Berwick Law . . . .

. . . . . From Athelstaneford.

There was an email yesterday cancelling today’s cycle run into the depths of East Lothian due to the weather. I discovered today that few people, even the residents, know that the climate there is far warmer than the surrounding areas to such an extent that, a hundred years ago, it was a market garden area producing early fruit and veg to the region. Bearing this, the weather forecast and the  fact that our lunch venue was booked and paid for in mind, I emailed that I was doing the run anyway and others were welcome to come.

So it was that three of us left the start in a flurry of snow but, very soon, the sun came out and combined with a tail-wind to make a very pleasant ride out. We were forced to have both a comfort break and a morning coffee stop to avoid arriving at lunch before the hall was available and our appetites had been suitably whetted; and we took the opportunity to admire Bob’s shiny new bike paying particular attention to the robust and well-treaded, practical tyres. A few minutes later, there was a loud bang that heralded the explosive deflation of it’s front tyre which had separated from the wheel revealing a six inch split in the tube. Apparently, the nameless shop that fitted the tyre have now admitted that they must have done a duff job and gallantly supplied a replacement for the damaged tube.

The blip is of the view towards Berwick Law from behind the village hall. The Law is a volcanic plug with most of the rest of the volcano having been eroded by glaciations. On the top, are relics of an iron age fort, lookout posts from the Napoleonic and Second World War and a fibre-glass replica of a whale’s jawbone and I’m beginning to feel the urge to climb to the top at some time.

It’s now late evening and the weather’s wet and miserable.


I’ve just posted Monday’s, “Jackson Street School.”