Mid Hill

Short long run this week, 4 miles up and down Mid Hill, taking in the two wee cairns on the unnamed tops. Stopped for a couple of pictures before an easy jog down, a nice drizzle kept things cool.

Up Doune Hill

A tiring week so I went for a shorter run out and back to Doune Hill from the top of Glen Luss. Pleasant running some sun, a cool breeze and only saw two walkers while I was out. Slow jog up Eich luckily the ferns are not as tall as on the Stoneymollan.

Cloud sitting above the Luss tops but cutting off Ben Lomonds summit cone and the tops of the Arrochar Alps, the top of the Cobbler just in the cloud by the time I reached Doune Hills trig point. About turn and back along the ridge, stopping for a few pictures and to take in the views.

By the time I got back tot he top of Eich the cloud had cleared Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps. Easy jog down to the glen passing the two walkers near the bottom to finish just over two hours. Time Lapse.

Fairy Glen

Next race in the clubs annual GP, a 5k, 3 laps about 1 mile each taking in the bottom part of Fairy Glen joining Heart Attack hill about half way up each time. Every year you are determined to smash the hill and it just has a wee chuckle and you end up happy at just being able to keep running, finished in just over 24 minutes, good fun.

Vorlich and Vane from Inveruglas

Fancied a rockier run with a bit more height than the past few weeks. Parked at Inveruglas and took the Sloy dam access road. Ben Vorlich first, up the newly laid boulder steps into cloud from about 2000 feet. Passing the odd ghostly walker on the way.

Vorlichs Trig Point

Turned at the trig rather than the real summit, missed the sloy dam drop off in the mist descending the slightly longer less steep boulder stairs.

Vane from Vorlich

I coud see the cloud was rising and decided to take the more direct route up Vane from the Sloy Dam rather than the tourist path, I would come down that way, making the route more of a loop. Ran up the road and across the dam, going right of the big crag, slow plod up pathless ground to the ridge between Vane and Dubh.

Looking back to Vorlich from Vane

Reached the top a bit quicker than I thought and Vanes summit looked further away than it was. A bit of both really as I had come up onto the ridge one gulley further along than I wanted to.

Along the ridge to Vanes flat summit, a couple of misty pictures as the top was just in the clouds then off down the steep twisty path.

Back onto the tracks and road for an easy mostly downhill jog to finish in about 4 1/2 hours.

Luss Highland Games

First time since 2015 when I had a slip on the downhill part of the hill race, damaged my knee ligaments and was out for 6 weeks. The games have changed since then, instead of two hill races they run one combined local and open race. I started with the local 90m handicap, coming 4th out of 4, then the local 200 handicap, 3rd out of 4 for a prize! A couple of hours later the hill race with about 18 starters. A lap of the games field to start, a short run along the road to a path that takes us under the A82, through a few fields where the climbing starts, running in about 11th or 12th place, a few just in front begin to take a slight detour following a track round the ferns, I head straight up the hill through them re-joining the track further up. Round the flag at the top and pick up the track for the first part of the descent, manage to pass a couple of guys on the way down, left the track cutting the corner across some tussocks fairly sure those just behind would follow and lose time. Down through the fields no one in front or behind, along the road and a lap of the track, happy to finish 5th overall and second local, another prize.