Root

As usual, at the end of a Turf round I headed out to Roslin, needing to do some running to be sure of collecting enough points to finish third in my league, after a tightly-contested mid-table battle. At the ruined water wheel emplacements (see extra) the view of the Roslin Glen gorge is now largely obscured by trees - which isn't to be regretted. Rather than return to Penicuik on the old railway, and fuelled against the heat by an ice cream, I continued along the obstacle course that is the Roslin Glen path: great fun! When I had a phone signal I was keeping up with the cricket. After climbing back up to Loanhead to reset my phone and take some of the zones on its old railway, I dropped back down to the Esk at Polton Mill. Here the valley broadens out, and Mavisbank House is to be found. I just missed a bus back to Penicuik, so continued into Lasswade - via the Old Kirk (pictured). There I phoned A to see whether she wanted to join me for lunch, but she'd already eaten. An alternative bus option took me into Edinburgh, where I found a bus back to Penicuik.

I'm quite a fan of Joe Root (who isn't!) so I was pleased to see him bat England to a victory over New Zealand that was ultimately very comfortable. However, the mathematician in me was delighted that as he reached 100, he also reached exactly 10,000 career test runs. How appropriate for a man called Root!