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

Pappert Cross Country

Last cross country race for this season, 3 suitably muddy laps round the moorland behind Pappert, managed 3 even paced laps, slightly slower than last year due to a wee route error on lap 2.

 

Glen Striddle

Shorter run this week, out and back over Beinn Dubh and Mid Hill, easy running up Beinn Dubh, walked the steeper parts, steady run round to Mid Hill, dropped down a quarter of a mile or so then turned back. Misty morning , not many views, cool breeze on top. Cool down in the Fairy Pools to finish. 

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

Luss horsehoe

Longest run for a couple of months, uncertain forecast, windy with a mix of sun and showers. Plan was to run up to the top of the glen road, run out over Beinns Eich and  Lochain to Doune Hill, coming back via Mid Hill and Beinn Dubh. 2 miles of tarmac to start, not my favourite surface. Steady plod up Beinn Eich, walking most of the way, the hill keeping much of the cold NW wind away, a small shower blew through clearing just before I reached the top. Set off towards Beinn Lochain into a much stronger wind, ok on the way down, made for hard going back up, walking what is usually a runnable climb to Beinn Lochain. Towards Doune Hill the ridge swings east allowing the wind to help me up the short steep climb to the trig point. Didn't hang about at the top as the sky darkened again, a hail squall blew over me. Soon cleared to leave a pleasant run down into the glen. Another steep climb to Mid Hill, a series of grassy ramps ease the gradient, had to stop a few times to catch my breath and take in the views. Onto the ridge to Mid Hills small cairns. A few hill walkers out now, the first I had passed since the start, a couple of short climbs then a longer gradual descent before a gradual climb back into the wind to Beinn Dubhs cairn. Last couple of miles down to the foot of Glen Luss in pleasantly warm sun, hat and gloves off , jacket and fleece opened.

Doune Hill from Beinn Eich

Doune Hill Trig looking past Mid Hill to Loch Lomond

Glen Luss, Mid Hill left, Beinn Eich, and Coillie Eughain Hill right

A cloud capped Cobbler from Mid Hill 

Google pano from Mid Hill, L to R , Eich, Lochain, Doune(2 tops).

Polaroid Cross Country

First race in this years club GP. Five of us set off for the 2 lap , 4 1/2 mile run, a sixth joined when he saw us disappear into the trees. The muddy bits were very muddy but the rest was dry making for quick times. Finished 4th out of 6 a couple of seconds quicker than last year. Good morning for a run.   

Glen Fruin Hill Run

Slightly longer and harder route this week, picked this route in case of snow and low cloud as there is fencing beside most of the route to aid navigation. As it turned out there was hardly any snow, a few patches here and there, ice and old rusty fence wire the only issues. To start cross the thankfully frozen bogs before a steep trudge into the clouds up Auchengaich hill, From there its runnable up and over Tharsuin and Chaorach following quad bike tracks and fence lines all the way back down into the glen. A few frozen springs to avoid off the back of Chaorach along with rusty fence wire left after the fencing was replaced a few years ago. The climb up Beinn a' Mhanaich another fenceline trudge back into the clouds, set off down the ridge with a short detour to take in the wee bump of a hill Maol am Fheidh then down the The Strone to finish, Reasonably dry and frozen turf made for good running, didn't hang about on the tops in the cold wind with little in the way of views.

Quad bike track from top of Auchengaich towards Tharsuin

Tharsuin

Cairn on Chaorach

Trig on Chaorach

A' Mhanaich ascent beside gully on the left 

Gulley further up

A'Mhanaich

Boulder points the way

Maol am Fheidh

  

Luss Hill Run

First hill run for about 5 weeks, Glen Luss, Beinn Dubh to Mid Hill and back, about 7 miles. Cold, but no snow, ground frozen with icy patches. Loads of walkers out today avoiding the higher tops in Arrochar. Cold wind set in near the top, hat and gloves on. Easy run round the corries to Mid Hill, plenty of photo stops along the way. Turned back towards Beinn Dubh, hat and gloves off in the warming sun, a lot of the ice melted leaving softer muddy ground underfoot. Slippy run off Beinn Dubh back into the glen, great day to be out.

Balloch Park Cross Country

Last race in this years club grand prix, 7 of us set off for 3 laps round Balloch Park, about 4 1/2 miles all in. Started in 5th place, finished 4th, caught one runner at the start of the third lap. Managed to run a fairly even pace, all three laps within 13 seconds of each other

Glen Luss

Set off later than usual hoping to avoid the worst of the weather. Today's route about 3 hours, Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill across the glen to Coillie Eughain Hill and down the Paps back to Luss. Still raining as I started up Beinn Dubh, Looked like a quiet run today, no cars at the bottom of the glen. Managed a slow jog all the way up, ground soaking and boggy, Sealskinz socks keep my feet dry and warm enough to enjoy the run. Into the cloud about half way up, only a slight breeze so not too cold. Onto the ridge round to Mid Hill helped a lone walker unsure of where the path was, wonder if he continued round? Cold wind picked up on the run off Mid Hill thankful it only lasted about 10 minutes until I dropped low enough to get some shelter from Beinn Dubh to the north. Passed another 2 walkers here. Ran up the glen just past the end of the tarmac, a quad bike track through a field leads to a bridge over a raging Luss Water. Half hour trudge up the steep sided Coillie Eughain Hill. Rain off and clouds lifting made for some better views on the way back to the foot of the glen.

Beinn Dubh Cairn 

Crossing Luss Water

Beinn Eich from Coillie Eughain Hill

Beinn Chaorach at the top of Glen Luss from Coillie Eughain

Mid Hill from the bottom of the Glen

Kiloeter and Ben Bowie

Wintery today, maybe an inch of snow with low cloud and fog meant I went for the safety of local trails and hills. Through Christie park and the Vale Hospital to the bottom of the Stoney onto the John Muir Trail/Three Lochs Way for about 3 miles. Turned off for a 4 mile loop over Kiloeter and Ben Bowie, then 4 miles back home. Apart from the odd bit of ice off road was fine with frozen turf helping to keep the feet dry. Good to be out.