Day 46 has seen 8 miles walked with a climb of 1279 feet. Another walk with the fabulous Allie who had never been up Arthur’s Seat before and as the last time I had gone up it was as a young man when very…… very……..very dwunk. (A little known fact about me but about which I was lucky to escape without injury and would certainly never repeat or recommend. In fact I remember little detail about the incident other than how spectacular the views were over Edinburgh.) I volunteered a day of the challenge to go up Arthur’s Seat with Allie.
I am so very glad that I did because it has helped me considerably to get over a slight set back from yesterday. I told you in my post for Day 45 how I had had a very near partial seizure in the wood pile. Well after I sent the post I had my haircut at home by the most excellent mobile barbour Viktor Keresztes, and it was during this haircut, while sat trying to relax and even doze to the rhythmic clipping of the scissors, that a monster of a partial seizure took hold. There were no bees or swirling rooms just a very powerful sensation of the metallic tastes and smells bubbling under increasing pressure behind my nose and the back of the throat like I was about to erupt into a geyser of pure mercury of epic proportions. I cried out feebly for help and asked Viktor to stop. I took a break and stood up to breath this beast away. After swallowing my anti-seizure pills and taking a few moments to pace around the geyser abated and feelings returned to normal. Viktor had finished and through a great act of kindness took enough only for my son’s haircut before leaving. Thank you Viktor but those two partial seizures in quick succession after a number of days seizure free knocked my confidence considerably. So I wasn’t sure if I should go but then remembered that I was on the challenge. That if I was to beat this beast then I had to fight it when I felt most vulnerable so I had to go and besides was blessed by the fact that Allie was escorting me today.
I duly arrived in Edinburgh Waverley to link up with Allie and walk to the start. As I did my lovely neighbour Pat who I told you about before and had given me her Father’s thumb stick to keep me safe on the hills called me. I had put last night’s post through her letter box in hard copy as I had agreed to do each day as she cannot get on to facebook to read the posts but wanted to keep upto date. Pat had read about yesterdays near partial seizure and called me to find out what I was upto today. I had to make some very stern promises: to keep away from the Crags edge, to stay away from the water’s edge, to make sure I take an hours rest in the afternoon and to make sure Allie knows that she has to dive in right after me if I collapse in to water as I haven’t got long. It was lovely phone call from Pat, who cares so much, and is not shy of giving me a firm talking to when I need it. In fact I am pretty sure that she has my Mother’s blessing so to do!! So the message was received; Arch, just be sensible, and the conversation ended with a promise to ensure that Allie had her water wings with her!!! I joke but it was a lovely call Pat. Thank you for watching over me and I did exactly as I was told………Except that at the top of the crags I had to look over the edge but only did so once lain down in the prone position and crawled up to the edge. I didn’t even go right to the edge because I knew I would get in to trouble if I did and the view was spectacular from as far up as I got.
So Allie and I had a lovely morning traversing slopes, scrambling and being generally imaginative with the routes we took to conquer whinny hill, crow hill, Arthur’s Seat, Salisbury Crags and take in the lovely old ruin of At Anthony’s Chapel.
The big winner for today was again the lovely people we met on the hillside. It was again a glorious sunny day with a gentle breeze so the hill was alive with people. In fact when we got to the top of Arthur’s Seat and saw the thronging crowd of people I was sorely tempted to step up to a rock platform just behind the throng as they observed the vista of Edinburgh and introduce the challenge to them all collectively. ‘Ladies and Gentlemen may I have you attention please because I would like to suggest a delightful idea that will lead to a wonderful evening’s entertainment and a continuing journey on a wild ride known as the Beat the Beast Challenge…………………….May I suggest firstly that when you get home tonight that you pour yourself a glass of wine, or make a pot of tea…….’ And so I would have gone on, and on, and on, and on, until there was no one left on the mount. Thankfully Allie was with me and when I suggested it she talked, very rapidly some sense in to me. So there was no sermon on this particular mount but there was meetings and prayers. I have mentioned before feeling prompted at times, almost audibly, into who I should stop and speak to and again it happened today. As we descended from Arthur’s Seat we pulled alongside to allow a family coming up the path past. As they went past I knew I had to stop them and introduce myself. I don’t know how I knew, something just told me to say hello. So I did and how right that feeling was. As soon as I started to speak they listened and better than that John and Ruth Hamilton and their children Cathy and Douglas promised to look in to the challenge but also asked if I had considered using the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to assist in my heeling!! Again a wonderful family who will I am sure help raise awareness of the challenge and about whom I am thankful for meeting. Earlier in the walk a man, Nelio, with a child, Martha, asked Allie to take some pictures of them. We started talking and again discovered that he was a man of faith and again would go and look up the challenge. Then some smaller groups from Canada and Ireland and elsewhere and so the list of great people met on a hill went on. I very much hope you will all come and say hello and join me on the journey.
