Lomond Hillrunners' Annual Pub Run

ALAN'S REPORT Inverkeithing to Leith Pub run (with knobs on) Jan 2012 Fraser Alan Gordie Andy Pat David Robert Laurie Ivan Marcus JohnD Jennifer Derek BrianM For some, the run started sooner than others! A mischievous text from Jabbers ‘who’s up for a 6am start from Kirkcaldy' managed to reel in Fraser, Andy and a legless Laurie with Fraser’s pal Ivan joining the trio at Burntisland. The rest met at the agreed start time of 9.30 from Inverkeithing. Alan had met Pat on the bus from Glenrothes and had already broken three ribs laughing at Pat’s promised ‘construction’. Words alone cannot do his ‘scary mask’ justice (Edinburgh bairns will be having nightmares for years!) and it gathered many admiring/alarmed glances as Pat wore it for most of the run. Anxious to pile in the miles our Social Sec David had begged for an extra few miles by extended the route from S Queensferry but later regretted his enthusiasm! On a crisp winters day of blue skies we all came together at Inverkeithing train station and after the usual ‘arseing about’ from Brian we set off round the coast path to N Q’Ferry where Gus had arranged bacon butties, tea and coffee for us at the Ferry Inn. Ta from us all Gus! It was a brilliant start to what turned out to be a great day. Alan awarded Derek a mint tea bag for use if he couldn’t hack the 'pace' later on. We jogged across the bridge to our first pint of the day in S’ Queensferry. Our route continued through the Dalmeny estate where Jennifer acquitted herself well as guide. Alan survived a bad patch with a flu and Laurie limped along at the rear. We all eventually made the Cramond Brig hotel where the second of the day was downed. By now ‘legless,’ Laurie departed to meet friends for the Hearts match. For most of us the river Almond walkway down to Cramond was virgin territory and most seemed to be impressed. The Scotsman photographer that spotted Pat wearing his mask was certainly impressed – look for the headline - ‘police searching for Ned Kelly lookalike in Cramond – approach with caution!’ Another pint was downed at Cramond and the aches were beginning to disappear but David appeared slightly disconsolate when he discovered that there was more than a mile between pubs. The next bit got a bit messy – a jog through the Roman fort didn’t impress many (Brian's not too keen on foundations at the minute!) and further on we were alarmed when Brian appeared to kidnap a small child on a scooter (the mother looked a bit put out too!) We passed through an estate obviously inhabited by very rich people (dentists and builders!) and then though the park where we could hear the traffic thundering along the Queensferry road. This was where the fun nearly came to an abrupt stop for Derek when he leapt down the wall and fell into the path of the traffic. Alan and Fraser dragged him off the road and saved Derek from ‘the big building site in the sky.’ Safely across the road we looked back with alarm at Pat who was about to cross the same road wearing his mask! We were now onto the traverse of Corstorphine hill with a very pleasant run on hillpaths past the nuclear bunker, past the zoo and along the road to Roseburn. Here Andy left us (but having come all the way from Kdy!) and Brian departed back to work. Jennifer was now definitely looking the freshest of us (the fact she was drinking fruit juices may have a lot to do with it!) but Alan inadvertently put his foot in it when he asked ‘will you be going all the way tonight Jennifer’. (he meant the run of course!) A short jog got us down into the Water of Leith pathway which comes as a revelation to most that such a delightful hidden green corridor cuts through the heart of the city. Most legs were feeling the unaccustomed hard road miles by now (Robert looking like he'd already had a 'work out' at no XX LXXXh walk!) but there wasn’t too far to go. We had one more pint at Stockbridge and then Gordie dropped his usual bombshell – ‘can we miss the next pub out because I have to get back to feed the dog’. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth we agreed - only so that Gordie could preserve his perfect record of pub runs. For this reason it was surprisingly early that we crawled into Leith and found our last watering hole. During the run there had been a bit of banter about the delights (according to your tastes) of 41 Leith walk. It had been Alan’s son Ally that had warned us that under no circumstances should we knock on the door of number XX and ask for GeorXX. Just to set the matter straight it was by pure coincidence that I happened to look up as I was heading up the 'Walk' and found myself at the door of No XX. Just as I was taking a photo for posterity the door opened and a young man with a pit bull appeared. I plucked up courage to ask if this was where GXXXge lived. Yes, he replied, but there is a strange fellow, disguised in a mask, 'busy' with him at the moment! I must at this point admit that I have declined a monetary inducement from Derek to preserve his reputation as a connoisseur of fine ales – the agreed story is that Dave, Pat and Derek bevvied the evening away in Leith and then proceeded by way of number XX LXXth walk and several dubious dancing clubs for another ‘session’ up the high street before Pat got arrested for being drunk in possession of a scary mask. Joking apart it had been a great day with 22 miles/6pubs under our belts and everyone seeming happy with our efforts. Note: Some names and addresses above have been disguised following legal advice! I