Glen Striddle/Glen Luss

Abandoned the planned bike/run/bike due to a puncture, drove to Luss for a wee horseshoe run instead. 

Outward loop over Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill, return via the Glen road, Coillie Eughain Hill and The Paps. Gloomy afternoon, low cloud and drizzle, a bit windier on top, only saw 2 walkers coming off the hill as I went up. Not much of a view and wet underfoot, temp ok, not too cold, toes ok in their Sealskinz socks. Windy enough on the run along the ridge to Mid Hill to convince me to do the horseshoe rather than an out and back, Coillie Eughain Hill is a bit lower and would be sheltered by the higher tops overlooking Glen Finlas. Coillie Eughain is a good wee climb, shorter but steeper than Beinn Dubh, on top zig zagged along until I picked up the fence and path down to The Paps. Below The Paps thankfully the ferns were flattened revealing what there is of a path, from there it is a short run along tracks to the Bridge over Luss Water.

Mid Hills 2nd cairn

Top of Glen Luss

Coillie Eughain Hill

Bottom of Glen Luss

 

Run, Bike, Run

Poor forecast with high winds on the hills, stayed local with a difference, cycled past cross keys to Banachra Wooods, then ran up the trail through the forest to Ben Bowie, a loop down on the Three Lochs Way trail then up and over Killoeter and back down the trail to Banachra Woods and a cycle home.

Balloch Park Cross Country

Last race in this tears club series, 3 laps round Balloch Park, 8 of us set off, took the 1st 2 laps steady and if I had maintained the pace would have been under 40 mins, not fast but ok, slowed a bit on the third until the climb back up to to the castle, ran better after the climb but still lost 30 or 40 seconds, finished 3rd.    

Beinn Dubh and Mid Hill

 Tail end of a storm on Saturday morning so left my run until the afternoon, Luss hills, Beinn Dubh to start, ground back to its boggy best, only a few people on the hill today, into the snow towards the top and a cold North wind along the ridge, thought about turning back a couple of times then a wee bit of shelter out of the wind made all the difference, made it to the 2 small cairns at Mid Hill, turned back here, made good time with the wind at my back, along the ridge the sun began to set lighting up the snowy hills. 

Bromley Muir Winter Run

First snowy run of the winter, had to wait a couple of hours for the wind to subside, by that time the snow had started, ran up to the fort on Carman hill, snow 6" with drifts to 12"+, ground frozen below, difficult to guess footstrike on the rough ground under smooth snow made for slow running. Onto the John Muir Trail for a mile or so to where the path is blocked, decided against the steep bypass option, turned back for home the same way as I came out. Hat and glove changes along the way as they got soaked, goretex trousers on for the return over Bromley Muir in a freezing wind.

  

Duathlon

Club Duathlon, a 4 mile run round the Vale followed by a 12 mile cycle round the Horseshoe with a loop through Gartocharn. Only 4 of us this year, a bit chilly but a dry road, no ice and not much wind. Last on the run section, managed to pass a couple on the bike, new recycled Carrera Srixus 2 encouraged a more aggressive ride, Good fun!

Bromley Muir

Short run today, out and back, Radiomast hill, Carman Fort, Bromley Muir Trig point and a wee bit further towards Stoneymollan, about turn and back home, good to be out. 

Glen Striddle Horseshoe

Shorter run today, an 8 mile out and back over Beinn Dubh to just past the top of Mid Hill. Managed a slow jog to the top of Beinn Dubh passing a few hill walkers. Steady run round over Mid Hill nearly reaching the Luss Lollipop cross over. Easier run on the way back, a slight climb back to the top of mid hill then undulating round to Beinn Dubh, finished with an easy run down to the foot of Glen Luss.

 

10 Mile Handicap

Club race, wet and windy when we arrived at the start, consensus was to start together to save waiting about in the rain, probably didn't suit me as I like chasing/being chased to give a sense of urgency and raise the effort level. Felt OK for 3 or 4 miles then eased off a bit until about a mile to go when a couple of runners closing in behind spurred me on to a slightly quicker finish. Although wind and rain at the start the weather improved the second half drier and a bit of sun to finish.

Journey Run

Point to point run today, the car going in for a service provided an opportunity for a change to the usual looped run, on the way back I got dropped off at the end of The Erskine Bridge and ran back home. Under the A82 to start then through a couple of fields and onto a path to the Slacks, steep at first then eases, from the Trig at the top of the Slacks headed for the biggest Duncolm, another Trig, good views to Loch Lomond and the surrounding hills. From Duncolm ran along swampy muddy path for a mile or so to get to the John Muir Trail at Burncrook reservoir. The John Muir Trail undulates down for a few miles to the top of Auchencarroch Road, mixture of paths, forest road and hard packed trail, the last 4 or 5 miles on the road, mixed weather too, sun, rain, and a couple of hail showers, a bit longer than I thought but no complaints.

