More hills this weekend, hopefully beating the weather as forecast to change through Saturday, set off for a circuit starting up Glen Loin, leaving the track to tackle Ben Vane & Beinn Ime, descend to Beallach a'Mhaim returning to Succouth between Narnain & the Cobbler about 13 miles & 5700' of ascent overall.
With only the tops with any cloud set off just after 8:30, walked the steeper parts of the Glen Loin track, arriving at the Ben Vane path in just under 50 mins. Steady plod up Ben Vane, increase in erosion noticeable again this year with many walking pole holes just beside the path which will no doubt crumble by next year. Mist came down to meet me and about 2000'+ came across 2 Ptarmigan, near where I saw them a couple of years ago, still in winter plumage.
Reached the top of Vane in just under 2 hours, no views, clagged in. The descent off the back to Lag Uaine is either a nightmare if you get the line wrong, or easy....this time easy & quickest yet, about 15 mins with no real effort, what a difference when you get the line right. Only problem still clagged in until the last few feet meant I couldn't pick out the line up to Glas Bhealach & Ben Ime. Lag Uaine is a lonely place in the mist.
Opted for a route change through to Glen Loin, a nice run, coming out above the dissapearing river then set off towards the top of the Glen & back into the mist for the climb out to Beallach a'Mhaim returning to Succouth after feeling my way to the path between Narnain & the Cobbler, didn't see much of either.
Distance as planned but the route change meant about 500' less ascent. Cloud level dropped about 1000' in the hour or so either side of Ben Vane and then returned to blue skies by the time I arrived back in the Vale. A few pics in the Galleria.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Rock n Roll, Running n Beer
Weekend began with a 9 mile Friday afternoon run through Renton to Dalmoak onto the Kipperoch track to Cardross, back to the Vale via Carman, just about 9 miles and 1000 foa. Sitting back for a quiet Friday night then a surprise invitation to the Vale Masonic for a foot stomping night of Rock with among others Littlehed & the Halos . A good night with a few beers and a Bar51 invasion after.
Saturday brought a first, the Clydesdale 5k, 2 laps round the Clydebank Industrial Park then along to the usual loop to pick up the cycle path back towards the shopping centre, your finished before you know it, but good to run a shorter race for a change, finished in about 21 1/2 mins, picked up the pace to easily outsprint a 60+ year old so probably could have pushed it a wee bit faster, but not much.
Sunday's weather forecast wasn't good..turned out fine, dry, breezy with cloud base mostly above the tops but some down towards 2500'.
Drove to Arrochar for 3000' in 2 1/2 miles of straight up Ben Narnain, a quick drop down to Bealach a' Mhaim then 1000' plus trot up the back of the Cobbler. First time up the Cobbler for 30 odd years, hasn't changed much apart from the new erosion proofing man made steps, ok going up but a bit picky going down. Came off the Cobbler onto the path in 2:45, picked up the pace through the glen to finish in just over 3 hours.
A few snow patches to negotiate along the way with the usual diffcult gully through the Spearhead, some good views under the clouds, a few pics in the Galleria.
Saturday brought a first, the Clydesdale 5k, 2 laps round the Clydebank Industrial Park then along to the usual loop to pick up the cycle path back towards the shopping centre, your finished before you know it, but good to run a shorter race for a change, finished in about 21 1/2 mins, picked up the pace to easily outsprint a 60+ year old so probably could have pushed it a wee bit faster, but not much.
Sunday's weather forecast wasn't good..turned out fine, dry, breezy with cloud base mostly above the tops but some down towards 2500'.
Drove to Arrochar for 3000' in 2 1/2 miles of straight up Ben Narnain, a quick drop down to Bealach a' Mhaim then 1000' plus trot up the back of the Cobbler. First time up the Cobbler for 30 odd years, hasn't changed much apart from the new erosion proofing man made steps, ok going up but a bit picky going down. Came off the Cobbler onto the path in 2:45, picked up the pace through the glen to finish in just over 3 hours.
A few snow patches to negotiate along the way with the usual diffcult gully through the Spearhead, some good views under the clouds, a few pics in the Galleria.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
WHW run Sat 7th March
2nd part of the planned B2B a longer run on the WHW from Drymen to Sallochy Bay & back. About 22 miles & 4000' of ascent including up & down Conic Hill both ways.
Started out dry & ran without a jacket on, just 2 thermals to try to avoid the usual sweat soaked mess. Jogged along, walking most hills with a bit of purpose to get some return.
Reached Sallochy in just over 3 hours, brief stop to refuel then back towards Drymen, this time pushing hard up the hills and v easy in between. Rain started on the way back, put a third thermal on before the climb back over Conic. Made it back to Drymen in 3 hours 10, 6 hours 13 all in.
Started out dry & ran without a jacket on, just 2 thermals to try to avoid the usual sweat soaked mess. Jogged along, walking most hills with a bit of purpose to get some return.
