DAY 17 - UNION CANAL TO EDINBURGH

FALKIRK TO EDINBURGH

I woke up all alone today after a good nights sleep to the prospect of only one more day before my first OFFICIAL rest day! Hooray!

I set off by 8.20am from my Travelodge, heavy pack in place in full waterproof gear as it was looking threatening up above, to begin the day with a rather steep uphill to reach Polmont where my Union Canal walk was to commence.

I descended the steep bank to reach the waterside and it was pretty much flat and perfect walking for my whole 16 miles today!! A real joy with zero cars or traffic to worry about mowing me down, replaced instead with friendly dog walkers, a handful of cyclists, canal boat travellers and the odd runner .....

I did meet one interesting guy though - Bill - who kindly stepped aside for me to pass, but when i asked if he had come from Edinburgh on the Canal path he confidently said, no, he had come from Bath having left 10 weeks ago!! It was lovely to chat for 10 minutes - i enviously glared at his tiny back pack ony to find he washed everything every night! Hmm, not sure i would enjoy that bit too much but it did look mighty light!!  He proudly showed me his Satellite mapping device which looked like a really fantastic bit of kit - maybe for my next walk?!!  We courteously took pictures of each other, shook hands and wished each other well, leaving in opposite directions....how surreal!

Time passed again relatively quickly today as i made a handful of work calls / answered emails & listened to the radio - i even heard the Andrew Mar show again and i have listened to so much politics now, i nearly have an opinion of my own on some things! Good heavens!

I reached the road to Kirkliston just before 1pm and got to my bus stop for the 38X direct to Haymarket train station in time for the 1.37pm.  It was raining quite heavily by this point so it was a hop, jump and a splash to get to my £19 a night Travelodge. BARGAIN!  Check-in time was again 3pm which is starting to get on my nerves now as i seem to be well ready more often than not for a 2pm check in bath time!!!  Instead i had to wait 40 mins in a cold sweat, joints ceasing up by the minute until the dot of 3pm when we were allowed to get our magic key!

My hot bath was fantastic today and my lovely large room semed less sparse than yesterday thankfully.  I set everything electrical on charge and then went out again in the torrential rain this time all the way to Princes Street .... in search.... of a Starbucks Mocha Frappucino light!!! Hooray! I found one and then spent the next 10 minutes suffering brain freeze for my troubles!! But oh, the caffeine was so goooooood!!

I had dinner at a small Italian near to the Travelodge and then decided on an early night in readiness for my wonderful whole day off  tomorrow!!  I have no idea what i will do with all that time with no walking planned but one thing is for sure ..... it will start with a lie in!!