Luss Hills Sun 31st May

Blazing sun and blue skies contrast to last weeks low cloud and rain, for a change common sense prevailed after last weeks 5 hour run an easier run closer to home.

Glen Luss horseshoe, ACW, 9 miles and 3500' of ascent. The long 2000' slog up Beinn Dubh to start. Mountain views all around.



Ran along the ridge past the unnamed top, the Arrochar Alps close enough to touch.



A 180 degree turn down mid hill. Felt like swimming down Glen Luss crossing Luss water after the Mid Hill descent but managed to cross the river and set off up the 1000' climb up Coille-eughain Hill, threw in a few hill reps on the way up, run, gasp, rest, run, gasp, rest, driven by the promise of a cool breeze and great views of Loch Lomond at the top.



Ran back to the foot of the Glen via the Paps, finished just under 2 hrs 50. Not much water on the route, drank twice as much as last week in half the time. A few more pics in the Galleria.

Arrochar Alps Sat 23rd May

Beautiful blue skies & a cool breeze on Friday and I decided to go to Arrochar on Saturday for run round Ben Vane, Ime & Narnain. Couldn't wait to go!

Got up Saturday to low cloud, but dry.

Set off from Succouth car park about 9am - charges are back on - running the Glen Loin path towards Coiregrogan, reached the Ben Vane turn off after 50 mins and set off through the muck at the bottom towards the clouds.



Caught 3 hillwalkers just as I reached the clouds and the rain blew in to make the run to the top pretty miserable. Didn't fancy going on in this but decided the route over the back to Lag Uaine was a better run off than back down the path. Met another waterproof hillwalker at the top.

When you come off the back of Vane and get the line wrong the descent can take 40 plus mins, get it right and sub 20 is easy. I've found it helps to stay on the ridge until I pass this rock.......



Couple of slips and twists on the descent, but the rain eased off and I came out the clouds to a pleasant surprise I could see the Ben Ime ascent route across the valley. I could pick out the line for the 800' climb up to Glas Beallach and with the Cloud base lifting to over 2500' I could also see the start of the final climb up Ben Ime.



Crossed Lag Uaine and set off up towards the Beallach with a bite to eat, a cereal bar and my new superfood, jelly tots. Another waterproof hillwalker lonely in the distance climbing up from Lag Uaine. This section is trackless and damp underfoot thankfully sheltered from the wind so not too cold. Stopped as I reached the Beallach for a photo looking up Ben Ime.



Getting used to the climb from Glas Beallach and no longer panic when I can't find a path, keep to the right of the crags and eventually the turret cairn appears through the clouds, exposed to the wind and rain again so no time to stop at the top, head down and run along the path to a short rocky descent and down the hill towards Beallach a' Mhaim, visibility 50 yards max means compass out from the "gap" on a 165 bearing which takes me right to the style at the Beallach. Cloud back down below 2000', continue on rather too pleased with how precise my navigaton was.

The Beallach is always a windy place, weather too nasty for any more pictures.

Found the path at the back of Narnain and plodded up past more waterproof hill walkers. Enjoyed the strengthening wind and lashing rain towards the top, wandered about the summit plateau, funny how you can get lost in such a small space everything looks unfamiliar in the mist. Found the path again and headed for my favourite Spearhead gully, wind and rain sweeping up towards me. No time to think about it just pick my way through onto surer? footing.

The Narnain descent is a cracker about 3000' in under 2 miles, a bit of everything, and requires full concentration especially when its wet & windy. You work your way through a series of lumps, bumps and gullies, head down and get on with it otherwise it snags you up and becomes s a bit of a pain.

Came back out the cloud at the top of the old concrete block path, nearly finished now. Not many people use this route any more so the tracks are gradually dissappearing, the mountains finally spit me out onto the Glen Loin path and an easy run back to the car park via the jacuzzi, just under 5 hours.

A couple more pictures in the Galleria but my phone went wonky in the rain, I think a few of the buttons have shorted out, must keep it in a poly bag in future.

Beinn Dubh Mon 11th May

Went for a walk up Beinn Dubh with number 1 son as he prepares for an attempt on an Explorer Belt towards the end of July. Beautiful sunny evening, cool breeze.

View to Conic Hill over Loch Lomond.



Had to shoo the odd lamb away before mother sheep took exception.

Aim was to reach the top before the sunset and made it ok, not much slower than usual. Had someone else to take my picture for a change as we approached the top.



Spent about 20 minutes at the top taking a few pictures while we waited for the sun to go down cracking views to the Arrochar Alps.



Ben Lomond looking good across the loch as well, no sign of the snow which added a twist to last Saturday's race.



