Mamores

Saturday's run was one to be enjoyed, forecast for cloud, some showers, but maybe the cloud would lift in the afternoon. My route was Mullach Nan Coirean, Stob ban plus the Ring of Steall. This undulates over 6 munros plus four other minor tops, one unanmed top between the Mullach and Stob B, Stob Choire a Mhail, Sgurr an lubhair and An Garbhanach. 15 miles and close on 8000' of ascent.

I left Achriabach at 9:30 on the track beside Alt a Choire Dheirg. Last time I struck up through Fir then Silver Birch trees to the Mullachs NE Ridge, this time I kept to the track and as I left the the trees behind the track turned uphill, same climb but much easier. Stopped for a chat with some walkers on the approach to the Mullachs summit. Here's a link to their photos, they took in 4 Munros and two tops, their pictures are taken with a real camera!

No need to stop on the misty Mullach and ran towards Stob Ban, startled by a Ptarmigan, my phone camera failing to capture the fine specimen. Back into the mist on the climb up Stob Ban, no need to stop here either, the run off a steep rocky track twisting along the ridge. Easy running along towards Sgurr a Mhaim until the final climb up a stalkers path to the ridge. Pick my way along the ridge through the first notch with no problem, couldn't figure my way through the rock slab at the second notch so eventually took a slight diversion off the ridge down grassy slopes under the edge of a large rock. Getting cold so worked hard up the short climb up to Sgurr a Mhaim, another misty summit. About turn for the return over the ridge, concious that I was cold pushed on and covered the ridge about 12 minutes quicker than the way out.

New territory from here to An Gearanach so frequent stops to pick out the route through gaps in the clouds, navigation pretty easy, good tracks most of the way. soon over SAL running the ridge towards Am Bodach, a stiffer rocky climb, stopped for some food on the way up in the lee of the hill and had a look at the map, the way off seemed to be down a steep NE ridge, turned out a bit of a scramble and picked my way down past a group of upwardly mobile walkers.

The cloud now lifting slightly for views of the homeward ridge, a rocky knoll then Stob Coire a Chairn, minor top An Garbahanach and the last hurrah up An Gearanach, a few squeaky steps along this rocky ridge, careful to check out each part as there are two or three small tracks at each summit, some more exposed than others. All down hill from here, a steep track coming into the glen beside Steall falls, a wade across the water of Nevis and run down the gorge path then road back to Achriabach, finishing in about 7 hours.

Timings that I can remember, 1:30 to summit of the Mullach, 2:15 to the summit of Stob Ban, 2:53 to the start of the Devils ridge, 37 mins out 25 back, lost track after that, reached the summit of An Gearanach in 5:40, 40 minutes to the glen, 30 or 40 mins from there back to Achriabach. Some hazy pictures from my phone camera.

Merrick Hill Race

One of my favourite races, usually a 9 mile mini round, route change this year to an out and back as the coos had trampled the the Buchan hillside to death with lots of unseen hoofprints to catch the unwary. Improving forecast all week for a typical Merrick day, sunny with a cool breeze. We start with the usual 20 yard dash then into walk mode as we all bunch up the Fell of Eschoncan, 800' in 1/3 of a mile, its a bit of a squidgy sheep track from half way up and onto the top. We spread out pretty quickly running a series of undulations, first towards then up and over Benan, along Coarse Craig and up Ben Yellary dropping down the Neive of the Spit before the runnable climb up Merrick, the leaders flying past on their way back. I reach the top of Merrick in the usual 73 minutes. A quick picture looking out to Ailsa Craig then off down the hill.

Theres a few in front to catch and pass two just before the climb back up Ben Yellary means I have to keep running to the top, luckily its only a couple of hundred feet. Picked my route down BY on the way out, works well bypassing the rocks. Closing a few in front but not quickly and eased back for a boulder hopping run over and round Benan's ankle trashing slopes. Managed a few overtaking moves on the run down to FoE good squidgy undualting fun, gasped up the last 100' of climb. Last hurrah down 800' of muddy tussocks slowed me down, a few slips, trips and falls on tired legs before a final brakes off plunge down the grassy trod. Finished just inside 2 hours for the first time in 8 years of trying, and it took a route change to get me there. Super wee low key race, an apple and a jacuzzi stream bath to finish. A few more pictures from the day here and here and here. Merrick was also my "centenary" race on Scottish Hill Racing .

