Speed of Light

Speed of Light was like nothing else that I've experienced.  The "audience" gathered in a large marquee which was cleverly lit so it seemed misty or hazy, with a mix of music, sometimes gently jazzy, sometimes lively modern, and there was a bit of classical played too. Long tables with chairs were covered with oilskins printed with quotes from the runners in Speed of Light saying why they run. At fifteen minute intervals (tickets were timed) we were called into one of 3 briefing rooms where we were introduced to our 7 walk guides and had safety instructions and a general introduction to the pattern of the evening. Those who weren't wearing sturdy shoes were loaned a pair of boots, and anyone without a waterproof was given a plastic poncho. I think they were also surreptitiously checking us over for fitness and potentials for problems. Then we were each given a sturdy staff, with the bottom 10 or so inches gently lit, and a bit at the top with a light that flickered when the staff hit the ground. The effect when we all set off was that the line of walkers looked like  millipede that sparkled at the top! We certainly needed both the staff and the light because after a short while the paved path gradually became rougher and rockier and steeper - at times we were scrambling either up or down. This was Arthur's Seat which is rather more craggy than a regular city park! I think if I'd seen it in daylight I might have decided to do something else this evening! Thankfully we stopped at intervals to catch our breath and to watch all the runners on the other side of the valley. These were all wearing suits of lights which slowly changed colour - randomly blue, green, red, white, and they had head torches that sent out beams across the ground. We could also see the millipedes of the other groups as they went before or after us. Is there something in the C.S.Lewis Space trilogy that has strings of light? Something at the back of my mind kept reminding me of those books, but I couldn't say if any of them did. 

After a particularly tough stretch we reached a broad open area where e stood and took in the combination of the performance and the lights of Edinburgh. As we got there our staffs began to make high pitch electronic whistling sounds - apparently this was activated by the altitude, and there were several notes and tones coming from all the staffs. Anyone with a hearing aid might have found the sound disconcerting, but the overall effect was interesting.

The next stage took us right to the top where someone took the flickering tops off our staffs and placed them on a huge grid - it was the equivalent of a cairn where our lights replaced the stone that a walker might leave.

The rest of the route was downhill, and the lighted staffs became even more useful over the rocky terrain. At this point the leaving of the light on the cairn struck me as quite pilgrimage-like, although I felt more like I should have mistletoe with me than a cross. Do Druids do pilgrimages?

At the end of the performance it felt strange going from this thought provoking time back into the real world. I was chuffed though when one of the walk guides said I hardly looked as if I'd done that walk!

I'd sum up Speed of Light as inspired and inspiring, and I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to take part in it.