Ben Bowie and Killoeter

Another run over my local hills, took the shorter start via Upper Stoneymollan road, running the Three Lochs Way/John Muir Trail, cut off to investigate the Mountain Bike track that is being constructed beside the 3LW then up the North side of Ben Bowie, down and across the Three Lochs Way onto Killoeter dropping off to pick up the short climb up to the Black Third, back home via Stoneymollan and Mount Mallow.

   

Killoeter and Ben Bowie

Saturday run a shorter "long run" after yesterdays Virtual Race, ran along the A82 then up the Stoneymollan/Three Lochs Way/John Muir Trail doing the Killoeter/BB loop clockwise.

Weather decent, mixture of sun and cloud, started early meant I didn't meet many folk until the way back from Ben Bowie, returned along past the Trig point and Mount Mallow finishing the slightly shorter route a few minutes quicker than usual.

SA Virtual Challenge

First race since February, a virtual race where you run and upload your stats to the Scottish Athletics Website. You had to do your run between Fri 19th and Monday 22nd, the aim was to do as much ascent as possible within 30 minutes, you had to start and finish at the same place, either a loop or up and down reps, I did 3 and a bit reps and managed just over 1000' of ascent, should have been more as I stopped a minute too soon. Top guys doing about 2000'. Good fun and so far I'm sitting 88th out of 250 with full results out Tuesday PM hopefully stay in the top 100!

Ben Bowie and Killoeter

Same route as last week except reversed the outer loop, did Ben Bowie first then Killoeter. Jacket on for a change to cope with the misty drizzle at the start, drizzle didn't last long but not too many views, the islands in Loch Lomond vague grey outlines on a grey surface.

Very few people out on the route today, saw 2 hill walkers at the fort and three mountain bikers as I crossed the Three Lochs Way. Plenty of wild flowers made up for the lack of views.

Found a better route through the trees dropping off Killoeter, avoiding all of the ferns. Access points to the forest seem to be marked with white tape leading you to branch free paths. Finished inside three hours, which seems to be the usual for this run.

Killoeter and Ben Bowie

Steep start to today's run, straight up to the Fort, then along the undulations of Carman and Overton Muirs to the top of the Stoneymollan and joined the Three Lochs Way for a short stretch, cut off past Sheperds pool and the Black Third Farm. The path for the climb up to Killoeter getting more overgrown, after about 50 yards moved a few rows inside the conifers to what appears to be a trail, much easier going, soon across to the path through the heather and jogging again to the top of Killoeter.

Easy running along the ridge, crossing the 3LW again to get to Ben Bowie.leaving the top by the now usual path to get to the John Muir Trail, chased some cyclists on the way back up to the Three Lochs Way, caught some of them before the gradient eases and they speed off.

Returned over the moors to the Fort finishing inside three hours.