Slacks Trig looking to Duncolm

Duncolm Trig looking over Lily Loch to Burncrook reservoir

Duncolm Trig looking towards Loch Lomond

Finlas and Luss Hills from Duncolm

Conic Hill and East Loch Lomond from JMT

    

5 Mile Handicap

Club race , just under 5 miles, 5 of us set off in reverse order, finished 3rd over the line, 2nd on time, a few seconds slower than last year, cool evening, perfect for a road race, 

Run Of The Mill

First go at this hill race, 100+ runners took part, start and finish is at the bottom of Alva Glen. It's a 9 mile loop. starts along a trail to Tillicoutry, from Tilli it follows the Maddy Moss Mash hill race route in reverse to Ben Cleuch, Andrew Gannel Hill first then Ben Cleuch, the return is over Ben Ever and The Nebit. The trail at the start runnable then mostly walking onto the open hill, as the gradient eases get running again, the last climb to AG's summit a jog/stomp, run across to Ben Cleuch, down and up a gradual climb, increasing descent to Ben Ever, short steep trudge to the top, another steeper drop to the bottom of the climb up the Nebit, run off the Nebit with 11 1/2 minutes to beat my 2 hour target, made it with 30 seconds to spare. Great wee race, misty on top, helpful to have run most of the route before, tea and cakes to finish, a good day out.

On the trail to Tilli

Sprint finish

Auchengaich reservoir loop

Run over the hills surrounding Auchengaich reservoir, tough climb to start up the side of Auchengaich hill, on the top a quad bike track leads over more runnable ground to Tharsuin and Chaorach, steep drop into the glen then a trudge up A'Mhainach, chased a few deer in the mist, never close enough to get a picture. From A'Mhainach it's a steady run down over Maol am Fheidh and The Strone, low cloud all morning meant all I could see were the wee cairns on each hill top, easy navigation on paths, quad bike tracks or along side fences.

Ime and Narnain

Not sure of today's route when I set off from Succoth, went straight up a rocky path to the forestry road then along to the tourist path zig zags, plenty of route options from there, decided to try Ime and if if I had time go over Narnain on the way back. As I reached to top of the zig zags stunning view of the cobbler and moon, clear blue skies, sun and not much of a breeze, On the approach to Bealach a'Mhaim a thick layer of cloud blocked out Ime apart from the top. Views apart the first part of the run didn't go well, seemed like I lost 10 or 15 mins up to the Bealach, climb up Ime went better, back on schedule despite walking most of the way and came up through the clouds to a lumpy inversion. Took in the views for a few minutes then set off down into the clouds towards the Bealach, from there a trudge up Narnains steep sides, stayed in the cloud until nearly at the top, The Cobbler appeared and dissappeared every few minutes as the cloud undulated by. Descended through the Spearhead and down over Cruach Nam Miseag, slowly at first then a bit quicker once on easier ground, towards the bottom took a slight detour to pick up the Argo track and avoid the blockpath and stream, a great mornings run rewarded with stunning views.

Luss Hill Run

Luss run, a bit friendlier with the forecast low cloud and high winds. Beinn Dubh to start, took it steady so that I could run the whole way, into the cloud about 1500', a bit damp but not raining, round the corries met a couple of well wrapped up walkers coming the other way, dropped down Mid Hill, the loch appearing under a bank of cloud, another hill walker starting to climb Mid Hill as I reached the bottom. Short run to just beyond the end of the road across a field and small bridge to start the steep climb up Coillie Eughain Hill, walking all the way onto the peat hagged ridge and a run down the Paps to finish.

Ben Nevis Hill Race

Roasted on the hot rocks of Melantee and the Ben. The sun shone for this years Ben Nevis race, with no wind even on the top meant for furnace like conditions. Set off hoping for at least a breeze on windy corner, ran up the road past the Ben Nevis Inn, dropped to a run/walk on the walkers path then walk/trudge round windy corner, barely a breath, finished my water by the red burn, stopped for a refill and cool down, from here its straight up the screes, decided to ration my water which didn't really help, felt like hard work and lost a big chunk of minutes, as I drank more my energy returned a bit, moving better on the steep rock covered slopes, the gradient eased and managed a few short jogs but it was slow going, turned for the descent and started to pass a few runners, I think only one got past me, a couple of others did but soon got past them again. The descent down the screes steep and fun as usual, go as fast as you dare finding loose scree to slide down and use the larger rocks as brakes, back onto the tourist path at the Red Burn, the first part around Melantee Lochan ok as its wide and a not too steep descent, onto the steps, good rhythm at first then cramp kicks in, stop for some elctrolyte drink and salt tablets to shift it, round windy corner and down to the Ben Nevis Inn there's a lot of walkers, tricky rocky sections and a few fallen runners to negotiate, after the muddy short cut picked up the pace for a short while then eased back keeping it a bit safer, past the Inn, as usual a couple of minutes slower than hoped for, usually give it everything from here, just kept it steady today, the heat had tempered my will.

Claggan Park before the start

Approaching half way up at the Red Burn

Looking over the Field of Cairns on the way down

Ben Lomond

First time up the Ben for a couple of years, beautiful day made for a busy hill, parked in the overflow carpark taking the new race route on a track that leaves the back of the car park, slightly longer but avoids the first part of the refurbished path and steps. Out the trees onto the open hillside, good views over Loch Lomond although hazy meant a lack of definition in the surrounding hills. Left the path from the 2nd gate to the plateau, should've gone farther over to pick up the race route trod, line I picked was a bit tussocky. Steady jog up the plateau, walked up the zig zags to the summit ridge and ran along to the top. Short stop at the top for a couple of pictures. On the way down I stayed off the walkers path as much as possible, avoiding the hill walkers and the worst of the rocky steps.