Glen Striddle Horseshoe

Friday afternoon run this week , drove to Luss a bit later than hoped, headtorch in the bag just in case. Up Beinn Dubh to start, ran the first half, walked and jogged the second half into a cold north wind, ground getting back to its boggy best, should have had my waterproof socks on!! Jacket , hat and gloves on just after half way. Past the summit cairn jogging into a now strong cold wind. Didn't heat up until round Mid hill and going down towards the Glen, stopped about a mile short of the glen and turned back up Mid Hill and along to Beinn Dubh, warmer now, the wind at my back helping keep a better pace. On the way back up to Beinn Dubh's summit cairn light noticeably fading, turned the head torch on for the last mile or so finishing in the pitch black.

Glen Finlas Hills from Bein Dubh

Beinn Dubh

Ben Lomond from Beinn Dubh

Loch Lomond Islands from Beinn Dubh

Loch from Mid Hill

Cloud topped Arrochar Alps over Glen Douglas hills from Mid Hill

 

Beinn Dubh and Mid hill double

Long run on a Friday for a change, starting after 6pm, took my headtorch. Set off up Beinn Dubh, managed to keep a slow jog going all the way up. The top was in the clouds. Ran along the ridge round to Mid Hill and back down to the Glen Luss road, turned round and set off back up Mid Hill, slow jog up, the daylight faded as I reached the top, head torch on , not much use, the mist reflects the light straight back, set off along the ridge towards Beinn Dubh, soon lost the faint path, ground aspect not what it should be and it took a couple of zig zags before I found the path again. Easy jog past the cairn and down to Glen Luss finishing in about 3 hours.

Across the Glen from Beinn Dubh

Looking back to the Loch from Beinn Dubh

Beinn Dubh summit cairn on the way out

The Loch from descent of Mid Hill

657m cairn at the back of Beinn Dubh

Beinn Dubh cairn on the way back

Luss Lights

Glen Striddle Horseshoe

Arrived at the bottom of Glen Luss about 2 pm, realised I had forgotten my insoles, lucky the ground would be soft. Set off up Beinn Dubh into the mist and round the corries to Mid Hill, dropped down to the glen and ran the up to the end of the road, down to Luss water and across the repaired rickety wooden bridge, slow trudge up Coille Eughains steep sides back into the mist and gloom as the light faded, head torch on, of limited use as the light was mostly reflected off the mist, helped with foot placement. Wasted a few minutes finding the right line off the hill, a sheep track that runs down to the paps beside a fence. Good experience in night navigation and the problems that you could face. Slow trudge through the forest finishing in about three hours.

Beinn Dubh

Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill and back this morning, another early start, head torch required for the first 20 minutes or so.

Steady plod up avoiding the boggiest bits, sealskin socks helping. Surrounding tops with a light dusting of snow, bigger hills, Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps with their heads in the clouds.

Ground starting to freeze on top of Beinn Dubh made for easier running on the out and back ridge to Mid Hill.

Clouds starting to clear on the way back to Beinn Dubh, snowy Arrochar tops start to appear.

Slippy run back down into the glen finishing inside 2 1/2 hours.