Another beautiful, sun kissed day as we set off up the track opposite the Gordon Arms Hotel. A short climb up to some farms and along a well marked route. Passing one of the farms we were greeted by the sound of a ferocious killer, although it actually turned out to be a soppy looking retriever carrying it's rabbit teddy bear. It must be something about the breed because mine has a monkey teddy bear and Dylan, my sister in laws old dog had a teddy as well which they look after like a child with a comforter.
We passed through some more amazing scenic hillsides before passing the North Esk reservoir which indicated we had finally reached the Pentland hills. I've walked some parts of the Pentlands previously but hadn't realised how stunning the whole area really is. It was icy in areas with some patches of snow which only added to the beauty. The ground was boggy in parts but not too bad and we came across an entire track made from logs laid side by side. Due to it being wet this was a bit difficult and we had to take care not to slip. This road had obviously been laid to allow vehicles up to the higher points.
After moving across the Pentlands we dropped down to join the Water of Leith walkway which tells us we're close to the finishing point for this leg but we're not silly enough to start to relax just yet as there is still a good few miles to go. There's a lot more people on this part of the walk which tells you you're getting closer to the city. We soon picked up signs for the canal and the visitor centre which marks the end of this part of the route. There are regular signs, with mile markers on so we knew exactly how far there was to go before we arrived at the canal. Until now any walking I had done was always to the north however this truly stunning walk has changed my thoughts and will certainly make me think about heading south in the future. The only downside to this entire walk for me was with Edinburgh council or more realistically Edinburgh and Lothian buses. Standing, in pieces after the walk, the bus arrived only for the driver to say "I can't take that £5 note for a £4 journey, we don't give change". What he failed to mention was that he could've taken the £5 without giving us any change, which I would have gladly done. I then had to walk around another 3/4 mile to find a shop for change only to be told by the next driver that they could've taken the £5. Not happy however I didn't let it ruin my memories of the walk but this really seems like a way to rip off un-knowing tourists to me which contribute a massive amount to Edinburgh's economy. I certainly won't be using the bus in future unless I have to.
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