Ben Lomond

Saturday morning turned out a bit damp but not as windy as forecast and reasonably warm. We set off for a run up the Ben. The aim was to run as much as possible instead of accepting the usual jog walk. With this in mind we took the lower slopes nice n steady and managed to run, apart from some of the rocky sections to what is now the third gate. A bit steeper here and walked the first 1/3 or so then ran the middle section before using the excuse of too many rocks to run safely. Began to run again as the path started to level off and had a good run along the plateau picking up pace as the legs recovered. Towards the end of the plateau the path switches left and right and gets a bit lumpy, hard work but kept running. Soon we were on to the steep climb to the summit ridge, walked up the initial steps then managed to get the legs into run mode and pushed hard up and round the corner onto the ridge, gasped my way along the ridge through the rocky outcrops and a final push up to the trig point. Reached the top in 72 mins so only a few minutes slower than race pace. Held onto the trig point for a few minutes until the HR dropped and after a chat with a couple of American walkers set off down the Ptarmigan ridge. The first half is steep and tricky down a rocky path through a series of steep drops, the softer grass and moss to the side too slippy to run down today. Eventually came out the cloud at about 1500' and Loch Lomond came into view. Took our time on the way down and finished in about 2 hours 20.

Ben Nevis

Seems like an age since I was lucky enough in Feb to secure an entry for the race up and down the Ben. Arrived on Friday evening for a weekend based at Glen Nevis campsite. An electric pitch this year so two heaters, electric fridge, phone chargers, hair straightners (not mine) and power supply for the laptop, oh dear.

Damp Friday night and Saturday am, drizzly as race time approached with low winds, good for running. One o'clock we start with a charge round Laggan Park and onto the road to the Nevis path, kept the heart rate under control for a change, making steady progress past Heart Attack hill and up the shortcut at Eddies Bench. Hopefully smiled for the photo at the metal bridge, round a not so windy corner and onto the cross country route to the Red Burn, arriving in 55 mins feeling fine although a couple of minutes slower than last year.

The upper half and things steepen up a bit, grassy bit first then onto rock and scree, held my place, even a couple of short bursts of energy where I went past one or two. Over some boulders and the gradient eases, felt good, pushed on, running past several others while dodging the front runners coming back, working hard but feel fine the easy pace at the start paying off arriving at the top in 1:45, 5 minutes quicker than last year.

Gloves on for the descent, passing people straight away, ouch, sore on the feet at the top. Starts to get steep, then steeper, difficult to overtake safely, rocks flying everywhere, picked up a nice? track closer to the Red Burn than usual and soon onto muddy slopes just above the grassy bank.

The grassy bank's a tough section for everyone, stop moaning and just get on with it, go to the left of the trail and manage to stay on my feet a bit more, slightly better grip but people I worked hard to pass on the rocky slopes coming past, slide the last 15 feet into the burn.

Back to the tourist path with its slippy gritty rocks, great, charge, behave, stay upright, it'll be a sore one if you fall. Aware of those just in front and behind, a bit stop start overtaking when I can dodging the walkers and their dogs. Scramble down the first shortcut ok, the second a poor choice as couple of hard won places are lost.

Easier going now, most of the rocks can be jumped, gradually gain back a couple of places and push on for the end of the trail, good to hear a shout from Chris for the Millies, reached the road in 2:29. Tried to chase the guys in front, picked a couple off then spied a Welsh runner closing fast he catches me on the run round the games field. Finished in 2:38:11, best for 4 years, felt better than usual at the end, lost a bit of time on the grassy bank and a minute or so on a poor choice of shortcut, so room for improvement.

Link to lots of pictures and video here.