The Dukes Path

This weeks long run, the 20 mile Ardgarten loop. Down Loch Long side to start, the trail is covered with a few inches of snow, blue skies overhead, pleasant running, stopping for a few photos of the surrounding hills along the way. The Brack.....

Tullich and Doune Hills.....

 Tullich Hill and Ben Reoch behind....

Its good fun for five or six miles with a height gain of about 500'. The next mile and a half to Corran Lochan was where the fun started, climbing uphill another 250' was enough for the snow to increase from 3 or 4 inches to about a foot deep and a slow energy sapping trudge.

The views over an icy Corran Lochan to Clach Bheinn behind were looking good in the snow and I set off across to Loch Goil, its only a couple of miles!

No running here either but another 150' of ascent and a few more inches of snow made for a long walk, luckily a snowy squall blew through to help me along.

By the time I reached the Loch Goil track, the sky was clearing with great views to the hills across the loch. I was ready for a run to thaw out the blocks of ice that were my toes. 4 miles from here and a mile and a half past Lochgoilhead is Pole Farm and I turned on to the forest trails again for a steady 3 mile 1000' climb up to the top of the Rest and Be Thankful. Somehow the snow got deeper again and its another mile or two of walking to get to the top. I turned into Glen Crow, downhill at last, the snow didn't seem to get this and stayed about a foot deep, another couple of miles of walking towards the Cat Crag Loop turnoff where at last the snow began to release its grip and I managed a steady run for the last mile or so finishing in just over 5 hours 40 instead of the usual 4 hours.

Polaroid Industrial Estate

First club race of the year, 2 laps of the Industrial Estate. The trail had been cleared since last week, the track dug out and fallen trees removed, combined with the low temperatures drying the ground out made for a faster run. 19 of us set off over the tussocky field through the woods and one of the two remaining muddy bits down to the path beside the river Leven, the first couple of hundred yards had been dug out, ok for walking, not so good for running. The front three stretched away ahead and I stayed in the next group of three before we split up after one and a half laps and I dropped behind. The second part of each lap goes through more trees and mud as the river turns away from the course, through some fields with a short up and down and some rougher ground before the run down the grass verge to the finish, then we do it again. First lap just over 18 mins, second lap nearer 19. Cooled down collecting the markers in, a good day for a run.

Pappert

Struggled out for a run on Sunday afternoon, along the cycle path to the Polaroid Industrial Estate and tried a lap of next weeks cross country course. The course was nice and muddy and clear with a couple of fallen trees to negotiate. Set off up through Strathleven then Pappert and onto the hill behind, took a direct route all the way up and we came out of the trees into a white clad misty landscape.

We ran up the ridge to the trig point and followed the trail round past the well, cold and wet underfoot,  frozen toes didn't make the going very easy. From the style we ran back to the remains of Northfield Cottage and onto the track that drops to the back of Bonhill. My heart was willing but my legs, and toes, couldn't face the Stoneymollan so we parted company at Bonhill bridge, straight home for me, about 10 miles and 1200' in just under 2 hours.

Two Crags

A nice short race to start the year, Calendar Crags, about 3 miles with 800' of ascent. Big field of about 130, congested start helped to keep the pace sensible up the narrow zig zag path, ran where I could, it is a race after all, towards the top the gradient eases as the ground gets rougher, roots, rocks and mud, so you have to balance pace and effort, 18 minutes to the top, pass the cairn running now along and down the short ridge path into the woods where the path slalom's round the trees for a hundred yards or so before your sent along a short road section, slightly uphill at first then gets steeper downhill for about half a mile before the last half mile or so back on forest trails, finished in 35 and a half mins. Sunday's crag was the Cat Crag Loop with a few extra miles. Starting at Ardgarten I ran three quarters of the way round the CC Loop then continued up to the top of the Rest and Be Thankful on the trails on the South side of Glen Croe.

View from the Cat Crag Loop to Arrochar

Should have brought some money  for the Tea Van in the car park at the top of the Rest. Ran back down the old road into the wind past deer, cows and then horses clad in padded jackets.

Looking back up the old road

A loop on the high trail on the north side of Glen Croe to finish, it was tough running past Ardg 400' below before coming back via the lower trail.

Nearly finished! The Brack from the lower trail on the approach to Ardgarten

Finished the 14 miles with 2800' of ascent in just under three hours, got the first couple of hours dry then drenched for the last hour.