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, March 21, 2026
Saturday, March 14, 2026
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!
Saturday, March 07, 2026
Arrochar Alps hill run
First run in Arrochar for a while, planned route was Glen Loin to start then up and over Ben Vane an Beinn Ime, returning via Bealach a Mhaim and the Buttermilk Burn path, forecast was low cloud/fog to start clearing around mid day. The info I had on snow cover was not much left. Started up the Glen Loin trail, no one else on that route until I joined the road from Inveruglas which was busy with walkers. Turned up Ben Vane just after Coirgrogain, good to see a few groups of walkers ahead I could use as a target to help maintain my effort. Cold gusty wind picked up with height, quite damp once I got into the mist, a few easily avoidable patches of snow and ice. The rocky scramble thankfully clear and dry. Reached the top, pretty cold, didn't hang about, set off for Ime, straight into a large snowbank, thick fog as well, couldn't see much at all, white on all sides, above and below, returned to the top, had a digital compass, got that out, the bearing I take from Vanes summit is 280 degrees, my compass was like a spinning top, no way to take a bearing. Didn't fancy trying my luck, it's easy to end up in completely the wrong place. Turned back going down the way I came up, path busy with walkers, probably encouraged by the good forecast. Reaching the Glen Loin trail, I decided to continue the loop instead of straight back, it's about 5 years since I last ran the complete loop.
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Pappert Cross Country
Longest and toughest and best of our cross country races, 3 laps, about 6 miles with over 800' of ascent all in, 5 started, 4 finished, one stopping after taking a tumble in the swamp section on lap 2. Got slower each lap, eventually finished second couple of minutes slower than last year.
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Fruin Rerservoir Loop
Weather window forecast for Saturday morning, and with my local hills clear of snow decided to try a hill run round the Fruin reservoir (Auchengaich), started up The Strone, soon into the clouds, good paths to follow so no navigation required, detour out to MAF then A'Mhanaich, from here a fenceline into the glen then up Chaorach, pathless to start took a rising traverse in the general direction of a fence and trod which I met about a third of the way up. A wee bit of snow nearer the top but easily avoided or crossed. Along the ridge to the trig, now running into the wind, gloves on, didn't hang about, not long until I reached Tharsuin a short climb to the stoney cairn, cold drizzly rain blowing through and decided to give Balcnoc a miss, left the fenceline now on a quad bike track, took my time a few icy patches to negotiate on the way to Auchengaich hilll, turn right at the top down pathless tussocky hillside to finish just as the rain started.
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Pappert XC recce
Next Club race is the Pappert Cross Country, some new runners so we had a recce, couple of laps then I ran up to the Pappert Trig, cold, ground partially frozen and drier than normal, great views up Loch Lomond and surrounding hillls.
Saturday, February 07, 2026
Bromley Muir
Ben Bowie and Killoeter, this time via Bromley Muir, tops suitable covered in mist, not many views but good running, took the by pass path onto Killoeters ridge, along the ridge and down towards Helensburgh, up towards Ben Bowie on the 3LW cut off for the soft ground to B Bowies summit, 3LW back to the Vale.
