Local hill run this week, Carman Fort and Trig then along to the Three Lochs Way for a mile or so before taking to the ridge over Killoeter then back up to Ben Bowie, hilly but runnable, after Ben Bowie returned over Bromley Muir past the Trig and Fort, very wet and muddy over Bromley Muir all the ditches and flat sections flooded. A bit more Spring like, plenty of wild Primroses along the trails.
First long run this year, had taken some time off for holidays and lurgy, stayed local, Bromley Muir then Killoeter and Ben Bowie. The Three Lochs Way still blocked and took a steep bypass route onto Killoeters ridge. Intended to return just above the fields and A82 but the firing range was in use and came back the same way I went out, over Bromley Muir, a bit longer / more ascent but more runnable as the lower path has a few ditches to traverse.
Ran local today, mixture of trails and hills, Killoeter, Ben Bowie and Stoneymollan via 3LW, JMT and Hel n Back trails. Started up Stoneymollan road, turning onto the Hel n Back route in reverse past the Black Third Farm, had to climb the locked gate to get on to the trail to Killoeter, Crossed the 3 Lochs Way to get to Ben Bowie, dropped on to the John Muir Trail back to the Stoney, along the muirs to the Fort and home past the Radiomast.
More off road this week using an out and back over Bromley, Carman and Overton Muirs, with a loop round Ben Bowie and Killoeter in between, less road and trail more hill and moor. Another overcast day, ran it all this week, nice and easy to start, finishing in just over three hours.
Reverse of the route from a few weeks ago with an extra loop round Carman reservoir along to Stoneymollan. Snow on the ground from 500'. Ran down past the Black Third taking the Hel n Back route in reverse turning right at the top of the hill up Killoeter's ridge dropped down and across the Three Lochs Way over to Ben Bowie off the back onto the John Muir Trail back to the Stoneymollan running down through Tullichewan, the Vale Hospital and Christie Park to finish.
1st longish run for a couple of weeks, stayed local running up Mount Malow then over Carman and Bromley Muirs to the Stoneymollan, followed the 3 Lochs Way to Ben Bowie, over the top to The John Muir trail back to the Stoney, took the easy way back, down the Stoney, through Tulliechewan and the Hospital. Nice light as sunset approached.
Local run this week over the Stoneymollan muirs, Three Lochs Way, John Muir Trail and a couple of small hills, Ben Bowie and Killoeter. Steady run round the trails and paths, managed to catch a wee weather window in the morning, 15 miles and 3 hours.
An out and back route over Stoneymollan today, up behind the Carman reservoir, along the muirs to the Three Lochs Way quickly turning off past Shepherds pool and the Black Third, climbing up for a run along Killoeter's ridge, across the Three Lochs Way for the short up and down Ben Bowie to the John Muir Way back to the top of the Stoney, along the ridge past the Trig point to the Fort, descending home via the Radiomast to finish in just over three hours, light was good this morning, a lot of duck egg blue, the Ben hazy in the distance.
Monthly long long run this weekend, Mount Mallow to start via the track behind Carman Reservoir.
Along past the Trig Point to the top of the Stoneymollan track, along the John Muir Trail until it starts to descend towards Glen Fruin then a short steep climb up through trees to Ben Bowie.
Killoeter next then onto the Red Road up past the Black Third and Shepherds pool, down the Stoney trail to Balloch.
Into the bottom of the park along to the Fairy Glen trail up to the loop round Whinny Hill trail, back in to Balloch, up through the Haldane and followed track and trails that pass between the Golf Course and dump to Whinny Hill.
A lot of the paths were as hard as the roads, frozen solid with ruts and lumps, tough on my feet in fell shoes with their thin soles. Covered over 20 miles and nearly 4000 of ascent, walked the steeper up hills and stopped every 1 to 2 hours for some food, flapjacks were good except nearly frozen and brain freeze quickly followed each drink of juice.
Another Ben Bowie run, changed a few loops to keep it fresh, started straight up to the Fort.
From the Fort ran along the muirs past the Trig Point to the top of Stoneymollan.
Onto the Three Lochs Way to Ben Bowie then John Muir Trail and 3LW to Killoeters ridge dropping down at the top of the Red road running up past the Black Third farm to the top of the Stoney.
Back along the muirs dropping down to the quarry for an extra bit of vert up to the Fort, down past the Radiomast to finish just over 3 hours.
Another local run, up round the Carman reservoir, past the Trig point along to Stoneymollan, then a loop round Killoeter and Ben Bowie.
Most of the snow gone, some icy patches, the ground soft on top but still frozen underneath with a lot of surface puddles making for cold toes.
On to the Three Lochs Way for a short while then down past the Black Third farm, turning up through the trees onto Killoeters undualting summit ridge, dropping down and across the Three Lochs Way over to Ben Bowie. Over Ben Bowies two tops to the John Muir Trail back to the Stoneymollan. Thought about a short cut through the Vale to avoid more cold toes, turned out fine the frozen turf kept my feet above most of the freezing puddles, ran along the muirs to the Trig and the Fort, descending past the Radiomast to finish in about 3 1/2 hours.
