Glen Loin Snow 20th Dec

Glen Loin run starting anti clockwise but leaving at the top of the Glen via the Bealach A Mhaim, returning back to Succouth on the path between the Cobbler and Narnain, 11 miles 3200 FOA.

Woke up to a steady snowfall and decided not to run, had breakfast and thought why not, the road was difficult until Luss then it cleared maybe because its close to the Loch. Started running about an hour later than usual, not a lot of wind, mixture of cloud, sun and blue skies.

Followed three sets of footprints for the run up Glen Loin, walking the steepest parts of the hills, a bit too icy to run in places. Alpenglow on the mountain tops but the contrast with the trees too much for the phone camera. The lower glen was quiet with little wind, breath and footsteps the only sound. Caught a glimpse of the 3 in front as I came out the trees on the approach to Corriegrogan.

The upper glen always a bit different and the wind strengthened as the track climbed, caught Santa and a couple of his elves just before the last steep climb up to the dissapearing river, walked up and had a blether and a wee slip or two in the snow before pushing on, they couldn't be tempted with a run up the Bealach.

Steady run up to the end of the track, hard work in the snow, blue skies tempting a run up Ben Ime, paused at the end of the track and lucky to look back towards a bright Ben Vane.

The climb up to the Bealach is trackless over ditches and tussocks but the ground is frozen today which helps keep my feet dry, just had to keep knocking the snow off before it melted and chilled.

Stop for a drink and a breath in the lee of the hill near the top. Didn't fancy the swamp so took a left over the fence, feet still fine and as warm as could be expected. The Cobbler grows as you approach the top.

Thankfully the cloud has closed in on the tops putting paid to any thought of a quick visit. A walker or two visible just below the cloud line on each of the three surrounding slopes.

Traverse over the Bealach trying to keep to any track that I can find, my right foot sinks in up to the knee followed by the obligatory freezing sensation. Run on nice and easy with no more freezing. Stop for a quick picture with the sun appearing behind the Cobbler.

One good aspect of the man made path is that it's well drained, still not the best conditions for a fall and take it nice and easy as the path snakes its way down past the Narnain Boulders.

The lower tracks zig zag to reduce the gradient, ok apart from some black ice, spotted the first with only minor evasive break dancing, the second takes me out, luckily no lasting damage or witness to my ungainly sprackle.

Finished what turned out to be a cracking run in 2 hours 48 and seconds, some pics in the Galleria.

PWWHSM Sun 13th Dec

Circuit of the Vale, Pappert Well, Whinney Hill then Stoneymollen, 17 miles and 3200 FOA. Forecast dry, misty and cold.

Four of us set out at eight towards Pappert Well as dawn broke over the Lang Crags, approaching the trig point we popped out above the mist for great views all round. A few pictures and a few awwws and we were off back down into the cold mist.

Took a detour at the style, instead of following the path into the valley, we ploughed through the fields and over the golf course to come out on Auchencarroch road, jogged through the Haldane up Molanbowie Road past the entrance to Balloch Park and took a right turn up the track to Whinney Hill where we met another group of Millies out for their Sunday constitutional. Whinney Hill too low to break through the mist so we didn't stop for long in the chill before taking the path round into Balloch Park.

Stoneymollen starts with the usual trundle past the kennels then as the slope eases pick it up to a jog, gradually coming out the mist. Stopped for a few more pictures at the 2nd gate.

Then a last push up to the top of Bromley Muir in bright sunshine looking down on the clouds over Loch Lomond and the Firth of Clyde, stopped for some more pictures at the trig point.

Followed the Stoneymollen race route back to finish in 4 hours 4 minutes. A few more pictures in the Galleria.

PWSM Sat 5th

Not a form of torture but a run over Pappert Well followed by Stoneymollen, 14 miles & 2200 FOA. Ran from my house towards Bonhill as a murky dawn broke over the Vale.

Ran up the side of Pappert and onto the open hill following the track to the trig point. Low clouds scudding up the Leven valley in the breeze. Descent via the narrow trod straight down from the trig point to rejoin the path. Climbed the fence after the style and round the edge of a field to avoid damaging the turnips or whatever they were, its winter again, feet freezing.

Back on the road for a trudge to the bottom of the Stoneymollen, ran past the golf course, through Jamestown and Balloch.

Steady up the Stoney and into the low cloud, a pause at the gate then off into the swampy moor, feet began to freeze again. Traversed along the moor and ran down back out the cloud through the quarry and across Carman road. The track takes me round behind the reservoir dropping back into the Vale at the back of the Renton, a combination of field and grassy verge along the bypass keeps me off road and home in just under 2 hours 50.

Quiet run, especially in the cloud on the Stoney, no one on either hill, felt hard after a hilly week, road shoes maybe didn't help either.