Ben Lomond

Race up and down the Ben, good day for it, top clear. Warm at the start, cool breeze once clear of the trees. Couple of slight route changes this year, more off trail on the way up swapping a steeper rocky path section for some tussocks and the ridge access/egress by the same way meant you got to see everyone in the race as you navigated up and down the summit ridge. Steady run walk on the way up, not losing too many places once the race settled down, probably taking it a bit too easy. Good run off the grassy bank from the summit ridge, steady down the plateau, gradually reeled in a couple on the lower grassy and rocky sections. Careful on the rocky path at the bottom to finish in 1 hour 54, swim in the loch at the end, a good day.

Whangie Whizz

Damp evening for the Whangie Whizz, over 100 started. Felt cold before the start, didn't take long to warm up, after the initial climb settled into a steady trot along the rocky muddy trail, through the Whangie and up to the ridge picking up the pace down towards the track, lost a couple of places on the track. Back up the ridge to the trig point kept a steady jog going, losing a place near the top, down hill not steep enough but still managed to overtake a couple. Finished just over 46 mins.

Short running

Busy weekend, no long runs, three short runs, Sat up and back to the trig on Carman Muir,

 Snowy Ben over green stripes

Sun, Stoneymollan race route, Monday Whinney Hill from Moss O' Balloch, all in about 3 hours, 15 miles and 3000' of ascent.

Racing again, Stoneymollan, Clachnaben

Thursday evening saw the clubs Stoneymollan Hill Race, my first club race this year. 7 of us ran, 1st lady won easily beating my handicap system. The rest of us within a couple of minutes except one guest runner a bit further back and one lost soul, who jogged in a bit later still. Saturday and the long drive towards Banchory for the first SHR Championship race, Clachnaben,a rough heathery muddy trudge sponsored by Deeside Brewery. Three hills in succession, Threestane, Mount Shade and Clachnaben with its distinct rocky summit tor. Set off at the back, planned to keep it steady until the climb up Clachanben, just about managed. Mostly blue skies with a couple of small snow showers blowing through as we went round, chilly once out the forest and onto the hills. 14k/8 miles and 700m/2300' of ascent, provisional results show I finished a few seconds faster than 2012.

Tea, coffee, home baking and plenty of the Sponsors Product at the finish.

Sunday's recovery run, slow run up and back to the Fort.

Snow capped Arrochar run

Keen for some steeper stuff set off for Arrochar, Ben Vane and Beinn Ime the plan. Loaded up the rucksack and drove through up lochside, snow capped Ben looked good. Usual car park full again. Ran up Glen Loin, a few walkers about, arrived at the Vane turn off a bit quicker than usual. Pushed hard to the cave passing a few walking groups on the way. First big snowbank about 20 mins from the top. Over the nobbly bits at the top lots of snow to try out my microspikes, the summit strangely clear of snow.

Great views all round, pity I didn't clear my phone camera lens, pictures a bit hazy and don't do the day justice. Short break on top then down the back into Lag Uaine, boggy lower down with snow melt. Met a runner going in the opposite direction on my approach to Glas Beallach, he was doing the race route in reverse but wasn't sure he'd have time for Vorlich. Steady snowy trudge to the top of Ime and a wee rest.

Lots of soft snow for the first few hundred yards off Ime with more bog and melt water towards Bealach a Mhaim. Spikes off for the trot between the Cobbler and his wife. Delightful zig zag path to finish 13miles and 5500'+ in about 5 1/2 hours. More pictures here. Sunday cool down jog past the reservoir though the quarry to the fort running back past the radiomast.

Dumgoyne and Ime

Saturday's run, double Dumgoyne with the out and back to the Earl's Seat in between. Managed to run to the two boulders on the way up then jog walked to the top. Past a few walkers on the way up Dumgoyne. Good run along to the Earl's Seat.

Sun began to break through on the way back, the climb up Dumgoyne much easier from behind.

