Glen Nevis

Unexpected chance for camp Nevis, Saturday run over Mullach Nan Coirean, Stob Ban and Sgurr a'Mhaim, forecast good, reality low cloud n drizzle, ran from lower falls car park hard going through remnants of tree felling, out the trees and straight up onto the ridge, running again, top Juraesque rocky stuff, visibility ok about 100 yards, Mullachs double cairn soon reached. No hanging about on the tops today. Ran along the ridge to Stob Ban met a Ptarmigan. Same one as last time? Clouds clear for a few minutes, missed a Brocken spectre taking too long to get the camera out.  Rocky run off Stob Ban nice n easy, rocks greasy, running again along to the stalkers path zig zagging to the ridge to Sgurr a'Mhaim. Ridge narrows, too feart to take a photo, stop at bottom of the short climb to SAM top, getting cold as pace had dropped along the ridge, thermal gloves on up the quartzite to the summit cairn, no stopping, off over boulders then rocky path and some fun down nice scree before a twisting turning rocky broken path, hard work, the last few hundred yards easy muddy trail. Finished inside 5 hours, much fun. Photos here.



Sunday, sound of rain on the tent, got up and it had cleared, clouds above Mamores tops, bits of the Ben I could see looked clear as well. Set off from outside the Youth Hostel, managed to run all Heart Attack Hill! Along tourist path kept jogging, round windy corner some walking on the brocken path, plenty of repairs needed here. Staying on the tourist path past halfway lochan and up the zig zags meant I could run all the way, a wee break to catch my breath and take a couple of photos at every zag. Back into the mist and a chilly breeze grew up through the field of cairns, reaching the top in about 2 hours. Short break and photo stop at the top. Took descent nice n easy, followed the tourist path stopping a couple of times, finsihed in about 3 1/2 hours, not many out today. Photos here.

Ben Ime

Windy and wet, gave Luss a miss, a bit too crowded with the UK fell relay competition. Ok when I set off, up the zig zags and past the narnain boulders. Across the bealach to start the climb up Into wind and rain, passing a walker coming off. Steady trot up, through muddy terraces to the summit ridge, touched the top and turned back down, wind gusting a bit. Took a bit of care to stay on track. Soon back at the bealach passing another couple on their way up, easy run back to Succoth, finished in just over 2 1/2 hours, not many out today.

Pentland Skyline

Final counter in this years SHR championship, time to make amends for a DNF at Jura. Fourth time at this race, 2003,04 and 11, times from 3:47 to 4:09, hoped to finish the 16 or 17 miles and 6000' of ascent inside 4 hours today. Over 300 set off, 45 mins late, a number of people had parked in the ski slopes main car park ignoring the organisers request not to and had to move their cars before the off, sorted out as it should be without any drama hopefully to the satisfaction of the ski centre. Off we went, not much breeze, felt warm jog walking up the first climb, the big field began to spread out towards the first of 16 hill tops, ran easy over the ups and downs to the water stop at Flotterstone, steady now on the long climb up Turnhouse, over Scald Law and Carnethy, popped out to run over South Black hill, back for the Kips and steep drop down to the Drove Road water stop, just over 2 hours. Short farm track then turn for home over slightly rougher ground, some heathery stuff to get through and some boggy bits, luckily these were reasonably flat or down hill sections, ease back a bit and save some energy for the ups of Hare, Black and Bells Hills which are on mostly better paths. Finished the last of my juice, must have been getting dehydrated as it quickly made things a bit easier. Three hills to go, not far now, although the remembered third water stop never appeared, working harder, getting away from a few who had been edging past me from Scald Law, cramp starting to slow me on the flat sections but the ups afforded a wee stretch and managed to run most of these to the end, relaxed and pushed a bit harder down the last descent egged on by gravity happy to finish in 3:53, 177th place out of 295, the winner inside 2:16, last home over 5 1/2hours, plenty of juice n cakes at the finish and a wee lie down on the cool soft ground.

Cobbler and Narnain

Second great day in a row, drove up to Arrochar, for a wee recovery run. Took it nice n steady up the two sets of forest zig zags, coming out on the trail, sun everywhere but the Cobbler, nice cool breeze. Easy jog past the Narnain Boulders and up to the back steps. Ran up with a few breaks to recover and take in the views, some mountain bikers came down in a variety of states, some attached to their bikes some not.
 

Busy at the top, sat for a few minutes, refuel, rest and take some pictures, not a day for hurrying. Set off down the back steps and decided Narnain had to be done as well, jog walked, well mostly walked.

 
Not so many here, views if anything even better, you could see from Ailsa Craig to Ben Nevis. Took another few mintes before returing the way I came up, the legs not up to the Spearhead today. Nice easy jog back, finish in just over 3 hours. More pictures here.  

Ben Venue Hill Race

Small field, 25 today, beautiful Autumn day, stopped on the way to photograph a glass like Loch Achray.

First and last two miles on trails, middle 4 on the hill. Started out 2nd last, gradually worked my way past 8 or 9 by the end of the trail, two passed me on the way to Venue's summit, stayed in the same place to the end. Warm run up through the forest, slight breeze on the hill, the ridge run rocky in places, not too boggy in others. The descent back towards the forest, different as usual, the path to the forest road becoming very overgrown. Two miles of trail went by pretty quick, only the last couple of wee ups causing any stress. Great wee race, finished 18th inside 1:57 to sandwiches, cakes n coffee. More pictures here.