Jura Fell Race

Weekend away to this engaging Inner Hebridean Island hill race, the journey is part of the experience, car to Kennacraig, Calmac ferry to Port Askaig on Islay, Eilean Dhuira ferry to Feolin on Jura, cycle to Craighouse.

Blue skies and cool breeze on the Friday. Set up camp in front of the hotel and avoided beer.

Dinner then an early night, the weather forecast for race day worsening. Woke to a grey day, as race start approached the rain came on and the last two hills disappeared into the mist.

Through kit check and registration by the 10:15 muster and we were off at 10:30. The first three hills (Pips) and checkpoints are over heathery moorland, a bit boggy at first, drying out as height is gained, each summit area bouldery, a flavour of the bigger Paps to come. No navigation issues with the first checkpoint, we are all pretty much in a line,

Easy running between CP1 and 2

Looming out the mist between CP1 and 2

1st to 2nd ok if you remember where to turn, we came up pretty good, about 30 yards left of the ideal line.

Approaching CP2

The middle section of 2nd to 3rd seemed more vague than I remembered but no problem reaching the CP,

CP2 to CP3

Down into Gleanne Astaile before the first Pap,  a few boggy tussocky patches but still running easy.

Drop into Gleann Astaile

The first Pap, up and across and up and across a few times picking the grassiest way up the scree covered flanks, lost a few places on the last up before the rocky summit dome.

Pap 1 summit

Across the top and down the ridge, steep gravel at first then scree which has drifted towards the bottom over the years. Short run across the coll, stopped to empty the gravel out my shoes before the climb up Pap #2, climbed well until I reached the ridge where cramp decided to visit quads and calves, drank some of the electrolyte fluids I was carrying which took a few minutes to kick in.

 The road along Pap 2 summit ridge

Descending off Pap 2 in the mist

Not much visibility on the run down to the next coll, slightly off line concentrating on keeping my still stiff legs moving as easily as I could, got back on line on the run across to Pap #3. I had started with my jacket on and stopped here to put bottoms on. Climbing ok until cramp kicked in again, more electrolytes, they took a few minutes longer to work this time.

Pap 3 Summit

Along the bouldery top past the CP turned for the descent, thought about a new line to try to pick up my usual second scree chute a bit higher up and save the Talus traverse. Decided against it and went with the usual twisting gritty path that gradually becomes a nice scree chute, had to dodge one large spinning medicine ball sized boulder thankful the runner behind had listened to the race brief instructions on warnings.

Overtaking down the scree chute

 Having a wee seat on the way down the scree chute

Talus traverse

Reached the end of the first scree chute and traversed across the Talus to the next one, followed it down and eventually picked up the traversing path towards the last hill Corra Bheinn. Across the lochan covered coll to start the short steep climb, cramp immediately brought me to a halt, more electrolytes helped at first but I didn't take enough as I was trying to keep some for the top and Three Arch Bridge, stopped again for some more.

The last climb, Corra Bheinn

Soon moving up more easily again, catching a couple of the places I had lost and I still had some electrolyte left for 3AB. Marshalls were hiding behind the summit out of the wind, had to work out a slightly different line to pick up the rough descent path. Passed a few coming up here who had taken a wrong turn off the third Pap, ouch, that would have hurt.

Half an hour of grassy, boggy descent to 3AB

Kept as high a pace as I could down towards 3AB, across the stream and hit some deep bogs, cramp came screaming back and the last of the electrolyte came to the rescue, a few minutes and I was at the road, waterproof bottoms off and set off on a steady 3 mile run to the finish in just over 6 1/4 hours.

Can I go round again?

This was 21 seconds quicker than my first Jura in 2010 run in similarly misty conditions.

I carried my GoPro camera in a chest harness and set it to take a picture every minute, I saved this in youtube as a time lapse video, just over 7 minutes long, link.

Glenstriddle Horseshoe

Parked at the top of the glen and ran back to Mid Hill, steady run up onto the cloud covered tops and round to Beinn Dubh's cairn. About turn and back along the ridge, clouds started to clear as I ran down Mid Hill to the Glen, finished this short run in just over 90 mins, taking it easier before next weekends race.