It was nearly time to push on off the hill in order to get back in time for the train. Allie had a better idea and asked if she could pray with me on top of the hill. She had found a quieter corner and so we settled on a rock, linked arms and bowed our heads in prayer, the soft breeze ruffling the hair on my head with the gentle noises of Edinburgh life in the background from far below. Allie spoke beautifully and made a pleasant moment very special. Allie thank you.
As we descended further we came across a most unusual experience. On the path, some feet in front of us, was a wild rabbit. We approached slowly and got closer and closer all the time expecting the rabbit to up and run. It didn’t so slowly, very slowly I kneeled down and stroked the rabbit, it’s ears laid back in a very relaxed manner, and it’s nose twitching away. Yet it sat there and let me stroke him gently from head to back. I had never experienced anything like this so feared the worse and thought Myxomatosis, so I checked it’s eyes, they were closed but could see no crusty deposits, then I thought that it was stunned after perhaps being worried by a dog but it’s fur was dry and I could see no sign of an injury. We couldn’t leave it there like this because it would get taken by a dog on the path so I decided to lift it and encourage it into a rabbit run under a blackthorn hedge that should give it some safety. Ufortunately my attempt wasn’t quite a smooth as I would have liked. As I lifted the rabbit he woke and kicked out. His claws were surprisingly sharp and the surprise as he pricked me made me drop him!! Ohhhh dear but thankfully I was lifting him low to place him into the run so he did not fall far and with a little further encouragement lolloped in to the run under the blackthorn. Hopefully he or she will survive but it was a most unexpected yet pleasant experience to be able to stroke a wild rabbit so softly and take the time to appreciate the beauty of such a beast. We pushed on and then there bold as brass and glowing in the sunshine a cock pheasant popped up and ran on down the path in front of us. Another lovely moment on a wonderful day.
So on we pushed stopping to admire St Anthony’s Chapel before introducing the challenge to 5 lovely young women from the United States. I hope they too pop up, join the journey and say hello. On we pushed again and without breaking in to a run made it to the station after 8 miles walked and 15 people met and hands shaken with 7 minutes to spare. My computer collected and a big farewell thank you hug to Allie I looked for a seat. Finding the train relatively full I asked a couple if I might use the gap on the floor in front of them and sit on my rucksack. They duly obliged and I of course seized the moment. To Rosalind, Kate, Anna, Dalton from Preston and William Patterson from Glasgow whom I now know wasn’t the dad but a passenger on the train next to whom had sat this lovely family of girls and then me!! To you all it was a pleasure to meet you and thank you for listening to my story and making me giggle with yours. I hope you got to Newcastle safely and look forward to seeing you with me on the journey.
I got off at Berwick-Upon-Tweed and just managed to catch the bus in time to get me to Eyemouth in preparation for the next stage of the adventure. I got here just in time to catch the Information Centre locking up but they reopened for me to sell me a map I so badly needed for tomorrow and in so doing I met a delightful lady whose daughter was in a similar fight. We had a long chat as we walked back through Eyemouth and I was sad to say farewell as we parted because I felt her pain but hope that the challenge will in some way provide some comfort, hope and inspiration for the future. We understood each other perfectly and am so very sorry that I did not get your name. I hope you do come to join me on the journey and do please say hello.
I needed to enjoy the sea views but couldn’t do it without an ice cream so went for a quick walk along the sea front and reflected on a beautiful day of sunshine, prayers, wildlife and beautiful people. Tonight I have amazing views over the sea as I prepare for tomorrows adventure.
Have a lovely evening
Yours aye
Archie