Glen Striddle/Glen Luss

Abandoned the planned bike/run/bike due to a puncture, drove to Luss for a wee horseshoe run instead. 

Outward loop over Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill, return via the Glen road, Coillie Eughain Hill and The Paps. Gloomy afternoon, low cloud and drizzle, a bit windier on top, only saw 2 walkers coming off the hill as I went up. Not much of a view and wet underfoot, temp ok, not too cold, toes ok in their Sealskinz socks. Windy enough on the run along the ridge to Mid Hill to convince me to do the horseshoe rather than an out and back, Coillie Eughain Hill is a bit lower and would be sheltered by the higher tops overlooking Glen Finlas. Coillie Eughain is a good wee climb, shorter but steeper than Beinn Dubh, on top zig zagged along until I picked up the fence and path down to The Paps. Below The Paps thankfully the ferns were flattened revealing what there is of a path, from there it is a short run along tracks to the Bridge over Luss Water.

Mid Hills 2nd cairn

Top of Glen Luss

Coillie Eughain Hill

Bottom of Glen Luss

 

Run, Bike, Run

Poor forecast with high winds on the hills, stayed local with a difference, cycled past cross keys to Banachra Wooods, then ran up the trail through the forest to Ben Bowie, a loop down on the Three Lochs Way trail then up and over Killoeter and back down the trail to Banachra Woods and a cycle home.

Balloch Park Cross Country

Last race in this tears club series, 3 laps round Balloch Park, 8 of us set off, took the 1st 2 laps steady and if I had maintained the pace would have been under 40 mins, not fast but ok, slowed a bit on the third until the climb back up to to the castle, ran better after the climb but still lost 30 or 40 seconds, finished 3rd.    

Beinn Dubh and Mid Hill

 Tail end of a storm on Saturday morning so left my run until the afternoon, Luss hills, Beinn Dubh to start, ground back to its boggy best, only a few people on the hill today, into the snow towards the top and a cold North wind along the ridge, thought about turning back a couple of times then a wee bit of shelter out of the wind made all the difference, made it to the 2 small cairns at Mid Hill, turned back here, made good time with the wind at my back, along the ridge the sun began to set lighting up the snowy hills. 

Bromley Muir Winter Run

First snowy run of the winter, had to wait a couple of hours for the wind to subside, by that time the snow had started, ran up to the fort on Carman hill, snow 6" with drifts to 12"+, ground frozen below, difficult to guess footstrike on the rough ground under smooth snow made for slow running. Onto the John Muir Trail for a mile or so to where the path is blocked, decided against the steep bypass option, turned back for home the same way as I came out. Hat and glove changes along the way as they got soaked, goretex trousers on for the return over Bromley Muir in a freezing wind.

  

Duathlon

Club Duathlon, a 4 mile run round the Vale followed by a 12 mile cycle round the Horseshoe with a loop through Gartocharn. Only 4 of us this year, a bit chilly but a dry road, no ice and not much wind. Last on the run section, managed to pass a couple on the bike, new recycled Carrera Srixus 2 encouraged a more aggressive ride, Good fun!

Bromley Muir

Short run today, out and back, Radiomast hill, Carman Fort, Bromley Muir Trig point and a wee bit further towards Stoneymollan, about turn and back home, good to be out.