I should have known better than to push my laden Sonder Broken Road up steep paths in the Pentland hills. It usually does by poor lower back no good at all and that was the case again in this instance. This part of the session was not planned, it was a spur of the moment decision and I should have stuck with the zones on the lower paths but you know how it is. Just one more zone, it’s not far away, should be easy enough. And the final straw was hefting the bike across some very non-bike friendly kissing gates. Yes, I bought this bike because it was fairly lightweight but not with a rack and panniers. Next time, I shall return properly equipped.
This left me with a need to refrain from cycling for a few days, or at least stick with simple easy rides. Or better still, perambulate instead. Which was the ideal opportunity to head into Edinburgh and hunt down a few turfer unique zones. Was very tempted to take Mr Orange, the folding Brompton, but thought I’d better stick to other forms of transport, namely my Saltire card, otherwise known as a bus pass. It has other names like a senior citizen’s bus pass but I don’t go there.
So, after taking the three zones along the route to the bus stop, Pittendreich, Brixwold and LadyMarion, I jumped on the Lothian Buses No. 31 for Edinburgh, alighting at South Bridge, which was a short walk to my first turfer unique zone, JohnKnoxZone, held by turfer IronSparrow. I usually have trouble getting this zone, the Turfman icon jumping about all over the place, but today was no trouble at all. Wonder why?
With this turfer unique in the bag, which was also the most likely zone to get taken by another turfer due to the city centre location, my next destination had nothing to do with turfing but I like to think it does. This next zone is called ThePlaceToEat and it has the Fruit Scone and Coffee attribute. Of course, I’m referring to the café in John Lewis, my favourite destination for scones and coffee. The views across the city, the Firth of Forth and Fife are amazing from this 5th floor eatery.
Next, down to Princess Street to hop aboard the No 25 towards Heriot-Watt University. Considered walking but with 3.50 miles to the stop at Parkhead Terrace, the nearest to my next turfer unique zone, BigTreeZone, decided the bus was better. The zone is in the hands of the MightyQ, a turf name that reminds me of some song lyrics. Can you guess the artist from 1968? Not sure why I recall this as I was only 7-years old at the time.
“Come all without, come all within, You’ll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn.”
Onwards, and what feels like a long hike, but is only around a mile and a half, to my next turfer unique, MagicalMe located on the Union Canal towpath, held by turfer Addybads. However, my walk was not wasted as was able to indulge in some brick spotting along the way and also to watch some balaclava-wearing idiot on an electric motorcycle, dodging and weaving around the traffic. No looking at junctions, no stopping at red traffic lights and treating the pavement like the road. What a plonker!
First spotted was a DEWAR engineering brick from the Drumpark Brickworks in Glasgow. Next a common find for Edinburgh, the NIDDRIE, famed as a projectile known as a half-Niddrie and capable of taking out just about anything with a well-aimed throw. Then, in a front garden, a PENTLAND, made at the Pentland Brickworks where Straiton Retail Park now stands. Next a relative rarity for this area, a CARFIN, from Carfin Brickworks, Lanarkshire. And finally, a brick invader from Englandshire, a LUMLEY, manufactured in Houghton le Spring, in Tyne and Wear. Just thought I share that with you. Back to turfing.
Zone MagicalMe had me wondering about the zone name. Fans of a certain Mr Potter may recall a character called Gilderoy Lockhart, portrayed by Kenneth Branagh in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The local area is known as Craiglockhart, and Gilderoy Lockhart published an autobiography called Magical Me, hence the zone name. This also explains another zone called Gilderoy, on nearby Wester Craiglockhart Hill. One final turfer unique to collect at zone GorgieMoat, about a one mile walk and held by turfer Concrete! This brought my tally for the day to four which brings my overall total to 428. I keep a list of my turfer uniques on page Turf TvT Progress. Back soon.
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