The Brack

Scorching hot day so we started running from Ardgarten about noon along the single track tarmac road past the new hotel to pick up the forest road up Coilessan glen, ran most of the way until the steep wee pull up to the coll. Turned along the curving ridge to the Brack, following a faint walkers path that undulates up through a series of knolls and crags.

Great 360 degree views open up as we climb up. Good fun running down the walkers path back down towards Ardgarten instead of the steep tussocky plunge I usually take.

Finished in about three hours with a seat in the Croe water to cool off. More pictures here.

Jura weekend

Set off on Friday for a travelling and eating trip to Jura via Kennacraig, Port Askaig on Islay, across the short ferry to Jura and a few miles cycling to  Craighouse. Great weather if a bit hot.

Usual Friday evening photographic wander more eating and keeping away from the pub.

Celebrity starter!

Race day started overcast but the clouds would soon burn off. Set off with 250 others at 10:30.

The Paps of Jura with Corra Bheinn behind, shame that I would only get up the first one.

The steady run over the first three hills felt fine, dropped down into Glen Astille and across to the first Pap, a bit slow but ok to start, got slower and slower from about half way up cramping before the final bouldery climb to the top and made up my mind to call it a day. Still inside the cut off but not moving well. Worked my way down to the next col then walked in with one of the marshals on what is the Scottish Island 3 Peaks race route. Reached the finish in about 5 1/2 hours, not much faster than my usual race time. Cooled off in the bay then a beer or two from the newly opened bar in the camping field. Sunday cycled along to catch the early ferry from Port Askaig and the journey home. More pictures here. 

Beinn Dubh

Short long run today, an out and back route up Beinn Dubh and round the corries to Mid Hill. Another sunny day, bluebells out on Beinn Dubh's lower slopes.

Steady run up to the cairn then easy run out and back to mid hill stopping for a few pictures along the way.

Finished just under two hours with a refreshing swim in the faerie pool.

Crianlarich hill run

Set off early for a run over An Caisteal, Beinn a Chroin and Cruach Ardrain. Stopped near the top of Loch Lomond for a picture of the Loch.

First time up these hills in good weather, not too hot but little wind and blue skies coming through the thin cloud. Ran from the car park a mile or so from Crianlarich. Ran up the forest road to the small path to An Caisteal, slowed to a steady trudge with a few jogs thrown in as the gradient eased once onto the ridge. Cool breeze on top, great views all round.

Ran off the ridge towards Beinn a Chroin, from the high bealach its only a short climb up to its triple summit ridge. Easy run down to the grassy gully and traverse under Stob Glas's towering crags, dropped a bit too low leaving a bigger climb than I should have up to the ridge between Beinn Tulaichean and Cruach Ardrain. Jog walked up the last few wee climbs to Cruach Ardrains busy summit cairn. 

Stopped for a few minutes to take in the views and grab a few pictures. Back along the ridge to the descent path I didn't find last time I was here, ran along the ridge over Meall Dhamh dropping down for a long traverse past Grey Height to avoid the boggy path back to the forest track. Sat in the river Falloch for a few minutes to cool off before the short run back to finish at the car in about 5 1/2 hours, great day. More pictures here.

Dumyat Hill Race

Big field for this race, started towards the back for the run up the road and through the forest. Onto the hill and tried to run all the way to the top, just about managed it, walking the last 100 yards of the track to the top. Round the cairn and work hard to pick up the pace mindful of the slippy rocks. Overtook a few before the fence then worked hard to keep my place. Bit of a shower and footfalls of 300 plus runners made for a fun run back through the forest, bounce off a few trees negotiating the muddy bank, over the burn and steady effort until a wee push to the line. Good fun even with a PW by about 3 minutes.

Dumgoyne and the Earls Seat

Glorious bank holiday Monday weather and we went for a run over this undulating wee route. Steep climb to the top of Dumgoyne to start, managed to run to the bottom of the last steep pull to the path that traverses round to the summit. Good views all round, took a few minutes picking out all the hills in sight.

Run down the back, up towards the wee cairn and along to the trig in about 70 minutes.

Took our time running back, its a bit easier as it undulates down. Finished in about 2 hours, more pictures here.

Stuc a Chroin 5000 Hill Race

Back for another go at this race, 174 started, 160 finished, a few, including me, timed out at the crossover point Bealach Nam Cabar, arriving 10 minutes before the cut off they told me it had been brought forward due to the poor weather, disappointing and had to take the return route missing out the out and back to the Stuc, made worse as I got sunburn on the run back to the finish.

Slight route change as the path through the forest waterlogged so more forest road at the start and finish. Usual cheery race marshals with water, jelly babies and chocolate at many points along the course. Started off with a steady run on the forest road, jog walked across Meall Mor and the steep drop into Glen Ample. Didn't push too hard up Beinn Eich, left the summit for the undulating ridge run to the Stuc. Arrived at the crossover about 5 or 10 mins slower than  last year but inside the cutoff, a marshal standing in the dip indicating they would pull me but I could go on on my own. Reached the group of marshals beyond who said that I was being timed out, the cut off had been brought forward due to the bad weather and lessons learned from previous years (one year near arctic conditions at the top meant a few runners and marshals had to be helped off suffering from hypothermia). None too happy but didn't argue with the marshal and turned back onto the route to the finish, arriving there just over an hour later, the climb out Glen Ample feeling much easier than usual without the out and back to the Stuc. Finished just over three hours.