Roon the Vale

Local run today, over the hills round the Vale of Leven, mixture of hill, moorland, trail and roads. Straight up to carman Fort, along Bromley Muir, down Stoneymollan to Balloch, A loop starting through Balloch Park round Whinny Hill, out the back of the Haldane past the local dump and through sodden fields to Pappert Well, legs tired now losing the chance to get round under 4 hours, longest run for a while hopefully spur me on.

Bromley Muir Trig

Snow capped Luss hills from Whinny Hill

River Leven and Loch Lomond from Pappert

Pappert Well Trig

Roon the Vale

Decided to run local as the forecast was for gales on the hills. A 17 mile anti clockwise route round the Vale of Leven, taking in Pappert Well, Whinny Hill and Bromley Muir. Pappert Well first, across Bonhill Bridge over the river Leven, a gradual climb beside houses to start then grassy and muddy paths to the Pappert Well Trig. Sunny with a cool breeze, kept moving and just warm enough without gloves or jacket, great day to be out. Looped past the Well down a muddy fire break before turning through fields towards Whinny Hill  More houses and tarmac to the back of Balloch Park, straight up more fields to the Whinny Hill trail loop and back to Balloch Park. Another mile or so of tarmac to get to Upper Stoneymollan road. Last 5 miles off road, legs starting to suffer but felt better buoyed by the lack of tarmac to come. Three Lochs Way to start then the walkers paths over Bromley Muir to the Carman Fort. Last mile and a half mostly down hill on paths and though fields.

Pappert Well Trig

Upper Stoneymollan

The Ben and Loch Lomond

Mount Malow cairn, Carman Reservoir & Dumbarton Castle

Autumn

 

Whinny Hill Trail Race

Club race, used to be a Cross Country run in January, changed to a Spring Trail race as most of the paths have been upgraded with hardcore for easier public access to the trail behind Balloch Park. 7 runners tonight, to start a loop round Balloch Park to the bottom of Fairy Glen, straight up the path beside the stream onto the Whinny Hill Trail, undulating up through the trees, clockwise loop at the top, on the way back take a left through the trees popping out at the back of the car park for a short run to the finish at the back of Balloch Castle.

 

Whinny Hill

Ran from home today, an out and back through the local Parks, Christie, Argyle and Balloch onto the Whinny Hill trail with its newly sanitised hardcore path, gone are most of the muddy bits, the last bit, Stable Woods soon to be lost to to Mountain Bike trails if the latest proposal goes through. Plenty of colour on the trees made for pleasant running.

 

Roon the Vale

Longer run this week, Stoneymollan, Ben Bowie, Whinny Hill and Pappert Well. Idea was to walk the steeper hills and run the rest aiming for about 5 hours. Kind of mizzly morning but not much of a breeze which is ok for a long run. Jog walked up to the Fort and Trig then ran to Ben Bowie, a walk on the last climb to the twin tops. Ran most of the way to Whinny Hill except a couple of short sections through the forest. Back down the trail then across fields past Robin House through the Haldane housing estate leaving via tinkers loan up the road towards the dump, a track leads across behind the golf course meaning only one muddy field to cross to reach the Whinny Hill trail, a bit of a mud bath, down the fire break back onto the trail and home via Bonhill Bridge and the Magic Roundabout. Finished in just over 5 hours.

Ben Bowie summit cairn

River Leven bhouys

Apprentice rowers on Loch Lomond

Burn of Balloch in Fairy Glen

Whinny Hill trig

SM BB K WH PW

Monthly long long run this weekend, Mount Mallow to start via the track behind Carman Reservoir.

Carman Reservoir and Dumbarton from Mount Mallow

Last hill, Whinny Hill from the first hill, Mount Mallow

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.

Helensburgh from Killoeter

A frozen Shepherds Pool

Killoeter next then onto the Red Road up past the Black Third and Shepherds pool, down the Stoney trail to Balloch.

Fairy Glen 

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.

First hill, Mount Mallow from last hill, 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.

PWWHSM

A run round the hills overlooking Alexandria, Pappert Well, Whinny Hill and Stoneymollan.

Set off about dawn, running up towards the Trig Point near the Pappert Well as the sun rose, no need for a jacket or gloves today. cool with a slight breeze. Across fields and the golf course to the back of the Haldane.

Cut out some road through more fields behind Balloch Park joining the Whinny Hill trail in the woods before the loop.

Back down through Balloch Park stopping for a quick chat with Big Pete out for a walk in the sun.

A mile or so of road through Balloch up the Stoneymollan track, along the ridge to the Fort running on tired legs to finish inside 4 hours.

Whinny Hill Cross Country

Second race in this years club championship, good conditions, plenty of mud, a cool breeze and the rain stopped just before we set off. A lap of the grassy area in front of the Castle in Balloch Park to start, running along to the bottom of Fairy Glen, slow plod up beside the stream across Boturich road onto the upper trail, up through the woods on the hardcore trail before the muddier top loop, return route similar except missing out the lap of the park, coming back to the castle from behind, inside 50 minutes for the 4 1/2 to 5 mile route.

Roon the Vale

PWWHSM, a mostly off road run round the Vale, taking in Pappert Well, Whinny Hill and Stoneymollan. Tried to take it easy at the start as my legs always suffer on this run. A mile of road to start then up and round the Whinny Hill trails crossing a couple of fields and the Golf Course to pick up a trail into the back of the Haldane, another mile or two of road up past the Hospice behind Balloch Park onto the Whinny Hill trail, coming back down through Balloch Park and another mile or so of tarmac onto the Stoneymollan to finish inside 3 1/2 hours.

 View up Loch Lomond from Whinny Hill

 The Ben and the Loch from Stoneymollan

Carman Reservoir over Dumbarton Castle from the Fort

Whinny Hill Cross Country

2nd race in this years Club GP, 5 of us. 2 had set off early leaving three to race, we had spread out by the first few hundred yards and stayed in that order to the end. Pretty good conditions cool but with a slight drizzle, started too fast which made the climb up harder than it needed to be, happy to reach the seat, from there its mostly down hill. Finished inside 47 mins.

Whinny Hill Cross Country

Perfect day for cross country but there was more spectators than runners. Slight route change taking us to the bottom of Fairy Glen to start the climb, the muddier trail making up for the smooth hardcore path up through the trees. Ground part frozen should have made for faster running. Great views to Glen Finlas snd Luss from the seat, mostly down hill on the way back with one wee climb through the trees, managed to pick up the pace towrds the end to finish insude 50 minutes. Good day, great wee race.

Whinny hill Cross Country

Final club cross country, starts in front of Balloch castle, finishes behind it. A lap of the park to start then onto the path to the whinny hill trail. Trail sanitised this year, a new hardcore surface up through the woods, only the top loop section wet n muddy. Return by same route until just before the park and off left through trees n mud popping out behind the car park, short dash to the finish. Started in third, dropped to fourth at the bottom of the park, stayed there to finish, 13 runners this year.