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.
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.
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.
One of those runs where you could use some miles and ascent, can't make up your mind where to go and pick an out and back 10 miler. Ben Dubh and Mid Hill then down to Glen Luss, turn round and go back the same way. 10 miles and 4000'+ of ascent, ran the first half of Beinn Dubh, then jog/walked to the top, ran round the Corries to Mid Hill and down to the glen road, on the way back ran the first half of Mid Hill then walked to the top, back round the Corries and down to finish at the foot of the hill. Bit of a struggle today I usually run more of the hills, but good to be out.
Forecast cold and windy with higher, Munro's, covered in snow so I went to Luss for a loop round Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill and Coille Eughain Hill. No sign of wind when I set off from the foot of the glen, picked up as I cleared the trees, it was cold, thankful of my double thermal base layers, fleece and Goretex jacket, thermal tights, waterproof socks, wooly hat and thermal waterproof gloves to keep me comfortable. Not many others out, one hill walker came down Beinn Dubh as I climbed, then two walkers passed as I ran along the plateau to Mid Hill. Didn't stop too often on the top or along the ridge, a short break in the glen before I trudged up Coille Eughain, back into the mist at the top before the 2 mile descent back to Luss.
Club cross country race cancelled due to ice on the paths, set off for the Luss hills for a short run, hopefully no ice and the snow not too deep. Some ice at the bottom but easily avoided. Quite a few walkers out avoiding the more arctic conditions of bigger hills. Only a few inches of snow, paths still visible as smooth tracks surrounded by snowy tussocks. Bogs frozen rather than feet made for pleasant progress. Not much visibility on top and footprints disappeared shortly after Beinn Dubh's summit cairn until a couple of walkers passed on the approach to Mid Hill. Stopped on the decent into the Glen, at about 4 miles and turned back, took it easy avoiding any icy patches, passing plenty of walkers on the way back.
Short afternoon run, Glen Luss, an out n back over Beinn Dubh to Mid Hill, a few walkers out mostly on their way down. Managed a steady run up Beinn Dubh cold wind with some warmth in the sun. Jacket and gloves on three quarters of the way up. Past the cairn point and along the ridge stunning views opened up to the Arrochar and Crianlarich hills taking my mind off the now biting wind. Past the two wee cairns and down to the top of the hill overlooking the Glen, didn't hang about, about turn and back along the ridge, thankfully the wind mostly behind, hills empty now for a nice run down Beinn Dubh.
A run I use when I am looking to get a few miles and few thousand feet of ascent in without much travel or thought on where to go. Out and back over Beinn Dubh and Mid Hill, dropping down to the road at the top of Glen Luss, about turn and run back. The climbs are as hard as you make them, ran all the way up Beinn Dubh a few minutes slower than I would have liked, along to Mid Hill then down into the glen. Turned back up Mid Hill, intended to run this as well, ended up taking a couple of walks on the steeper parts, next time I'll make it, easy run back round to Beinn Dubh and down to the bottom of the glen, Loads of walkers out today must be nearly winter as that is when these hills get busy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Short long run this week, out and back over Beinn Dubh and Mid Hill, turned back three quarters of the way down to the top of Glen Luss, back over Mid Hill and Beinn Dubh. Low cloud meant no views, sheep and bluebells for company. Managed a slow jog both ways, only stopping for a couple of pictures.
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.
