Hel n Back

Trail race run by Helensburgh Athletic Club, back on the fixture list after the forestry work cleared the path. Always missed this due to the Ben or Merrick, decided to have a go with one other of our club members. 70 odd entered, 60 odd turned up. The route starts/finishes at the new Hermitage Academy, running up the Three lochs Way until it reaches the forest road that leads over to The Red Road, at the Red Road turn left and run up past The Black Third Farm to pick up The Three Lochs way again, this time towards Helensburgh, one more wee climb then a 2 1/2 mile down hill trail to the finish.

Ben Nevis Hill Race

Weekend in Fort William, Glen Nevis campsite, for the Ben race, a damp weekend, luckily the best day was Saturday, dry and sunny in the morning, overcast afternoon, race started at 1pm, fairly humid until we got to windy corner, thankfully a breeze, reached the Red Burn seconds inside 1 hour, straight up from there, into the clouds at about 3000', breezy and wet, getting my gloves and wooly hat on as I cooled down certainly helped, reached the top in about 1 hr 54, good climb, turned for the descent, took it steady I'm not as quick as I used to be on the way down, 2 or 3 local runners went past, they picked good lines so I followed until they disappear into the mist, let another couple past before the Red Burn, easy running by half way lochan then the cramp inducing steps round windy corner to my preferred short cut, very muddy by the time I got there, easier running again down to the Ben Nevis Inn and the last mile or so on the road and a run round the football pitch to finish, 1 second slower than last year. Carried more electrolytes to offset cramp this year didn't help that the small packets were difficult to open probably cost me a couple of minutes but they do work.

The Ben from Glen Nevis

Sgurr a'Mhaim and Stob Bhan from Glen Nevis

Melantee from Glen Nevis

Passing the BN Inn, nearly finished

Double Dumgoyne and The Earls Seat

Looking for an easier run this week, picked Dumgoyne, a steep start then runnable for the rest. A few walkers about on the way up Dumgoyne. Off the other side and took it easy along the undulating ridge to The Earls Seat, nice day but hazy so views limited.

 

Club 10k

Club 10k road race, after last weeks tempo run hoped I could get inside 50 minutes, just made it by about a minute, need to try some faster runs so that I can run faster. 2nd out of 5.

Beinn Ime and Beinn Narnain

Looking for a run with plenty of ascent and a steep rough descent, decided on Arrochar, Beinn Ime then Narnain. Arrived before 9 to a full car park and set off up the two sets of zig zags to clear the trees. Surprisingly few people going up compared to the number of cars, a few coming down must have had an early start to beat the car park charges which start at 9. Cool breeze on the path up to Bealach a'Mhaim, eased as I gained height and I settled into a fast walk for most of the rest of the climb to the top. Short refuel and straight back down to the Bealach and the short steep climb to Narnians' plateau summit. Down through the spearhead to finish, slowly at first through the crags then a bit quicker as the terrain eased, quite a few walkers coming up now, finished in warm midday sunshine. Good views, the more distant hills a bit hazy.

Holiday runs

A couple of weeks away, Galloway for the first week then Camusdarach and Port Appin the second. In Galloway Stayed at Sandyhills Holiday Park, ran an out n back from the beach to Castle Point, 7 miles of undulating coastal path with a tougher than expected 2000' of elevation. Camusdarach, ran a 5 mile out n back to Traigh beach on coastal footpath and beach as the tide was out, more sedate run with less than 300' of elevation. A wee race to finish off, the Beinn Donn hill race at the Appin Show, finished a whole 2 seconds quicker than last year.

Castle Point

Camusdarach

Beinn Donn

Luss Loop

Luss hill run, Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill, across the glen and back via Coille Eughain Hill. Bright and breezy, the Beinn Dubh bogs fairly dry. A slow and steady run up Beinn Dubh, easy running round to Mid Hill and down into the glen. Trudged up Coillie Eughain Hill, always a tough wee climb ran down to the Paps and into the ferns and tussocks reminding me why I don't do this route in the summer.

The Cobbler Hill Race

Another go at this short n steep race, in aid of funds for Arrochar Mountain rescue, there was 50 entered but only 32 turned up on the day. Shame as its a good wee race. Steep climb to start on to the An t Sron ridge, once you get there you can run, a bit, to the bottom of the crags up to the summit, they divert you on a loop up a grassy bank to the top then down a rocky track rejoining the outward route about half way down the crags. Once clear of the crags push on down An t Sron on mostly grassy paths, the steep drop at the end of the ridge takes you down a tussocky/grassy trod then mussier through the forest, happy to finish about a minute slower than 2 years ago.

 

Clach Thoull

Port Appin for a few days, ran a favourite wee loop, Clach Thoull, not far 3 and a bit miles with a few hundred feet of ascent, perfect weather.

 

Luss hill run

Wanted to try some of the hills at the top of the glen, difficult parking so parked at the bottom of the glen and cycled up to the end of the tarmac and chained up the bike. Planned route was Beinn Eich and Lochain, across to Cruach an t Sidhein, back via Beinn Chaorach on the other side of the glen. Up Beinn Eich into thick mist, about 30 or 40 metres visibility, it was warm , not much wind a bit like being in a sauna. Over the top and along to Lochain, paths quite difficult to pick out, from Lochain to CATS no paths and with little visibility soon gave up returning to Lochain, ran along to Doune Hill, paths ok then turned back the way I came over Lochain and Eich, at the bottom of Eich turned up the farm track and across to the bottom of the ridge from Chaorach, the one I should have come down, made up some of the miles I lost, the clouds were now rising and I could see the col between Lochain and CATS just under the cloud base, would have been easy to miss it in the clag.

Narnain and The Cobbler

Dreich forecast, set off for an Arrochar run, not many in the car park and decided to stick to the tourist path, as quiet as it gets. Past a few people coming down and a couple going up the zig zags. No one from the Narnain Boulders to the top of Narnain and back towards The Cobbler, past 2 on the climb up the back stairs. Took it easy as the rocks slippery in the wet. Windy on the tops, didn't hang about. Weather was improving and there was a few more people venturing out as I ran down the Buttermilk Burn path, took the Argo track to avoid the zig zags and soon back at the car in Succoth.

Glen Striddle

One of those runs just to get some miles and climbing in, out and back over Beinn Dubh and Mid Hill dropping down towards the road, turning at the stile and back over these two steep wee hills. Not a lot to see as the tops were in the clouds. Photos in reverse.

Glen Fruin

Loop round a few Fruin hills, The Stone up to a'Mhanaich, then Chaorach and Tharsuin, a wee add on running round to Balcnock, then a tussocky drop to cross the Ballevoulin burn and up over Auchengaich hill. Runnable to a'Mhainaich and down to the start of the climb up Chaorach, walk up here then an undulating run round to Balcnock, dropped off the ridge too early and had a tussocky traverse to get along to where I wanted to descend, slow run down to cross the burn then another walk up to the quad bike track that runs up to the top of Auchengaich. Picked my way down more tussocky ground to finish at the bottom of the reservoir access road.