Sunday, April 26, 2009

Beinn Chabhair Sat 25th April

While watching several Club members taking part in the Highland Fling I had the chance for a wee run up the Munro in behind the Ben Glas Falls, short run, 8 miles with just over 3000' of ascent. First time up this one, pronounced Bein Kavarr.

Steep climb beside the falls to start then the gradient eases following the Ben Glas Burn up the glen, best to stick to the path close to the river as the wider quad bike tracks close by are pretty boggy. Jogged up this undulating path beside the Ben Glas burn for a couple of miles to the Lochan Beinn Chabhair then a steeper climb.

Looking back down the ascent route over the Lochan.



From the Lochan you could make your way directly up the face but I chose to follow a few faint paths beside a gully to a notch between Meall Nan Tarmachan and Beinn Chabhair. From here there is a distinct path which twists and turns along the rocky ridge to the two summits.

Although a bit hazy took a few pictures of the surrounding views from the summit.

Lochan 1400' below from the summit.



Went back via outward route except strayed onto the quad bike tracks, a lot smoother to look at but soft squelchy stuff and made for hard work. Steep descent past the falls good fun to finish. About 2 1/2 hours. A couple of pics in the Galleria.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Whangie Whizz Wed 22nd April

First Bog & Burn race of the year, field of 160 or so made for interesting overtaking on the narrow paths. Cool & dry overhead & dryish underfoot.

Kept to the back for the initial climb towards the style and once on the path pushed it to a steady pace one eye searching for foot placement the other on the lookout for overtaking opportunities, in this race it's too easy to stay in the comfort zone and just follow the runner in front.

Picked off a few before the Whangie where the track gets a bit wider with some ditches to jump & others that you sink into.

Ran the climb after the road, a slow jog, then pushed on again to the trig point. After the trig its on your toes for 10 or 12 minutes of run as fast as you can to the finish without falling over, particularly the rocky bits.

Only a couple of us from the club but a also few others who run with us. Finished inside the top half of the field in just under 39 mins.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Ben Lui Sat 18th April

Good forecast for sun and almost no wind so I decided on a return to the Lui Nature Reserve for another attempt at the so called Queen of Scotlands mountains. Friday evening spent reading about the variety of route choices and peoples impressions of the 3707' mountain, Scotland's 28th highest.

Planned a 3 munro route, Beinn Dubhchraig, Ben Oss & Ben Lui and left the Vale slightly late in weather not to forecast or my liking, low cloud which didn't look like shifting. Parked at Dalrigh just before Tyndrum and set off on the 3 miles of farm track towards Cononish. Cloud below 2500'.

From Cononish head SE up the pathless steep lower slopes of Ben Dubhchraig, after about 1000' of ascent you cross a fence and the slope eases and you can run a bit. The next 1000' took me into the clouds, pausing just before visibility dissapeared to orientate myself to the map, go South it said. Tied the compass to my backpack and climbed into the mist occaisional fenceposts giving comfort that I was going in the right direction. Soon passed a small loch where I should take a left (South-East)for the last 300' of climb, pleased to pick up a path zig zaging to the top.

Beinn Dubhchraig summit "cairn" in the mist.



To reach Ben Oss you first return to the Lochan then take a left (West), follow more zig zags as you drop a few hundred feet to pop back under the clouds at 2500' and the Beallach before the climb up Ben Oss. Stopping every few hundred yards to try to pick out a route up Ben Oss. Begin to waver as route finding in the mist time consuming & tiring, maybe call it a day after Ben Oss, leaving Ben Lui for a better day.

Loch Oss front, Loch Dochart rear.



Managed to avoid going over the knoll just in front of Ben Oss by contouring round South West above Loch Oss.

Back into the clouds now and find a flat area from where the streams flow into Loch Oss, leave the path and head North to pick up the ridge and found what turned out to be a path leading to the summit. Getting brighter on the way up, patches of blue sky appearing above.

Ben Oss summit cairn with Ben Lui summit peeking out behind!



Met a couple of hillwalkers on Oss summit, stopped for a chat and some food as the clouds melted away below, views opening up, Ben Lui back on the agenda.

Route finding easy, lovely run down to the Beallach dropping 1000' in just over a mile to the head of Corrie Laoigh for the climb up Ben Lui, 1400' in just over a mile. Faint tracks at first improves with height as it picks up the Coire Gaotach rim.

