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.