Beinn Narnain and The Cobbler, the quiet way

Earlyish start, set off up Narnain on the old walkers access path, the block track, passed a few people on the way up, cool morning with a thin layer of high cloud that broke up after about 20 minutes to let weak autumnal sunshine through, great views opened up all round as I climbed, hills a mixture of greens, brown and orange. You could just see a faint outline of Ben Nevis ad the CMD Arete from the top. Traversed the down and up to The Cobbler without seeing any one else apart from a couple of walkers on top, descended via An t'Sron joining the top of the zig zags, busier here as it's the usual walkers access route. Finished in just over three hours.

Arrochar from Succoth car park

Loch Long from Beinn Narnain

A Chrois from Narnain

The Cobbler from Narnain

The Spearhead a tthe top of Narnain

Peek through to Loch Long

One of The Cobblers tops, a couple of walker coming down the path

The Brack from The Cobbler

Loch Long and the Luss hills beyond from An t'Sron

One of The Cobblers tops from An t'Sron

Cobbler, Ime, Narnain from An t'Sron

Beinn Dubh and Mid hill double

Another go at this route, start and finish at the bottom of Glen Luss, up Beinn Dubh, along the ridge to Mid Hill and down to the glen road, turn round and run back the same way. Found the climb back up to Mid Hill harder than last time, about 4 mins slower and 0.2 miles shorter as I didn't lose the trail this time.

Beinn Dubh cairn

Beinn Eich from Mid Hill

Mid Hill from road

Loch Lomond from Mid hill

Loch Lomond from descent off Beinn Dubh

 

Stoneymollan, Ben Bowie, Killoeter

Local run this week over the Stoneymollan muirs, Three Lochs Way, John Muir Trail and a couple of small hills, Ben Bowie and Killoeter. Steady run round the trails and paths, managed to catch a wee weather window in the morning, 15 miles and 3 hours.

Carman reservoir

Whinny hill with Conic hill in the background

Along the faultline to Conic hill

Helensburgh from Ben Bowie

Ardmore Point from Hel n Back route

Arrochar run

Early start ran up the Glen Loin trail to Coiregrogain then trudge up the Ben Vane access path, visibility poor in mist on the lower slopes, opened up a bit about half way up, a couple of showers but warm enough to run without a jacket. A short break on the top then dropped off the back down grassy slopes into Lag Uaine, across the valley floor and up towards Glas Bealach turned south up steep slopes to Ime's rocky top, a few people here, the first I had seen since leaving Succoth, sheltering behind the cairn. Another short break then down to Bealach a'Mhaim and the path beside the Buttermilk burn back to Succoth inside 4 1/2 hours.

On the way up Ben Vane

Looking back down Ben Vane

Ben Vane summit

Turning stone, 280 degree bearing from Vanes summit

Lochan on the way down to Lag Uaine

Water falls on the way up to Glas Bealach

Ben Ime's summit cairn

Luss Loop

Steady run over a few Luss hills, parked at the entrance to the glen, ran up the road to the top then onto the hills, Beinn Eich, Beinn Lochain, Doune Hill, drop down to Sith Mor, up Mid Hill, followed the ridge round to Beinn Dubh descending to the entrance of the glen, about 4 hours. Felt like giving up on the climb up Beinn Eich, some food and drink at the top, decided to carry on to Doune Hill, only a couple of small climbs after all & I could turn back when I got there. As you do I decided to keep on with the planned route, some more food before Mid Hill, a bit slower than last time but happy to finish.

Finlas hills from Beinn Eich

Looking back to Beinn Eich from Beinn Lochain

Doune Hill trig

Glen Mollochan from Doune Hill

Luss from Beinn Dubh

5 Mile Handicap

9th Club race of the year and 9 of us set off in reverse order for a 5 mile handicap road race round the Vale, handicap times from 43 to 35 minutes, please to finish 5th place, 4th by time, inside 36 mins, handicaps worked out ok, 7 finishing within 2 mins, only first and last outside this.

Arrochar and Glen Fruin run

Easier run planned this weekend, on good paths over The Cobbler and Narnain, set off late Friday afternoon, early enough to finish in daylight. Trails and hills quiet at this time of day. Started up the path behind Succoth's houses missing out the stoney lower zig zag path, steady jog through the upper zig zags and past the Narnain Boulders to the back stairs, made it up with only a couple of short breaks. Only saw one other person, a ghost in the mist at the top, didn't hang about back down the stairs and plodded up Narnain, round the trig and back the way I came up, finishing in just over three hours.

Narnain from the Narnain Boulders

The Cobbler

Cobbler summit

Narnain shrouded in mist

Narnain clears for a few minutes

Being watched

Naranins trig

Squeezed a short run in on Saturday. The Strone and Beinn a Mahanaich, managed to keep a steady jog to the top, no views again today, easy run down to finish in about 90 mins. Strava feed failed after a few seconds, restarted at the summit cairn.

The Strone and Auchengaich reservoir

Across the Gareloch from The Strone

Beinn a Mahanaich's summit cairn

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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