The final 300'.



Reached Lui summit, breathless from the exertion and the views. You could touch Cruachan and Loch Awe. The Arrochar Alps from Lui, usually the other way round. Two problems, didn't want to leave, but when I did, what route?

The way back?



Watched some walkers picking their way towards the northern top up over Stob Garbh and decided it was too rocky to descend, went back to try Stob an Tighe Aird, the bail out from that being a longer run back to the head of Coire Laoigh.

Descent from the Northern top looks a bit steep!



The path down Stob an Tighe Aird snow covered at the top but managed to pick my way round and between patches of snow and onto a clear path down into Coire Gaotach 1200' below dislodged a boulder on the way & watched it career down the steep slopes below.

View of Lui Summit just before dropping into Coire G. Walkers can be seen on my descent track, lower left.



Slithered down into the Coire and a refreshing wash in the streams. From here the run down is familiar from March's recce. Back in the glen stopped for another wash and some food before the 5 mile run out through Cononish.

The day was a reward for perseverance when it would have been easy to give up after the first hill. An interesting contrast from navigating in mist to spectacular views.

Total of 15 miles & 5600' of ascent, felt harder and a bit longer probably due to stop / start navigating in the mist. A few more pictures in the Galleria.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Clachnaben Sat 11th June

1st race in this years SHR championship, Clachnaben, 10 1/2 miles with 3500' of ascent. Race is near to Aberdeen & is organised by the Cosmic Hillbasher's and sponsored by among others, Deeside Brewery. Previous expedition to this area had been to Scolty hill race when it was also a championship counter, albeit a short one.

Set out at half 7 for the 3+ hour drive of 130 miles via Stirling, Perth, Dundee & Fettercairn. Stopped at Peggy Sue's cafe for 2nd breakfast. The roads round Fettercairn familiar from visits 15 or so years ago to friends who stayed in one of the entrance lodges to the House of Dun.

The last 10 or 15 miles over the narrow B974 a favourite for mororcycles. A few miles to go & passed Clydesdales Micheal Diver on his way to the race on pushbike, then he cycles home.

The start is reached via a forrest road to park then a 10 minute walk to a clearing where registration is set up with a supersize gazeebo housing post race tea & cakes.

The race starts & finishes with a couple of miles of undulating forrest roads, in between 6 miles over 3 and a bit hills. The shoulder of Threestane hill is the "bit" climbed on the way up Mount Shade, a quick descent before the climb up Clachnaben, round the Tor and off the back towards Millers bog before the last climb back up Mount Shade.

Ascent of Mount Shade & Clachnaben ok on narrow paths and sheep tracks, the descents are difficult, narrow & rocky with heather making it difficult to see the paths & hollows & whipping your shins, all part of the pleasure. The run down to Miller's Bog tough with thigh deep heather & tussocks, tried to pick up the pace & suffered 4 falls before taking the hint and settling to a slow jog/walk.

The re-ascent of Mount Shade was jelly baby & wind assisted, jelly babies courtesy of the cheery race marshalls.

The final run off Mount Shade took a different line from the original ascent, back onto a narrow trod hidden under the heather, eased off the pace until through the obligatory boggy bit at the bottom and back onto the forrest track. Pushed on and pleased to catch 4 or 5 on the run in to finish in just over 2 hours, 97th out of 161.

Sat in the sun for half an hour or so to get changed and sample the sponsors product along with some home baking. The sound of contented chat drifting around in the breeze. Couple of pictures in the Galleria, SHR pictures here. Slideshow offers a good overview of the race as the photographer moves round the course. For media junkies there are more pictures on the Cosmic flickr site as well.

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Luss Sat 4th April

Met at 8 Sat morning with no real plans & went with the suggestion of Luss Hills the route would depend on time and how we felt.

Set off on the long climb to Beinn Dubh. Reached the top in just under an hour, felt slower but quite easy. We had entered the clouds on the way up & this meant head down to concentrate on the path which twists its way round the two corries.

From the back of mid hill we dropped down into Sith Mor but instead of crossing the valley for the ascent of Doune Hill, we contoured down the glen to pick up the farm track back towards Glen Luss, mindful of others fragile state! This would give us similar mileage but a shorter climb, to 1500', up Coille Eughain Hill.

