Pentland Hills

We have had quite a lot of snow for Edinburgh standards this year. The snow does not stay for long in the city. But when it does, every child in town goes out with a sled to enjoy the winter fun. Adults and students often join in with bizarre alternatives to sleds. The most alternative ones I have seen so far have been a cupboard door and even an old bath.

Since our attempts at sledding with homemade sledge were not too successful, we have decided to go for a hike in the Pentlands instead. The current lockdown rules allow us to travel five miles outside of our city council area. So, we cycled all the way to the park. The way there was somewhat interesting, because I have a road bike with very narrow and smooth tires. To add to the struggle, the whole city of Edinburgh has two ploughs, which means that not many roads are ploughed well. After forty minutes of cycling, walking and bike pushing, we have made it to the park. We have hoped for a nice walk, maybe a snowball fight or snowman building.

Right after we have gained some altitude, we were met with a strong wind. The paths were blown over with fresh snow and our footsteps were disappearing right after we left. Strong side wind was creating beautiful patterns in the snow, but it was also whipping around us in a scary way. My right ear was not very appreciative of our little hike. Even though we were not too far out from the city, we felt like we were on an Alpine expedition. It must be that after months of online school every adventure feels like a big adventure.

After we walked through the windy valley, we could finally relax in a calmer part of the park. Everywhere we could see were just white hills. The hills were silent, just as if the snow absorbed all the noise. After weeks of sitting in front of the screen and online meetings it felt like a dream.

The way home was even more stressful. I felt like both my fingers and my toes are going to fall off. Fortunately enough, the snow has melted in the city, so I didn’t have to worry about slipping on ice as much. We have arrived after dark, tired and cold. But we know now that it is worth the cycle and the effort. It provides the necessary restart from all the worry. We are about to be hit by another snowstorm next week, and we are ready for another expedition.