Glen Finlas loop

 A bike, run, bike day, out and back cycle to the Glen Finlas reservoir with a run round the surroundng hills in between. Abandoned the planned outing to Arrochar and set off for Finlas on the bike, couple of steep climbs on the way up the Glen to warm me up before the hill run. Took the trail alongside the reservoir, more like a river today, then a faint path that leads up to the ridge, an old fence marks the way,  a steep wee climb, about 1000' in less than half a mile, a small herd of deer watched my slow progress from the top. Up on to the ridge, fine views all round, down the Clyde estuary to Arran, over Loch Lomond and towards the white topped Crianlarich and Arrochar munros. Once I reach the ridge there's a better path, good running over Beinn Ruisg, Creag an Leinibh and the 2 Balcnoc tops, all down hill from the second one. Leave the path about a mile and a half after Balcnoc2 for the pathless descent towards the reservoir, doesn't take long to realise I left the path too soon again, should have stayed on another half mile or so, traverse along sheep and deer trods to avoid the worst of the tussocks and ditches. Short run across the dam back to the bike, cold toes on the cycle home.

 

Beinn Dubh to Cruach Dubh the short way

Luss hills for a long run this week, left it until the afternoon to catch better weather, cloud level gradually lifted during the run. Planned loop starting on Beinn Dubh, crossing Glen Luss and on to the top of Glen Finlas, finishing down Cruach Dubh, the hill the Luss Highland Games race is run over. Good paths over Dubh/Mid hills then rougher ground on the Finlas side. Climbed Beinn Dubh, running the flatter bits and walking the steep. Warm on the way up the sun threatening to break through took a layer off, passed a few walking groups and into the cloud towards the top. Stopped for a drink at the top, rain started, jacket and hat on for the run round the corries to Mid Hill. Dropped out the wind down Mid Hill, warmer again. Ran up to the end of the Glen road then across fields to a small bridge over Luss Water and the trudge up Coille Eughain hill. From the top ran and walked up the ridge to Creag an Leinibh over looking Glens Luss and Finlas. From the top turned back toward Loch Lomond along the ridge to Beinn Ruisg then through peat hags to Creagan Hill overlooking Loch Lomond. About 3 miles from here to the finish over Cruach Dubh, pathless and tussocky to start, aimed for Ben Lomond until a quad bike track appears, take that until about half way down, cut off as it turns away, more tussocks and faint sheep tracks until a better path forms for the last climb up Cruach Dubh, a tussocky traverse across the top to the Games Hill race route, finishing past the Luss Water Fairy Pool.

Beinn Dubh cairn

Beinn Ruisg from Coille Eughain Hill

Glen Finlas and Loch Lomond from Creag an Leinibh

Clyde Estuary from Beinn Ruisg

Loch Lomond from Creagan Hill

Glen Finlas Horseshoe

Great forecast for Saturday, instead of heading for bigger hills I stuck to the planned run over some hills around Glen Finlas. Parked at the bottom of the haul road to Garelochhead/Faslane and ran up the road to the Finlas dam, a track runs along the north side of the reservoir, ran up there across a few land slips from the recent rain. At the far end of the reservoir a faint path climbs beside an old fence, trudged up to the top of the ridge and set off on an undulating run over Beinn Ruisg, Creag an Leinibh to Balcnoc, from here an out and back detour over Beinn Tharsuinn to Beinn Chaorach. Back at Balcnoc set off towards Loch Lomond, the frozen ground made it easy to traverse the many bogs on this descent. Picked up something of a path going North and came down into Glen Finlas just past the reservoir. Usually I run down the road, but last May I had watched the Loch Lomond Motorcycle club coming up what must have been a path or track and set off to find it, the first mile or so was fine, undulating with a few bogs and streams to cross, path faded so for about 1/4 of a mile it was a slow trudge up and down through tussocks and bracken before an easy run down a couple of empty fields. Perfect weather for this run, the usual boggy cols and peat hags frozen just enough to take my weight, most of the time, Super day, great views Paddys Milestone, Arran and Jura visible to the south, north, Arrochar and Crianlarich Munros, Ben Lui and many hills beyond.

Beinn Dubh to Cruach Dubh, the short way

This weeks long run in the Luss Hills, started and finished at the foot of the glen, Beinn Dubh to start, Cruach Dubh to finish, in between a few paths, some tussocks and lots of peat hags. From Beinn Dubh ran along the ridge to Mid Hill and down to the top of the Glen Road, there's a small wooden bridge across Luss Water before the steep climb up Coille Eughain Hill, instead of running down over the Paps from there, turned west up to Creag An Leinibh overlooking Glen Finlas then running South East on a broad grassy ridge over Beinn Ruisg to Creachan Hill via 100s of peat hags, only 2 or 3 miles to go now, the first couple south west, pathless and tussocky and luckily mainly downhill, a short climb up the back of Cruach Dubh before a last run down to the foot of Glen Luss.

