Beinn Eich

Odd run today, arrived at Glen Luss with odd shoes, luckily one for each foot, old Inov8 for the right foot, new Inov8 for the left foot, the old ones have a few holes in the sole, half a size larger as well. The plan was to run up the Glen road, up Beinn Eich along the ridge to Doune Hill, cross the Glen and come back via Mid Hill and Beinn Dubh. The tops had some new snow. Easy run up the glen, startled by a few large deer gazing at me from a roasdside field, past the art gallery, a closing down sale I feel I should visit. Soon onto the hill, ground softer than the last few times. Cross the first two stiles and jog to the third, the sun's out but the cold wind bites through, getting my jacket out I realise one of my juice bottles is cracked, leaking its contents on my spare gear and down the back of my tracksters. Some snow lying now and I drop into walk mode from here.

Steep initial climb, snow getting deeper all the way, about three quarters of the way up the clouds close in and it starts to snow horizontally, staggering through hidden drifts I think about turning back as visibility drops to a few metres. Snow's reasonably deep, I move on, up for the top, then I'll turn back, I should be able to follow my footsteps back down, there's only mine, no-one else has been up here today. I think I'm on top, can't see much, not even the summit cairn, then I realise I'm standing on it.

Quick picture then down following my footprints, after the first hundred yards they start to disappear the spindrift covering and filling them in leaving not much more than small slits, about half way down, the squall blows through, clear blue skies again, inviting me back up.

Not today, I run down, cross the glen and climb up Coille-eughain hill rather than face a run down the road. Reach the top in the sun, great views, the next squall comes in as I run down the Paps.

9 miles, 3500' in about 3 1/2 hours. One of those runs, if you knew what it was going to be like at the top you wouldn't go, having been, you are quite pleased. More pictures here. Usual Sunday Stoneymollan cool down, back into the snow.