Jura week

A week of running around Scotland's Hills. The plan was Jura, Glen Shiel, a wee rest then the Slioch Hill race. First up was the Jura Fells race, even getting there is fun, drive to Kennacraig, ferries to Islay and the short hop to Jura and with a bit of luck a bus to Craighouse. New showers and toilets at the hotel has brought a small charge for camping. Race day cool, little wind, a bit boggy underfoot, clearish tops, only slight navigational challenge CP 1 to 2. Wheels stayed intact this year, a few creaks going up each pap and a bit of a struggle to push down Corra Bheinn to Three Arch Bridge, the last km a trifle boggier than usual, the road to Craighouse is the road to Craighouse, finished in about 6 hours 25.

View of the Paps on the way home.

Got on the early bus on Sunday to take advantage of the earlier than usual boat back to Kennacraig before the drive up to Shiel Bridge Campsite. Planned to use Monday as a rest day and to recce a route for Tuesday. As Monday's weather improved decided to take advantage and set off from the campsite for the Saddle, handrailling a series of tracks, walls and fences to circumnavigate the tricky Forcan ridge. Soon just below the summit, unsure of the last wee climb turned back as I hoped to climb the Whelk as well, a steep rocky climb took me to the bealach between the Whelk and Sgurr Na Signe, left turn for the Whelk and great views up and down Glen Shiel.

Sgurr Na Signe from the Whelk

Tuesday, ready for some RnR, I drove to Applecross via the 2000' plus Bealach Na Ba, eerie in the mist. A nice day wandering this isolated village. Wednesday set off for Gairloch for a rest stopping in Glen Torridon for a run up Beinn Eighe via Coire Mhic Fearchair, the Triple Buttress Coire. Beinn Eighe means Fire Mountain, not today, wet n windy with sleety hail greeting my approach to the top of Ruadh-stac Mor one of Eighe's two Munro's.

Sail Mor

Didn't hang about dropping back into the coire and the bouldery track back to the car. Spent the rest of the week based in Sands Campsite near Gairloch with a visit to the Redpoint beaches. Saturday's journey home was broken up with a run in the Slioch Hill Race, dreich day, clag down, a slight route change required as a burn crossing at the penultimate checkpoint was a raging torrent, about a mile shorter, still a testing run. Starts and finishes with 2 or 3 miles of riverside trail, all the hilly stuff in between, Sgurr Dubh to start, hands, knees, teeth, heather, rock, mud, its a stiff wee climb. Misty ridge run to Slioch's twin summit checkpoints, runners passing like ghosts on their way back, feel our way along, easy pace to avoid any expensive navigational errors. The route change sent us down the hill walkers path, a muddy, rocky eroded mess, good fun. Finished in 3 hours 40.

Beinn Eighe from Slioch Finish

 Totals for the week, 19 hours running, 50 something miles and 21,000' of ascent. Lots of picture here.

Whangie Whizz

A few years since I last ran this, different gentler start, and a run through the Whangie. Tried to run all the way, managed it apart from a jump out the rocky end of the Whangie. Finished 67th out of 96 just inside 42 minutes.

Ben Lomond

2nd counter in this years SHR Championship, forecast wasn't great, turned out just about perfect. Sunny with a cool breeze. Shuttle bus from Balmaha arriving in plenty of time at Rowardennan, relaxed in front of the hotel in the sun. Short warm up and we were off along the road onto the tourist path.The first part undulates up through trees, some deforesting going on. Lose a few places on each steep up, onto the plateau and reel in a couple, the leaders streaming past a bit earlier than hoped for. Slight route change climbing the summit ridge. On top stop for a drink and to take in the stunning views. Off down the path, cutting the corner down the steep grassy bank For a change we stayed off the path right along the plateau and down past the first gate, rejoining just before the bad step, good descent fizzled out a bit here, steady down through the trees and rocks and the final jog along to the finish in 1:52 for a soup and seat in the sun by the hotel. Pictures here. Sunday total change in the weather, low cloud and lashings of rain, recovery run up Beinn Dubh and an out and back along to mid hill, struggle to follow the path in the swirling mist and rain, just over two hours, 8 miles and 2700' of ascent. A few pictures here.

Dumyat

Runnable bog n burn race, 7pm start outside the Gannochy sports centre at Striling Uni, calf recovering and tested with a wee run over Stoneymollan last night. Pre-entry this year and a chipped finish, nearly 300 runners, a lot for a short, 5 mile with 1250' of ascent, race. Charge up the road first rest as we funnel through the narrow gap in the wall, doesn't last long enough, running again along the track, a short road climb then into the woods, didn't notice any blue bells this year! Keep running where I can and gradually yoyo past a few run walkers, a final wheeze up round the summit cairn then freewheeling down, gasping for breath, arms windmilling for balance, dodging those still plodding up. Push past others on every steep down, struggling on flats and any short ups. Back in the forest, route change, slightly longer, to avoid the bad step, tree pinball on the mudslide only a couple of minutes left now, relax and run, gradually increase the effort but don't get much faster, finish in 52 1/2 minutes, 166th out of nearly 300, the winner 35 minutes, last 1 hour 51!

Stuc a'Chroin 5000

Route change, gone the two miles of forest road at the start and finish, the Strathyre residents had cut a path through the forest picking up old paths and tracks, a few bogs and a lot of tussocks. After half an hour and a couple of miles we popped out joining the old route across Meall Mor and into Glen Ample, I was near the back and stayed there for the rest of the race. Into the snow on Ben Each's tough climb and trashed my calf, decided to carry on, along the undulating ridge to the Stuc reaching the cross over 10 minutes inside the cut off, on up the freezing misty trail the rest of the field flying past on their way back. Slid up a snow chute rubbed smooth by those in front, hip gives up in sympathy with calf accompanied by agonising cramp in my quads (Vastus medialis :)) encouraged the cramp to leave with some dried mango, luckily this seemed to work, another wee climb up to the cairn. Proof of achievement a marshall's tick on my number, round the cairn and its downhill, at least for a few minutes. Stumbling along the ridge to the crossover at Bealach nan Cabar dropping into Glen Ample away from the snow and wind. Relief short lived, the cramp inducing climb out the glen tried its best, more dried mango and some High 5 electrolyte's keep it bearable. Working jog across Meall Mor gradually catch and pass the runner who whizzed past me muttering never again on the climb out Glen Ample. Now I have to work to keep ahead, head down and concentrate on the new mushy track through the forest, the gap grows towards a minute, good enough. The last half mile a good trail only a couple of hundred yards of up to grimmace through, finished in 4 hours 42, the finish area practically deserted, 129th out of 133 finishers with another 10 or so having pulled out. Limped slowly and painfully back to the car convinced my running and racing was over for a few weeks, a few pictures here, race website here. Marshall's heroes, many standing around for hours in freezing conditions, handing out gallons of water, buckets of sweets, encouragement and a watchful eye on the lightly clad runners skittering past. The route is about 14 miles, the 5000 in the race title was the amount of ascent in feet, turns out this is a wee bit shy of the real climb nearer 5700'.