From Mid Hill looking back to Beinn Dubh

Luss Water from the bridge at the top of the glen

Loch Lomond and Conic Hill from Creag An Leinibh

Luss Water Fairy Pool from the bridge at the bottom of the glen

Beinn Dubh to Cruach Dubh, the short way

Luss hill run, Beinn Dubh to start, along to Mid Hill and down in to the glen, cross over for the climb to Coille Eughain, ridge up to Creag an Leinibh, coming back over Beinn Ruisg, Creaghan hill to Cruach Dubh, called the short way as its only about 13 miles, I have a route I would like to do that starts and finishes with the same hills but takes in the a few more hills.

Running up through Bluebell woods to start, clear skies today with a cold cold wind on the way up Beinn Dubh, views to the Arrochar Alps and beyond well worth it. Easy run along to mid hill, caught by a couple of runners on their way to Doune Hill. Down to the glen road, the day warming up now, short run to the top of the glen and a trudge up Coillie Eughains steep flank, running again on a faint path weaving round the peat hags towards Creag an Leinibh, walk the last few hundred feet as the gradient increases. Route undulates down from here on, running parallel and above the Finlas reservoir the path fades out on the approach to Creaghan hill. From there its sheep track, tussock jumping and heather bashing down to the back of Cruach Dubh picking up a quad bike track to the top then the Luss Highland Games Hill race descent path back to Luss.

Bluebell slopes at the bottom of Beinn Dubh

Ben and Loch Lomond from Beinn Dubh

Creag an Leinibh from Coillie Eughain Hill

North from Creag an Leinibh, mountains for miles

Sparkling Finlas reservoir from Beinn Ruisg

Cruach Dubh and th eloch from from Beinn Ruisg

Arran over the Roseneath Peninsula from Creaghan Hill

Mid Hill from the bottom of Glen Luss

Finlas and Fruin

Bike, run, bike today, cycle to the top of Glen Finlas, run a loop round the Finlas and Fruin reservoirs, cycle home.

The Ben from Duck Bay

Bright and breezy morning with some cloud on the tops. Along the track until just past the reservoir then up joining the low part of the ridge between Creagan Hill and Beinn Ruisg.

Conic Hill and islands of Loch Lomond from Beinn Ruisg

Finlas reservoir and Loch Lomond from col at the head of Glen Finlas

Followed the ridge round the top of the glen over Creag an Lenibh to a top marked 693. Due west to Beinn Tharsuin then NW to Chaorach.

Beinn Chaorach summit cairn and trig

Conic from Chaorach

Mahanaich from Chaorach

Steep drop NW into the glen and across Auchengaich burn.

Fruin reservoir from Mahanaich

Continuing NW climbing up into the clouds to find the top of Beinn a Mhanaich. South from here down the ridge skirting the bump that is Maol am Fheidh and down the Strone to the Haul road.

Fruin reservoir from the start of the climb up Auchengaich hill

Crossed the Auchngaich burn again and turning east immediately through the gate up Auchengaich hill, North to Tharsuin then East to top 693, South over another bump called Balcnock.

Ardmore from Balcnock

Descent to Finlas reservoir

SE and East down steep slopes to the Finlas reservoir in just over 5 hours.

Glen Finlas Horseshoe

Slept in this morning, set off up Loch Lomond side about an hour later than planned not sure where to run, decided to try the Finlas Horseshoe and add in an out and back over Beinn Tharsuin and Choarach, two hills overlooking the Fruin reservoir.

Easy run up the road to the dam and onto the track on the north side of the reservoir, left the track at the far end of the Finlas reservoir and set off up beside a fence to the flat col between Creagan hill and Beinn Ruisg, walkers paths, sheep/deer trods and fence lines to follow from here on. Above the cloud base so not much to see.

Over Ruisg and Creag an Leinibh then the unnamed 693m top that I would return to after the out and back.

Cloud cleared on the way to Beinn Tharsuin confirming my location, not that I was lost. Quick visit to Beinn Choarach's Cairn and Trig before turning back.

Soon back at the 693m top and set off undulating down over Balcnock towards Loch Lomond.

Usually I drop down to the reservoir and down the glen road, decided to stay on the ridge and maybe get some good pictures of the islands on the loch.

Not ideal to run over, lots of gullies, ditches and bogs. Clouds are closing in again so views not great by the time I get there, ran down past the radio mast using the bouldery access track to get back to the road inside 4 hours, good morning out.