Long run Sun 3rd Jan

Set off for a later than usual Sunday run, not sure exactly where or how long. Maybe start with the 3 Parks then Whinney Hill. Reached Balloch and decided the day was too good and needed a bigger hill, Ben Lomond looked good but required return home, get car, same for Luss.

Entered Balloch park by the riverside path, ho ho, make that an ice chute, and no ho ho's just ouch as I hit the deck. Slid across to the edge of the path so that I could stand up and continued on a wee bit wary.

Ran thru the park aiming to leave via the path at the top of heart attack hill, too icy so ran up the field next to the path. I wanted some pictures of Loch and hills and before Whinney Hill ran along the Boturich road to its highest point.

Arrived back at the Whinney Hill gate needing a bigger hill for better views and decided to take in the Stoneymollen. Ran to the foot of the Stoney thru the Park and Balloch main st.

Plod up the Stony then a left before the second gate, a narrow track worn in the snow made for easy going at first, another plus was all the ditches were frozen. All went fine until the end of the trees where wind blown drifts had covered the ready made tracks and I was trying to run in foot deep snow.

This was hard work and stayed like this along the ridge line until coming off Bromley Muir where the snow got a bit deeper reaching a couple of feet with some waist deep plunges thrown in for fun, quite comfy once your in them.

Great views all round, to the North, the Luss Hills, Ben More and Stob Binnien beyond Ben Lomond, West and the Arran tops peaking out over the moors behing Greenock. East, the Campsie Fells and Mentieth Hills either side of Flanders Moss. Dumbarton Castle looking small 4 miles away to the SE.

All in about 14 miles and 2000 FOA, finished in 3 hours 6. Exhilirating to run over the hills in the snow. The increase in depth of snow as you climb or where the route is exposed to drifting snow make running so much harder, impossible in many places, good lessons to learn in the relative safety of the Vale Hills. A couple of pictures in the Galleria.