Luss Hill Run

Forecast cold and windy with higher, Munro's, covered in snow so I went to Luss for a loop round Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill and Coille Eughain Hill. No sign of wind when I set off from the foot of the glen, picked up as I cleared the trees, it was cold, thankful of my double thermal base layers, fleece and Goretex jacket, thermal tights, waterproof socks, wooly hat and thermal waterproof gloves to keep me comfortable. Not many others out, one hill walker came down Beinn Dubh as I climbed, then two walkers passed as I ran along the plateau to Mid Hill. Didn't stop too often on the top or along the ridge, a short break in the glen before I trudged up Coille Eughain, back into the mist at the top before the 2 mile descent back to Luss.

Ben Bowie & Killoeter

Shorter run today, drove to the flyover at the bottom of the Stoneymollan for a lollipop route out to Ben Bowie, a loop round to Killoeter and back down the Stoney to finish, cut out the usual 1 mile plus of road at the start and finish, trails and hills all the way, cloud and mist so not many views but good to get out.

 

Polaroid Cross Country

Managed to get this race on after last weeks cancellation due to ice, 5 of us made it on a good morning for Cross Country, cool and damp, a few mud and bramble patches on the course, brambles got me on the second lap, set off in third place and stayed there, second lap about 10 seconds slower than the first, made my sub 40 minute target, good to be out.

Glenstriddle

Club cross country race cancelled due to ice on the paths, set off for the Luss hills for a short run, hopefully no ice and the snow not too deep. Some ice at the bottom but easily avoided. Quite a few walkers out avoiding the more arctic conditions of bigger hills. Only a few inches of snow, paths still visible as smooth tracks surrounded by snowy tussocks. Bogs frozen rather than feet made for pleasant progress. Not much visibility on top and footprints disappeared shortly after Beinn Dubh's summit cairn until a couple of walkers passed on the approach to Mid Hill. Stopped on the decent into the Glen, at about 4 miles and turned back, took it easy avoiding any icy patches, passing plenty of walkers on the way back.

Looking towards Glen Finlas

Beinn Dubh summit cairn

Mid Hill summit Cairn

Polaroid and the Fort

Recce of next weeks club cross country round the Polaroid Industrial Estate, route is fine the landscaping work appears to be finished, couple of laps then home via Carman reservoir and the Fort Fine morning for a run.

  

Beinn Ime

First run for a couple of weeks, reasonable forecast and decided to try Beinn Ime, late start, not many spaces left in the car park at Succoth, decided to take the zig zags, first run for a while and they are a bit easier. A lot of work has been done on the path through the trees, wider, flatter and surfaced with type 1. Left the shelter of the trees into a cool breeze, gentle at first then picked up on the approach to Bealach A Mhaim, across the Bealach to the start of a trudge up Ime, into the cloud and it got pretty cold, path icy in places, easy enough to avoid, a few walkers ahead gave me some targets to keep the effort up, didn't quite come out the clouds at the top, a bit of blue above, maybe another 100 or so feet would have done it. Didn't hang about, freezing, glove upgrade for the descent. Easy run down, ran beside the path most of the way to the Bealach, easier underfoot and avoided most of the ice. Wind eased as I ran down, warming up once back into the shelter of the trees, gloves off and a steady jog to finish.

Balloch Park Cross Country

Last Club race of the year, 4 of us set off from in front of Balloch Castle for a 3 lap 4.7 mile Cross Country, stayed in 2nd place all the way, perfect conditions, drizzly, no wind plenty of mud, finished just outside 40 mins, about 30 seconds quicker than last year, good fun.