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.

 

LDFF

Planned this run for a few years, first time was in 2022 when I was 60, injured myself in the lead up to the run, similarly in '23 & '24, this year I altered my training load, reducing my longest runs from 7 or 8 hours to 6 hours. Picked a couple of dates at the beginning of June with a three or 4 week taper and watched the weather forecast, Fri 6th June looked good, a couple of showers at worst. Would liked to have got round under 12 hours but my stats said otherwise, based on walking the ups, running the flats and downs, anything from 14 to 17 hours, (70% to 85% of Naismiths walking metrics). To make use of the daylight I planned a 6 am start. (Headtorch in bag!). 

First section Luss to Glen Douglas, two of the biggest climbs to start, about 11 miles, target 4.5 hours, made it in 4 hours 10, hardest part was walking and relatively slowly, I usually run these climbs. Caught a shower off the top of Doune Hill, hard work at the bottom of the hill, bracken much longer than last time, took a 10 minute refuel stop.

Beinn Dubh and Beinn Eich from Beinn Dubh

Second section Glen Douglas, target 3.5  hours, made it in 3 hours 20, rougher section, particularly between Beinn Reoch and Tullich Hill, not many paths, sheep/deer tracks and tussocks. 15 minute refuel, raining again while I refuelled. 

Glen Douglas Hills from Mid Hill

3rd section, Glen Douglas to Glen Fruin, target 3.5 hours, made it in 3 hours 20. Longest climb about 2.5 miles to Cruach an t Sidhein, A tough climb quickly followed by a shorter but steeper climb up a' Mhanaich, glad to see those two done. 10 minute refuel in Glen Fruin.

Climb to Cruach an t Sidhein

4th Section Glen Fruin to the finish, target 4 hours, made it in 3.5 hours, last big climb to start to Beinn Chaorach, after that the route undulates down hill over half a dozen hills, the route between the last two hills Creaghan hill & Cruach Dubh crosses a lot of ferns and tussocks to balance distance with ease of running on paths. The tussocks usually win.

View from Tharsuinn to Balcnock & Creag an Leinibh

Overall target was 15.5 hours plus stops, happy to finish just under 15 hours. Low point of the day was the ankle trashing traverse up the glen from Glen Douglas towards Cruach an t Sidhein. Photos from the day here. Phone gave out at the top of Creag an Leinbh, none after that. For more info see my LDFF page. 

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

Luss Hill Run

New route over familiar hills today, ran up the glen a couple of miles to the end of the road,  cutting through fields to avoid the farm at Edentaggart, after the farm continued up the glen for a mile or so on a farm track, found a small bridge to get across Luss Water and followed a quad bike track to the bottom of a nice grassy ridge leading up to Beinn Chaorach. From Chaorach it's an undulating run back to the bottom of the glen over the tops between Glen Luss and Glens Fruin and Finlas. Tharsuin and Balcnoc to start then Creag an Leinibh, turned away from Glen Finlas to drop down Coillie Eughain Hill, you always forget how much slower its peat hags make the run down this ridge, finished with a tussocky run down the paps and back over Luss Water at the Fairy Pools.

Towards Cruach an t Sidhein from the end of the quad bike track 

Another Fairy Pool?

Stream tumbling from Balcnoc

Ridge line to the bottom of the glen from Chaorach

From Chaorach towards Arrochar

From Creag an Leinibh towards Loch Lomond & Conic Hill

Ascent ridge to Chaorach from Creag an Leinibh

Beinn Dubh and Mid Hill (Glen Striddle) from CE 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.

Glen Finlas

Set off on the bike for a run in the Luss Hills, change of plan along the way, Glen Finlas is nearer, aimed to chain the bike at the bottom of the glen, run up and do a horseshoe round the tops, then a cycle home. The bottom of the glen was too busy, filled with vans and scrambling motorbikes, cycled up to the dam and chained the bike there. Ran along a track that runs beside the reservoir, at the end turn uphill beside an old fence, faint path through grass and ferns. Come to a clear path on the top of the ridge and set off for Beinn Ruisg, the path was marked with orange flags, soon the sound of motorbikes disturbed the peace and blotted out the skylarks singing overhead, I could see bikes going up the ridge towards Balcnoc on the other side of the glen, ran on over Creag an Leinbh to the top of the glen, the bikes were coming up in small  groups then turning off towards Tharsuin, I ran down towards Balcnoc jumping off the path every few minutes to let the bikes pass. Dropped down at the end of the reservoir, the sound of the bikes fading. No phone or camera so no pictures , found out later it was the Loch Lomond Motorcycle club out for a two day trial.

Wander in the Luss hills

A longer run this week, walking the ups, running the flatter bits and the downs, start and finished at the bottom of Glen Luss, climbed Beinn Dubh as the sun rose, the moon visible above the Glen Finlas hills I would return over on the way back, along to Mid hill, fantastic views to the Arrochar Alps and Crianlarich munros in the early morning haze. Dropped into the top of Glen Luss at Sith Mor, rough climb up to Doune Hills trig point, Beinn Lochain next before Cruach an t Sidhein, a steep descent and traverse round Mahanach at the back of Glen Fruin, gradual climb up Chaorach at first then straight up beside the fenceline to the Trig and Cairned summit, most of the climbing done now, an undulating run across Tharsuin, and a couple of minor tops before descending over the Paps finishing at the bottom of Glen Luss.

Arrochar Alps from Beinn Dubh

Ben More and Stob Binnien from Beinn Dubh

Beinn a Mhanach from Cruach an t Sidhein

View from Cruach an t Sidhein, route back via hills on the right

View from Chaorachs Trig/Cairn summit to the Clyde/Ardmore point

Conic Hill from Chaorach

Loch Lomond from the Paps

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.