The Cobbler

Short long run this week, fine weather , ran up the forest track from Honeymoon Bridge car park, about a mile to where the Cobbler hill race starts from. The first of a series of old white wooden posts mark the path that climbs up through trees to the open hillside to An t Sron, fairly boggy in patches, steep climb on faint paths up to the ridge then mostly runnable to the base of the Cobbler summit crags. Short trudge up pathless tussocky ground to the summit, busy summit, great views with a partial inversion,  though a bit hazy. Took in the views and watched someone thread the needle before the run back down, slow at first as the path picks a way through bouldery ground, then easy running on grassy paths to An t Sron then a steep drop through tussocks, trees and bogs with an easy mile on forestry track to finish.

   

Stoneymollan

 Club handicap hill race, 8 of us turned up, nice sunny evening, pretty wet and boggy over the hill, still suffering after Saturdays run and didn't expect too much, finished 6th in the handicap and 3rd by time, happy to finish inside 50 minutes but about 3 minutes slower than last year.

Luss Hill Run

One of those runs where you could use some miles and ascent, can't make up your mind where to go and pick an out and back 10 miler. Ben Dubh and Mid Hill then down to Glen Luss, turn round and go back the same way. 10 miles and 4000'+ of ascent, ran the first half of Beinn Dubh, then jog/walked to the top, ran round the Corries to Mid Hill and down to the glen road, on the way back ran the first half of Mid Hill then walked to the top, back round the Corries and down to finish at the foot of the hill. Bit of a struggle today I usually run more of the hills, but good to be out.

Bromley Muir

Local hill run this week, Carman Fort and Trig then along to the Three Lochs Way for a mile or so before taking to the ridge over Killoeter then back up to Ben Bowie, hilly but runnable, after Ben Bowie returned over Bromley Muir past the Trig and Fort, very wet and muddy over Bromley Muir all the ditches and flat sections flooded. A bit more Spring like, plenty of wild Primroses along the trails.

Fruin reservoir loop

Back running, heel appears to be recovering, went for a shortish run on the hills surrounding Auchengaich reservoir in Glen Fruin, same route from 6 weeks ago except in reverse. Snowy on top with low cloud which cleared as I went round so got a few good views. Auchengaich hill first, walked up this steep tussocky hillside to the sound of gunfire from the nearby military firing range, ran the quad bike track from the ridge to Beinn Tharsuin and jog/walk to Chaorach beyond. Ran on the path beside the fence into the glen, drops steeply, slowly, at first in the snow, then lower down soggy from meltwater. Another fence to walk beside to the top of A'Mhanaich, from there an easy down hill run to Maol am Fheidh and The Strone, gunfire again ringing out from the now much closer range, didn't hang about to look at the views.  

Reservoir with A Mhanaich behind

Deer at the top of Auchengaich Hill

Rime Ice on Chaorach

A Mhanaich ascent beside the gulley on the left

View from A Mhanaich to Chaorach and reservoir, Ardmore point in the distance

Path from A Mhanaich towards the Strone

Another Saturday cycle

Resisting the urge to run, a longer cycle planned for today, 35 or so miles, up Loch Lomond side to Inverbeg, up into Glen Dougles, across to the Loch Long side back via The Three Lochs Way to Glen Fruin, Cross Keys, Arden and back home. Read up on cycling The Three Lochs Way, some of it requiring a Mountain Bike and ability to cope with tricky ground. Ride went well until a couple of miles after Glen Douglas, down progressively rougher forest tracks taking a wee detour due to missing sign then down a rutted single track, quickly decided I wasn't up to 5 miles of this and turned back the way I came, finished up 43 or so miles, a bit extra but a good ride. Might try it again as other people told me the trail improved after a mile or so, or I could just put up with a bit of hike a bike.

Saturday cycle

No running as I'm suffering with a heel injury, trying to maintain some fitness on the bike, 20 mile loop, through Balloch Park round the Horseshoe from Ballagan to Auchencarroch Sawmill, turned round and back the same way with a wee loop round Balloch Park, good views up to Glen Finlas hills where I would rather be!

Glen Finlas from Auchencarroch Road