Ben Bowie

Set off late pm, along the bypass to Stoneymollan, followed the 3LW turning off to summit Ben Bowie.

Ran back the same way to the top of the Stoney then along the moor passed trig and fort descending past the radiomast, always seemed to be running into the wind with a bit of snow about and flesh eating hail squalls every15 minutes, finished in about 2 1/2 hours, more pictures here.

Trossachs Night Trail Race #2

Second of three races, this one at Calandar, smaller field, about 70, cold, mixture  of clear skies and sleet, going better than the last one until about 1 mile from the end, took a wee detour out an back to a Calandar Housing Estate, oops, trundled in about last, warm soup in the Wheels Cycling Centre, good fun.

Carman Muir, misty Luss

Saturday's PM run up behind Carman Resrvoir, through the quarry to the fort along and back to the trig then home via the radio mast, out for just under 90 mins. Sunday, PM again, Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill, Coille Eughain Hill finishing down the Paps. A warm 13 degrees in the valley, all the snow gone from the top, windy up there too, no views, into cloud above 1500'. Easy run up Dubh, only saw 5 people today. Ran along the trail to mid hill and down into Glen Luss, across the new bridge.

Trudge up Coille E's steep flank back into the clag, worked my way round the peat hags to the wee trod down to the paps and back out the cloud, 10 miles, 3500' inside 3 1/2 hours, finishing as it began to get dark.

Whinny Hill and Beinn Dubh

Took the times at Saturday mornings club cross country managed a run in the afternoon through a snowy Balloch Park.

Out n back along the Whinny Hill Trail.

Finished in just over an hour.

Sluggish start to Sunday, eventually managed a trot up and down Beinn Dubh, visibility nil at the top, white clouds and sky merged into one.

 Looking up or looking down?

Made an attempt at the ridge to Mid Hill, soon gave up the snow too soft and deep with the lack of walkers. Easy run back down, 4 miles, 2000' in just over 90 mins. More pictures here.

Beinn Eich n others

Run walk up Beinn Eich into cloud and snow, cold wind and little visibility at the top.

 Beinn Eich summit cairn

Ran down the back to the coll before Beinn an Lochain, nearly under the clouds, kept off the ridge out of the wind for the up and over BaL, difficult to find the path off the back to Doune Hill, short steep trudge and the trig point appeared through the mist. Stopped for a quick re-fuel hiding behind the trig to escape the wind.

 Doune Hill Trig

The run back a bit easier only walking the climb back up Eich, straight over the top eventually dropping out the clouds about 2/3 of the way down, 8 miles, 3000'+ in just under 3 hours.

Ben Bowie

Last run of the holiday's, through Chrstie Park to the Stoneymollan, followed the 3LW turning off to take in Ben Bowie's misty twin summits, no views today. Back to the top of the Stoney then along Bromley and Carman moors past the Trig point to the Fort, home past the radio mast and Cemetery. Just over two hours, about 20 minutes quicker than last time.

Glen Finlas

Finlas loop, probably about 10 miles, up the road towards the dam, taking the rough trail off to the right past the reservoir then straight up onto the peat hagged clagged in ridge. Undulating run round the ridge, cold when exposed to the wind from about the coll at the top of the glen and most of the way back.

Dropped down to the reservoir before the last top on the ridge and an easy run down to finish in about three hours. A few pictures here.