 

About 7 miles, finished under two hours. Boathouse afternoon just had to have another double, this time Glengoyne, in celebration of the mornings run.

Sunday, blue sky perfection, away to Arrochar, had meant to run a couple, made do with Beinn Ime, stunning day among the remnants of the recent snows. Finished inside 3 hours, more pictures here.

Luss Horseshoe

Back to Glen Luss, short horseshoe, starting with Mid Hill, never run up this one before, always down, along the ridge to the two small cairns then back into the glen and a climb up Doune Hill, snow filled gullies around the summit, along the ridge over Beinn an Lochain and Beinn Eich, finished in about 3 1/2 hours. Interesting navigation in misty conditions, a wee wander on Mid Hill, before crossing back over the path into the right glen. 
 

No views today, cloud down below all the tops and ridges.

Trossachs Night Trail Race #3

3rd and final race in the series, Aberfoyle again but the David Marshall Lodge side of the road. Trail wound up through the trees to the DML and down the trails behind the lodge only to kick up on a long forest trail to Braeval with a short muddy bit in the middle, returning behind the golf course then down through the golf course to the trail along side the 11th, a couple of twists and turns back onto forest roads and finish with soup in the Forth Inn. Good fun on a cool clear starry night, need a better head torch.

Glen Douglas

6 mile 3500' trudge round the three tussocky Glen Douglas hills, Beinn Bhreac, Beinn Reoch and Tullich Hill, kept on the move by the fresh breeze on the tops to go with the great 360 degree views of snow capped mountains and hills, Paddy's milestone in the distance. Just under three hours, pictures here.

Wintery weekend

Saturday set off for Luss, same run from a few weeks ago the road works stopped. Good day for a run, no wind, ground frozen so dryish warmish feet. Parked at the top of the glen, set off for Beinn Eich, into snow about 1500'.

 From Beinn Eich towards Doune Hill

About a foot deep at the top, kept to the less snowy south (left) side of the ridge. Run towards Beinn an Lochain kept low (left) avoiding the snowier ridge path. Doune Hills top nice and snowy, picked my way down the back keeping to the tussocky ground where I could avoiding the smoother steep snow slopes.
 

 Mid Hill from Doune Hill

Climb up Mid Hill back into some snow at the top before an easy run off into the glen now filled with warm sunshine, finished under four hours, photos here. Sunday's plan was a short run over Stoneymollan, sun and blue sky changed that, set off for Arrochar. Both car parks full to overflowing, ran up the tourist path, got a row for taking a shortcut from a guy who claimed he helped make the paths.

 The Cobbler

Out the forest and a white topped Cobbler shining above a heathery hillside, the path clear of snow until the Narnain boulders, maybe that's why they are there. Ran up Narnain from the bealach, snow smoothing the way, microspikes on as it got steeper. Walkers and climbers everywhere. Snow cover made crossing the boulder field easy, stunning views from the top.

 Views down Loch Long to Arran from Narnain

Stayed and took in the views for a few minutes, fun run down in my microspikes. Finished inside three hours, more pictures here.

Ben Bowie

Saturday, first run for a week, touch of manflu, through Chrsitie Park to the Stonymollan, followed the 3LW to Ben Bowie.

 
Hail shower sent me back towards Stoneymollan after a couple of minutes, along past the Trig, Fort and Radiomast, finished the 10 or so miles in just under 2 1/2 hours. Sunday recovery run up behind the reservoir, through the quarry to the Fort, back down via the Radiomast.

Carnethy 5

Snowy day for this years charge round 5 Pentland Hills.

Not at my best so took it easy across the bogs, 1st climb felt ok, good stretch on my legs, passing a few on the way up, flats and downhills slow, repeat another 4 times, good to pass folk going up for a change probably as I wasn't using much energy or oxygen on the flats or downs. Slowest C5 time and my 1st race where it snowed the whole way. RO insisted on an extra layer worn or carried, sensible, very cold on the tops, although fine if you kept moving. Report and links to pictures here. Finished 408th out of 499 in about 97mins.