The animation below is made up of pictures taken on my GoPro, one every 60 seconds.

 Beinn Dubh's cairn

 Looking to Arrochar from Mid Hill

 Doune Hill from Mid Hill

                                                   Cloud topped Arrochar from Mid Hill

The Abysinnian Way

Mental health awareness week starts today, you may not know if, or how, someone else is struggling, be kind to others, let them know you care or mebee give them a wee hug.

One thing that helps me deal with the harsh modern world is my long runs in the hills, usually on my own. Yesterday I set off for Arrochar, I had read about a new route in my Southern Highlands Pocket Mountain book, starts and finishes at Butterbridge, first hill Beinn Luibhean, following the edge of an old plantation then turning steeply up to the North ridge, thankfully the gradient eases towards the summit, a good day, sun and blue skies with a nice cool breeze.

Good views to the Cobbler, Narnain and Ime. Next is Beinn Ime, thought about traversing round towards Bealach a' Mhaim to ease the climb, ha straight up is best, good choice even with a couple of on all fours moments.

Stopped a the top for a few pictures. Better views here as its a few hundred feet higher, stood for a while picking out tops I could recognise, the Crianlarich munros Cruach Ardrain, Ben More with a dusting of snow, and an elegant snowy Stob Binnien, the sawtooth like profile of the Lui Munros, the big lump of the Cruachan Horseshoe, Ben Lomond, snow topped Stuc a Chroin and Ben Vorlich, on the horizon Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg with a snowier Anoch Beag beside them Paddys Milestone, Arran and the Paps of Jura too.

Dropped off the back to Glas Bealach and the short climb up to Beinn Chorranach, a new top for me. Returned to Glas Bealach, ran through one of my favourite crags onto the ridge down to Lag Uaine. Rising traverse left then right up a series of grassy ramps to avoid the craggy SW face on the way to Vanes summit, a bit longer but takes the sting out the climb. Great views all round again.

Back along the ascent route to start, keeping to the ridge all the way to Beinn Dubh, another new top for me.

All down hill now, dropping off to the west towards Abyssinia, the newly refurbished bothy, on the way down a deer popped out from behind a crag, then another two, seemed like right in front of me at the time but they appeared like small specs on my pictures. The bottom of the glen tussocky and had to clamber over a deer fence as well. An easy 2 mile jog along the Glen Kinglas forest track to finish in just over 4 1/2 hours. A fine day.

Stuc a Chroin Hill Race

Back for another go at the Stuc, hoping to do better than last year when I was timed out at the crossover, albeit when they reduced the cut off time due to bad weather.

Gathering at the start

Nearly 180 starters this year, the cold wind blowing around when I arrived in Strahyre thankfully eased through the day. Two miles of undulating up forest track to start. The next couple of miles a marrow trod through forest and the open hill across Meall Mor to the drop into Glen Ample.

 View across Glen Ample to Beinn Each, the Stuc peaking out behind

Beinn Each ascent

Beinn Each ascent

The next mile climbs about 1500' up to the top of Beinn Each, the first part requires some all fours work using old fence posts and wire and heather to aid the ascent, thankfully the gradient eases about two thirds of the way up where it gets a bit cooler as the wind kicks in. Over the top and onto the 2 mile ridge to the Stuc reaching the Bealach nam Cabar crossover a bit quicker than last year.

Ridge to the Stuc, back right

Jog walking now as the ridge undulates up towards the Stuc with a few short steep sections along the way.

Approaching the Stuc summit

Round the summit cairn and back along the ridge to the crossover, again a few short steep ups and downs along the way. Just past the crossover and realised I have lost my GoPro, turned back, thankfull to find it about 30 yards back up the hill.

Glen Ample checkpoint

On my way down into Glen Ample for the traverse along to the Glen checkpoint before the last big climb out the Glen, only 500 to 600 feet, probably about 15 mins of grind, feels like more, aided by some cramp reducing electrolyte fluids. Working harder now to keep a reasonable pace going over the moor and through the forest before the last two miles on forest roads to finish just over 3 hours 42, 122nd out of 168 finishers.