Pleasant run down the Paps and through the fields and woods back to the car, about 11 miles with 3800' of ascent in 3 hrs 21.

Thursday, April 02, 2009

Stoneymollen Race

19 Millies braved the wild moorland that is the Stoneymollen race, shame the roll of red & white tape put out last night had been removed by some warped person. Still made for some interesting route choices.

Perfect night, sunny but cool with a slight breeze.

Set out near the back and took it steady past the kennels. Managed to keep the breathing under reasonable control on the way up the track, pace rising & falling in line with the gradient.

Pushed on over the undulating Bromley & Overton Muirs for the short fast descent down towards the Radio Mast. Usual swampy, gorse filled tunnel before the farm track, fast as you dare at the steep top section then work a bit harder as it levels out before the last couple of killer hills towards the cemetry and a dash down Overton road to finish.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Glen Nevis Sat 28th March

Dropped 3 of the Club WHW runners at Tyndrum for their 42 mile training run to Fort William where I would pick them up for the drive back to the Vale. Meantime I would drive to Fort Bill for a run over the Mamores, 2nd attempt to run the Ring of Steall, last time rain falling up & gale force winds stopped me after the first munro, An Gearanach, this time snow, ice & 60 mph winds meant a re-route before I started. Instead of over the Mamores it would be round the Mamores. I had brought an OS Explorer map but bought the Ben Nevis Harveys Superwalker - waterproof - before I set out, well worth a tenner.

Starting from Glen Nevis visitor centre the plan was to run up Glen Nevis, through the gorge, past Steall, continue on to Luibelt / Meanach, take a right down the Glen passing behind Kinlochleven picking up the west Highland Way back to Glen Nevis, 30 something miles, about 6 or 7 hours. Bit of an epic so a few pictures included to highlight the route.

Ran up Glen Nevis in an enjoyable mixture of sun & snow passing a few tourists snapping away at the surrounding snow covered mountains. Jog walked up the gorge track mindful of the drops to the river below. Stopped at one of the ledges for a picture back down the Glen to a snow capped Mullach nan Coirean.



At the top of the Gorge ran through the aptly named Steall Meadows and on into the upper reaches of Glen Nevis, the Mamores towering above to the South.



The track turned out to be not much better than a sheep track, although not too steep so tried to maintain a jog which was pretty hard going through rocks & over streams, realised what the word "ford" meant. Continued to climb up the Glen into the snow pausing for a look back towards the relative calm of Steall meadows with Sgurr a' Mhaim towering behind..



On up the Glen into the snow, the tracks and trods contiually splitting and found myself choosing what appeared to be the best path only for it to disappear into mush a few hundred yards later as the river and its flood plain meandered across the valley floor. The constant sluicing of freezing water in & out of my shoes turned my feet to blocks of ice.



Found myself constantly stopping to check the map or go back and get it? The herds of Deer providing respite as they watched my painfully slow progress towards Luibelt and what I hoped would be better going. Gradually the terrain eased and the snow began to dissappear, the river suddenly got a lot bigger and changed direction too, ok it was a different river, I had left the Water of Nevis behind and was now running beside the Abhainn Rath, pushed on as this meant I was only a mile or so from Luibelt, only trouble was the river crossing to come. Arrived at Luibelt and stopped for some food and a drink before the river crossing so that I could run myself dry hopefully without freezing!



From Luibelt you pickup a landrover track which runs through the Glen passing a couple of small lochs gleaming in the sun on the way to Kinlochleven. All the time views to Loch Leven and mountains beyond gradually open up.



Continuing towards Kinlochleven the aim was to avoid going through Kinlochleven & the 1000' descent & re-ascent that would mean, easy enough in the end as the tracks matched the map snaking off to tthe right, great views past the Pap of Glencoe down Loch Leven.



Met up with the WHW runners just after Kinlochleven for the 10 or 11 miles back to Fort William. The day's effort beginning to tell, walking as much as jogging. Gradually worked our way back with great views of Ben Nevis pulling us on, managed to pick up the pace for the run through the forrest familiar from a previous out and back run from Fort William.



Good run back down the forrest tracks on the side of Glen Nevis to finish in 8 1/2 hours, a might longer than expected, the run from Steall to Luibelt a toughie. Home for a few beers to celebrate Georges birthday. A few more pictures in the Galleria.