I now know what the danger signs on the OS map were referring to.

Leave the woodland onto fields at Woodloes Park.

Millennium Way.  And Centenary Way.

Into the outskirts of Warwick, re-familiarising myself with the massive IBM Campus.  A pork-pie break at a BP Garage and then onto the Grand Union Canal.

Grand Union Canal

The canal provides the next set of caches - all micros but all quite satisfying in their own way.  Must be the joy of retrieving them under muggle noses.

The walk back sums up the day really - decent bridle paths with absolutely nothing of interest to report upon - with the exception of the short repeat leg from Stage 27, where I pass the old Air Defence Base.  Not point prattling about last months experiences.

Back at the car and its a short drive into Leek Wootton and the pub.  8 chaps in identical egg shell blue suits are nervously milling around outside.  They are either auditioning for the next series of peaky blinders or attending a wedding.

The one with the largest flower and most nervous chuckle is identified as the groom.  What may be the best man returns with a tray full of Gin and Tonics.  I love man's inability to make up their own mind.  Presumably, the best man likes a G&T and everyone else blindly followed suit.

With the exception of me.

Next stage on the MW looks far more interesting.  Another castle.