Glen Rosa Horseshoe Sat 10th June

SHR Long race, 13 miles & 5500' of climb on a hot & sunny Sat afternoon in June. The race comprises 3 major climbs over Bhenn Chilabhain, Cir Mhor, and the 2 Goat Fell tops on a Mountainous circuit of Glen Rosa. There are 7 checkpoints where runners deposit tags ensuring the route is followed and so that runners can be tracked to help ensure their safety. A few pictures of the route taken by Adrian G in the Galeria.

The race starts in the grounds of Brodick Castle and runs back towards Brodick before cutting into Glen Rosa. The run into the Glen was windless and hot but ended with a refreshing splash at the bridge before heading up Bhenn Chilabhain, the 1st climb of the day, about 2000'. Various route choices here, chose the middle one, straight up, on the day seemed a good choice as gained a few places over some faster runners. Possibly due to the dry underfoot conditions, a more normal day would have seen strength sapping boggy ground. Thankfully a breeze kicked in a few hundred feet up but not before someone a few places ahead gave up due to the heat. Ran along the lower ridge then up a steep climb to the top ridge and the 1st checkpoint.

At the end of the ridge the route is (thankfully) flagged into Coire Daingean, very steep descent, mountain goat stuff. Once into Coire D. its a contour on rough heather and boulder clad slopes under A Chir into Fionn Choire, the occaisional sheep tracks and cooling streams helping on this difficult section. Then its Straight up Fionn Choire towards the coll, again dry underfoot helps the straight up route, steep climb up to the Coll and cp2. CP3 is reached with a steep climb up Cir Mhor total climb from Fionn Choire of about 1500'.

From the top of Cir Mhor its back down to the coll, cp4, and then back into Fionn Choire keeping as high as possible for a 2nd difficult contour, this one round under Cir Mhor and then up to the saddle, between Glen Rosa and Glen Sannnox and cp5. Came across an older couple at the saddle with the man in a bit of trouble, not feeling too well, let the Arran Mountain rescue know where he was, heard later on that he was having a heart attack, hope he is ok.

Now for the final 1500' of climb.

Up the ridge to North Goat Fell with a few scrambles along the way, then picking your way along by the rocky Stacach section, got stuck here, on the slabs, before seeing other runners on a path below and followed them up towards Goat Fell and cp6. Cramp kicked in going up GF, feeling a bit sorry but not too bad. A short rest near the top seemed to ease it off. From GF its a 3 mile run back to Brodick Castle, the 1st 1 1/2 miles on a foot crunching rocky path to cp7 then back onto a seemingly endless, windless, undulating forrest track before popping out for a quick run down a couple of fields to the finish.

Spectacular scenery with 1st class organisation on a scorching day made for an unforgettale experience, finishing in just over 4 hours - nearly 1 3/4 hours behind the winner.