Reached Sallochy in just over 3 hours, brief stop to refuel then back towards Drymen, this time pushing hard up the hills and v easy in between. Rain started on the way back, put a third thermal on before the climb back over Conic. Made it back to Drymen in 3 hours 10, 6 hours 13 all in.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Glen Loin Fri 6th March
1st run of the weekend back to back, an evening ACW run round Glen Loin, set off about 6 to try out running with head torches, turned out we didn't need them, didn't get dark until half way round then the snow meant no need for the torches. Ran all the hills and walked quite a bit in between, slippy underfoot on the way back, low visibility meant we had to take it easier than usual, good run, finished in about 2 hours 20.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Ben Lui Nature Reserve Sun 1st March
Armed with my newly purchased Harvey Superwalker map (waterproof) I set out to try for a circuit of the 4 Lui Munros. The plan was to follow the track from Dalrigh towards Cononish, would the huts really be green? Would I find my fortune in gold? As luck would have it, no, but the huts are really green, oh and the weather turned pretty poor as well, low cloud and snow restricting the run to a couple of up & downs, 12 or so miles & 4000' of ascent.
Set off towards Cononish, leaving the track just before the green huts up the steep lower slopes of Beinn Dubhcraig. After 1000' or so the gradient eased to runnable. Continue to climb but towards cloud and snow, occaisional sun beams breaking through giving some hope of clearer weather.
About 2500' didn't look good, unfamiliar ground, snow, cloud, took a 5 min break to orientate and plan. Common sense took over and about turn away from the snow & clouds and back to the track.
Ben Lui looked interesting in the distance, brown/green slopes leading to a white cauldron like Coire Gaothach 1000' plus above. On the way towards Lui occaisional cloud breaks revealing glimpses of Beinn Dubhcraig & Ben Oss summits. At the base of the climb ran upstream alongside the Alt Coire Laoigh to find a dry crossing point, didn't fancy starting out wet. Across the stream a trod winds up past several waterfalls just before the jaws at the entrance to Coire G and back into snow and cloud. The Coire is strewn with large boulders around streams which were lying under a few feet of snow to trap the careless walker, their prescence only realised by the muffled sound of rushing water.
Climbed up into the Coire as far as I dared, stopping to build a snowman & for a wine gum or two. Phone started taking pictures on its own in the rather wet conditions, took it out my pocket and tried to point it at some of the Coire features, a couple of the pictures that came out are in the Galleria.
After a few minutes set off down the snowy slopes, 2 slips and 1 fall but no submission, fall being cushioned by the spare clothes and litre of juice in my backpack, at least there was no-one around to see it.
On the way back ploughed straight through the Alt Coire Laoigh to clean the shoes and leggings before a leisurely hours jog back to Dalrigh. Although short of the planned route the near 5 hour run was well worth it as a recce to appreciate the terrain for better weather. Map a good purchase, as well as the 4 Lui Munro's it has all 7 Crianlarich Munro's, from Ben More to Beinn Chabhair.
Set off towards Cononish, leaving the track just before the green huts up the steep lower slopes of Beinn Dubhcraig. After 1000' or so the gradient eased to runnable. Continue to climb but towards cloud and snow, occaisional sun beams breaking through giving some hope of clearer weather.
About 2500' didn't look good, unfamiliar ground, snow, cloud, took a 5 min break to orientate and plan. Common sense took over and about turn away from the snow & clouds and back to the track.
Ben Lui looked interesting in the distance, brown/green slopes leading to a white cauldron like Coire Gaothach 1000' plus above. On the way towards Lui occaisional cloud breaks revealing glimpses of Beinn Dubhcraig & Ben Oss summits. At the base of the climb ran upstream alongside the Alt Coire Laoigh to find a dry crossing point, didn't fancy starting out wet. Across the stream a trod winds up past several waterfalls just before the jaws at the entrance to Coire G and back into snow and cloud. The Coire is strewn with large boulders around streams which were lying under a few feet of snow to trap the careless walker, their prescence only realised by the muffled sound of rushing water.
Climbed up into the Coire as far as I dared, stopping to build a snowman & for a wine gum or two. Phone started taking pictures on its own in the rather wet conditions, took it out my pocket and tried to point it at some of the Coire features, a couple of the pictures that came out are in the Galleria.
After a few minutes set off down the snowy slopes, 2 slips and 1 fall but no submission, fall being cushioned by the spare clothes and litre of juice in my backpack, at least there was no-one around to see it.
On the way back ploughed straight through the Alt Coire Laoigh to clean the shoes and leggings before a leisurely hours jog back to Dalrigh. Although short of the planned route the near 5 hour run was well worth it as a recce to appreciate the terrain for better weather. Map a good purchase, as well as the 4 Lui Munro's it has all 7 Crianlarich Munro's, from Ben More to Beinn Chabhair.
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