Luss

Plan was Eich, Doune, Mid, roadworks half way up the glen threatened to delay the drive home. Back to the bottom of the glen, route change, Dubh, Mid, Coille-eughain, a bit shorter and less climb, still about 10 miles and 3500' of ascent.

Not too cold to start, breeze picked up nearer the top into the cloud then snow, jacket and wooly hat on. Run along to Mid's snowy tops.

Drop back into the glen into sleety hail, the cloud level had dropped. Easy jog up the glen road before crossing the new bridge and slippery trudge up CE Hill. Steady run down the Paps across the fields back to the bottom of Glen Luss, just over three hours.

Ben Bowie

Set off late pm, along the bypass to Stoneymollan, followed the 3LW turning off to summit Ben Bowie.

Ran back the same way to the top of the Stoney then along the moor passed trig and fort descending past the radiomast, always seemed to be running into the wind with a bit of snow about and flesh eating hail squalls every15 minutes, finished in about 2 1/2 hours, more pictures here.

Trossachs Night Trail Race #2

Second of three races, this one at Calandar, smaller field, about 70, cold, mixture  of clear skies and sleet, going better than the last one until about 1 mile from the end, took a wee detour out an back to a Calandar Housing Estate, oops, trundled in about last, warm soup in the Wheels Cycling Centre, good fun.

Carman Muir, misty Luss

Saturday's PM run up behind Carman Resrvoir, through the quarry to the fort along and back to the trig then home via the radio mast, out for just under 90 mins. Sunday, PM again, Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill, Coille Eughain Hill finishing down the Paps. A warm 13 degrees in the valley, all the snow gone from the top, windy up there too, no views, into cloud above 1500'. Easy run up Dubh, only saw 5 people today. Ran along the trail to mid hill and down into Glen Luss, across the new bridge.

Trudge up Coille E's steep flank back into the clag, worked my way round the peat hags to the wee trod down to the paps and back out the cloud, 10 miles, 3500' inside 3 1/2 hours, finishing as it began to get dark.

Whinny Hill and Beinn Dubh

Took the times at Saturday mornings club cross country managed a run in the afternoon through a snowy Balloch Park.

Out n back along the Whinny Hill Trail.

Finished in just over an hour.

Sluggish start to Sunday, eventually managed a trot up and down Beinn Dubh, visibility nil at the top, white clouds and sky merged into one.

 Looking up or looking down?

Made an attempt at the ridge to Mid Hill, soon gave up the snow too soft and deep with the lack of walkers. Easy run back down, 4 miles, 2000' in just over 90 mins. More pictures here.

Beinn Eich n others

Run walk up Beinn Eich into cloud and snow, cold wind and little visibility at the top.

 Beinn Eich summit cairn

Ran down the back to the coll before Beinn an Lochain, nearly under the clouds, kept off the ridge out of the wind for the up and over BaL, difficult to find the path off the back to Doune Hill, short steep trudge and the trig point appeared through the mist. Stopped for a quick re-fuel hiding behind the trig to escape the wind.

 Doune Hill Trig

The run back a bit easier only walking the climb back up Eich, straight over the top eventually dropping out the clouds about 2/3 of the way down, 8 miles, 3000'+ in just under 3 hours.

Ben Bowie

Last run of the holiday's, through Chrstie Park to the Stoneymollan, followed the 3LW turning off to take in Ben Bowie's misty twin summits, no views today. Back to the top of the Stoney then along Bromley and Carman moors past the Trig point to the Fort, home past the radio mast and Cemetery. Just over two hours, about 20 minutes quicker than last time.

Glen Finlas

Finlas loop, probably about 10 miles, up the road towards the dam, taking the rough trail off to the right past the reservoir then straight up onto the peat hagged clagged in ridge. Undulating run round the ridge, cold when exposed to the wind from about the coll at the top of the glen and most of the way back.

Dropped down to the reservoir before the last top on the ridge and an easy run down to finish in about three hours. A few pictures here.