It was very busy when I got there, almost had to park on the main road, and was wishing I had just run the 2 miles to get there but the sun was shining and the hills were resplendent.
Tracey arrived and we set off up the hill. As we were running up the hill I was telling Tracey that it was Hunter and Lass day in Penicuik and that the town had been very busy when I left. Then we came across a car, lots of people with Hunter and Lass sashes on and flags. I asked if the horses were coming this way and they said yes. Before the parade through the town the riders take the horses for races and a ride out on the morning of the parade and then they have lunch at a farm and then head back down the hill to the town. We were catching them on the way down after lunch.
All the way up the hill though we were still not seeing them. I said to Tracey that we wouldn't miss them as there would be loads of them. We were almost at the turning to the path up to Balerno when two guys on quad bikes passed us and warned us that there were loads of horses coming. At that point we got a little bit excited (well I did anyway). That excitement was worn off after a good ten minutes of not seeing any horses until we got to the gate that leads up the path to Balerno. It was open and Tracey said there was tyre tracks where the quad bikes had been.
I longingly looked at the hilly track and thought to myself if I was here myself I would be up that path in search of horses. Tracey must have read my mind and agreed when I said that maybe we could just run up a little bit to see if we could see them.
Still no horses but I did manage to talk Tracey quite far up the path before we decided that they might not be coming this way. Tracey might object and say she doesn't really like running but she did ask me to take her photo to prove that she had indeed run up a hill and was smiling whilst she did it! I will get her up Carnethy one day!
We were just about to give up and go back down the hill when over the hill came the Hunter and Lass!!! Hurrah!!!
It was great to see the Hunter and Lass actually up the Pentlands on the ride out as we always hear about their ride out and never really see it. And I am so glad we actually saw some horses otherwise I would never have heard the end of it! :)
The horses trotted off down the hill and we did after them. Tracey moaned all the way down the hill because we weren't on bikes and couldn't go "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee".
The horses turned left at the bottom to a cry of "Hurrah" from the Hunter to the little crowd who had gathered at the bottom then they all clattered off down the hill towards Penicuik. But our run was far from over. We turned right and headed off up the hill.
Our aim was to get to the top of the hill to the top reservoir. By this point the sun had come out and it was roasting. The views were amazing though as the sky was blue and the sun was out and the hills were so green!
Up and up and up and finally we made it to the top. We had to have a wee celebratory rest before heading back down again. It was, as always, stunning at the top.
Then it was time to head back down. It is always worth it this run for the downhill all the way back. We did have to avoid swallowing several hundred midges on the way back but we just kept our heads down and ploughed through the huge clouds of them.
By the time we got to the bottom we had covered 7 miles (some of which were off road Tracey - I'll make a fell runner of you yet!). I was totally re-inspired - running been a bit flat after Kielder and we saw loads of horses! An excellent run by all accounts.
Home for a cup of tea now. Might still do Scaldlaw tomorrow if the sun is still shining.
don't worry, be happy :)
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