Turf Zone – WayOfBaird
Much excitement this morning, out turfing Bonnyrigg and up pops a notification, Rank 57 – Turf Archangel. That means I’ve collected 13 million points. However, you might think 57 out of 60 ranks is fantastic, only three more to go. But there’s a downside to that as you actually need another 37 million points to reach Rank 60 – Turfalicious. Even the next one, Rank 58 – Turf God, requires another 2 million points to reach 15 million.Then another 10 million for Rank 59 – Turf Titan and a whopping 25 million for Rank 60 – Turfalicious. Then a police car screams past, followed by another, then an unmarked police car, then two more, all five cars on blues and two’s, thundering along at 60 or 70 mph, coming from Eskbank and heading towards Bonnyrigg town centre. Seems a bit overkill for riding a Brompton on the pavement!
Last night. It wasn’t my original plan, that was a foot turf at Aberlady Bay in East Lothian, to pick off that new zone, DuneWithAView, located out in the salt marsh where the dunes face the beach. It was one of my own requests and I’m very pleased it was created. Instead, I decided a local night turf on the kick scooter was in order, saving the drive to and from the coast. Thought I’d keep the Aberlady unique zones for the new fat bike when it arrives. It’s been a while since I did a kick scooter night turf and with fine mild weather tonight was an ideal option.
It wasn’t far from 2.00 am, or silly o’clock for those of you who think getting out of a warn snug bed at this time of the morning is plain crazy. Conditions were very mild, perfect t-shirt and shorts weather, not too hot and not too cold, as Goldilocks once said. First take a local zone, WayOfBaird, only 300m from the front door. It’s not my closest zone that’s Pittendreich, which is even closer at only 100m.
From there I kick scooted my way towards Broomieknowe golf course, taking a few zones along the way. And not having been on the kick scooter for quite a few months, hard going it was. Riding a bike, especially one with gears, is so much easier. Even my single speed Brompton is easier than kick scooting. It was very quiet tonight, not a single soul was abroad, only the distant rumble of traffic in the background breaking the silence.
From zone BroomieGolf, I dropped down to Melville driving range, took zone MelvilleGolf and scooted round the golf course perimeter heading towards the River North Esk. A police car sped past just before I crossed the road. Imagination has me wondering who they are looking for, someone kick scooting on the pavement or across the golf course, perhaps? Missed me though.
The thunder of large beasts in the trees around the golf course startles me until I see four roe deer burst from the trees in front of me, dark shapes floating across the fairway, indistinct and ghostly before vanishing into the dark. I sometime wonder what it would be like turfing at night in countries where an intrepid turfer might encounter large potentially dangerous animals, such as bear, dire wolf and pack of wild hunting rabbits.
A narrow path leads me towards Dalkeith, following the River North Esk downstream. The trail here is now about a metre wide, once, only a few years ago, it was little more than a game trail, less than a foot wide in places. However, increasing urban sprawl by way of new housing developments have seen an increase in foot traffic, thereby forming a much wider trail. In the past, during the daytime, you would likely get the place to yourself, not so these days. Still, at night you have the trail to yourself, and the robins singing from the holly trees. The new footbridge crossing the river to Melville Castle hotel has also contributed.
My next target zone was EskPath, found on the old railway line at Eskbank. It’s a good spot for listening to tawny owls calling but they were quiet tonight, not a single peep was heard from the trees. It was cooler here, often a feature of railway paths and cuttings, even on the warmest of days. I once cycled here on my fat bike and the gear mechanism froze solid. It was 8 degrees below so not all that surprising really.
My next zone was in the dead centre of Dalkeith, or to be more accurate Dalkeith cemetery. It’s always spooky here, especially when kick scooting or cycling at night. Not only are there ghostly LED lights all over the place but the kick scooter lights can reflect off polished gravestones making you think someone in following behind you. Always keep to the path and avoid the grass, You don’t want a skeletal zombie hand reaching out and grabbing your ankle. Took zone HolyDalkeith then scooted along to Kings Park for the zone there. Another police car zoomed past, blues and two’s waking the dead. Ha, missed me again.
From Kings Park I dropped down through Newbattle golf club, noticing the sudden drop in temperature as I approached the River South Esk. I backtracked a few meters, back into the warm air. It was as if I was crossing a barrier between cold and warm. Decided to stay in the warm, so scooted along to Kirk Bank Wood, taking the three zones there then down to zone StoneGate on the A7, before slogging up the tedious B6392, the so-called Bonnyrigg feeder road. Always a chore walking, cycling or scooting up this stretch.
Anyway, soon back home, stowed the kick scooter back in the shed and turned in for the night. Only 16 zones taken but a good two hours kick scooter exercise does no harm at all. I would highly recommend night turfing. It’s usually still and quiet, few people or dogs about to get in the way and crossing roads is a doddle as there little or no traffic. Back soon.
Copyright ©2025 Gary Buckham. All rights reserved.