Temperature dropped as the sun went down and the cold wind meant jacket, hat and gloves on. Walked down with the sunset, the wind gradually disappearing as we went. Cut a few corners on the way back, a bit steeper but avoiding the worst of the boggy bits. A few more pictures in the Galleria.

Ben Lomond, Sat 8th May

Race up & down our local munro, 7 or 8 miles and 3192 feet of ascent. Damp & breezy with a warning that winter had returned above. Numbers down probably due to the weather.

Set off and pushed on for the first 20 minutes or so when energy levels & pace began to drop. Head down and kept moving upwards through the second gate and off the track, snow lying on the ground. Reached the half way plateau and started to run again. Colder and windier the higher you went, gradually added protection, gloves, buff and jacket as the rain turned to stinging horizontal snow.

The climb up to the summit ridge tricky through snow & rock, visibility less than 50 yards. Summit ridge had a few inches of snow at the edges with a slushy track in the middle. Turned at the top in just over 71 mins. The descent started with extra care due to the snow covered rocks and unable to get up any pace until after the zig zags.

Chased a few people down the path and through the off road sections passing the last couple through the trees near the bottom. Came down in under 35 mins to finish in just under 1 hour 46.

Photo courtesy of Chris Upson / SHR, more here.



Interesting stats, 84th on the ascent, 58th on the decsent and 75th overall, number 75 as well. Soup, rolls and a pint after a quick plunge into the loch.

Dumyat Wed 6th May

Another big field of 250 plus for this 5 miles jaunt up and down Dumyat which sits behind Striling Uni. A few days of rain made for a slippy race.

Felt a bit sluggish before the start due to SAC last Saturday and 11 miles last night but felt ok after a short warm up. Race started without as much as a ready, never mind get set, just go! Off up the road before a wee rest at the gap in the wall, hit the muddy farm track running.

Ran the short steep road section passing a few plodders before the stream crossing and up to the muddy bank where mayhem ensued, ploughed straight through in my new super grippy Adidas Swoop past plenty of Adidas Samba smoothies floundering in the mud.

Into the Bluebell woods and ran on the path edges for grip. Out onto the hill and pace undulating in time to the gradient, remembering to push all the way its only half an hour to the top. Turned in 32 mins for the flailing descent.

No energy after the turn and hung on to the back of a small group but picked up the pace on each of the steeper sections as gravity kicked in and gradually overtook a few. Managed to avoid the usual kamikaze rock jumps on the way down.

Back into the forrest and pushed hard through the mud and trees, passed three on the muddy bank, aimed for the tree at the bottom bouncing off down the track. A quick wash at the stream then pushed for home on the road & track, 18 min descent to finish in 1 sec under 50 mins.

Stuc A' Chroin Sat 2nd May

14 miles and 5000 feet of fun and frolics in the hills above Strathyre. This year it's part of both the British & Scottish Championship series and a record field of over 300 set off at 1:00 pm.

Well known as a toughie the first couple of miles are only a warm up as you undulate your way up through Strathyre forrest. You leave the forrest and run over a rough and boggy Meall Mor, so far overall climb not too bad at 1400' in just over 3 miles.

A quick plunge 600 feet down into Glen Ample before the assault on Beinn Each, hands, knees and teeth required for a 1500' climb in less than a mile.

The ridge run from Beinn Each to the Stuc is a joy to run with full concentration required over rock and bog as it undulates along. Take care to avoid the front runners as they fly past on their way back. The ridge finale is a 1000' climb within a mile to the top of the Stuc.

The return journey is fun as it misses out Beinn Each. The initial descent to the ridge is tricky on steep loose rock, easy to be caught out as you try to make as much use of gravity as possible.

The Beallach Nam Cabar is reached after a couple of miles and signals the drop back into Glen Ample. Initially a straight run down to pick up an effort of a sheep track to trash your ankles as you run along and down to the bottom of the Glen.

You slither down a swampy stream for the last few feet thinking what could be worse and it's right in front of you, a mushy bog followed by the 600' plus climb out the Glen. A stunning rainbow behind breaks up the climb. The photo doesn't do it justice but was a good excuse for a rest.



As you exit Glen Ample its a struggle to keep your legs moving in time as you run back over the delightfully rough Meall Mor. This finishes in a plunge back into the forrest where going too fast to turn a corner Christmas comes early as I run into a tree, the needles cushion the blow.

For the last couple of miles its back onto the forrest track which is a bit harsh on the feet after the soft moor.

A cracking race but one you need a wee bit of patience for, marshalls fantastic as they provide gallons of water, jelly babies and chocolate on the hill.

Finished in 3 hrs 26 mins which seems ok to me, 227th out of 318 finishers. Race profile below gives you some idea of the ups and downs, to find out more you'll need to give it a go.