Back roon the Mamores

This time last year I ran round the Mamores instead of over them. Back for another go this year. Set off from the Vale at 7 and dropped 5 Ultra Millies off at Tyndrum for a Forty odd mile run to Fort Bill.

The Big Buchle.

I then drove up to Glen Nevis, weather wild again so no trip round the Mamore tops and I thought I would try the same route as last year but in reverse.

From the Glen Nevis visitor centre join the WHW to Kinlochleven, keeping to the high level trail behind KLL and up the track past Lochs Eilde Mor and Beag to Luibelt. Hang a left through the watershed for a run down to the Visitor Centre near the bottom of Glen Nevis.

Ran in fell shoes last year which were good for Steall to Luibelt but hard the rest of the way. Road shoes this year, and with wine gums and a bag of rhubarb rock trundled up the WHW through Nevis Forest. Only a few people out this morning, a couple of runners, one pack of walkers and some motorcyclists.

Reached KLL in about 2 1/2 hours. Legs a bit dead from last Thursday's hill reps. Walked most of the next 40 minutes as the track passes the Mamore Lodge then climbs away from KLL. A final wee climb and running again as the track does a lochside meander. Reached Luibelt in just over 4 1/2 hours all in.

Meanach Bothy from Luibelt across the Abhainn Rath.

Hoped the run from Luibelt to Steall going mostly downhill would be a bit easier than last year, and knowing what to expect I had a close look at the map to try to avoid the worst of the swampy terrain.

The first two miles slightly uphill alongside the Abhainn Rath until you reach the watershed, stayed south of the river, good track to start, but caught up in a few squelchy swamps crossing the watershed, feet freezing, and soon it is impossible to move quickly enough to keep warm. The Water of Nevis starts here and a small intermittent track winds down Glen Nevis, a few bogs, swamps and streams to cross along the way.

After 2 1/2 hours and what seemed an eternity of boghopping I was thankful to reach the familiarity and relative calm of Steall Meadows and the gorge track to the Glen Nevis road.

Steall Waterfall.

Thought about hitching a lift down the Glen but managed to keep running, a final injection of pace to ensure I got back in under 8 hours, but only by 6 seconds, 35 minutes quicker than last year.

A good thirty something mile run, with the Luibelt to Steall section, only about 6 miles, hard work for 2 1/2 hours. A few more pictures in the Galleria.

Chapelgill Sat 20th March

The first SHR Championship race of the year, the steepest race in Scotland, 1400 feet up in 3/4 of a mile, then back down. Target was to get under 1/2 an hour, the winner would be about 20 mins, I had run the race route as part of the longer Culter Fell, a 3 hour roller coaster, in 2005. On its own Chapelgill is a bit more intense.

Nearly 180 started, stayed near the back and held a steady pace, losing concentration only for a minute or so on the way up, reached the top in just under 23 mins, sub 30 felt doubtful. Ran round the cairn and pushed off, passed a few people as the gradient increased then a couple came past which gave me the incentive to give it a go, stay relaxed and run, the last drop to the start the worst, glanced at my watch as I crossed the finish, success, 29 something.

Where have all the runners gone?

Tough wee race, enter on the day only £2, nice drive into a remote cul de sac, surrounded by hills, a crackin sunny day with a cool breeze, just in case you thought it was summer. Loads of cameras out, SHR pictures here, some more here , not quite so sure about these! Another good borders race, steeper than usual but short enough so that its over before you realise your in pain.

Stoneymollen Corkscrew

Today's run 15 miles with 3600 FOA. Bit different from the usual long run, the plan was to include 3 lots of hill reps. Ran from my house to the bottom of the Stoneymollen, just over the A82. Three reps from there to the gate at the top and back down. Each one about a mile and 550' each way taking an average of 15 minutes up and 11 down. After the third I ran straight on to the far side of the forest looking down towards the Black Third Farm. This time 5 reps up and down the short incline just after the gate, just over a minute each way. A longer run to get to the next reps on radiomast hill. Back to the top of the Stoney then right along the ridge past the trig point. Tough going in the snow, it was a long mile, 10 minutes over the usual time for this part of the run with snow to two feet deep. Descent off the last top to join the track which goes past the radiomast. Gorse alley taking its usual toll. Jogged down to the farm entrance at the bottom to start the first of the planned three reps, about 1/2 a mile and 340' each. Last week these took me 6:20 up and 4:45 down when I ran them as a rep session on their own, with a 2500' warm up already done, had to work a bit harder, result, a minute slower both up and down. On the way up each one was to be the last but managed to turn round and finish the 3. Ran home down through the fields beside the track, a lot easier on tired legs. Finished in 3 hours 13.

Easy weekend

Saturday just didn't start eventually getting out in the afternoon for a run round Stoneymollen, idea was to run up behind the reservoir, through the quarry along to the Stoneymollen then down to the bypass, about turn and go back.

Went ok until through the quarry then it was 2-3 feet of soft snow all the way to the path down to the bypass, ok going down but uphill was a slow fenceposting trudge, feet were like blocks of ice by the time I arrived at the bypass so easy jog back home.

Sat night club AGM in Bar51, well behaved mob these runners, out for 2:00 am and even offered to tidy up.

Sun, lazy day, but eventually managed to get out for a few reps up to the radiomast, averaged 6:20 up and 4:45 down.

Back home for the usual Xscape bonanza with the boys. Started in the sno bar waiting for our beermat to let us know our table was ready at Tony Romas. The sno bar used to sell Kronenburg Blanc now a much improved version is on offer....

The boys like Tony Romas for the ribs, not my cuppa tea so I had some pasta for a change.



After TR we set off for the Ten Pin but it was booked out for the night, made do with a game of crazy golf and managed to take the money on the last.

Polaroid Cross Country Sat 27th

Last Cross Country race for this year re-scheduled from early Jan saw 10 runners take on the two lap 4 miles + course round the Polaroid Industrial Estate.

A bit of everything, tussocks, forest trail, riverside paths, a cheeky wee Heron, some Ducks, Squirrels, a couple of small undulations but sadly with the low temperatures not a lot of mud.

Took the first lap steady pushing on once the last uphill was out the way, this was fine until half way round the second lap and passing under the bridge to Renton where the wheels fell off a bit.

Dug in again towards the end but still dropped about 40 seconds on the second lap. My 10th effort in a row at this good fun club race, could have done with some more competition to help up the effort.