Beinn Dubh and Mid Hill

Up Beinn Dubh, along the trail to Mid Hill and back in a couple of hours, quite a few walkers out today, cloud level about 2000', the tops with a little snow, best day for a while, sunny, little wind, the white capped peaks of the bigger hills to the north and Ben Lomond to the east disappearing into cloud. More pictures here.

Luss

Set off for Luss this morning, missed the better weather, a bit wet n windy by the time I started up Beinn Dubh. Managed to run the bottom half, closer to the top more of a stagger and avoid getting blown over. Not many out today. Round the summit cairn without stopping and steady down, the wind easing with height, warm for the time of year but wind chill could catch you out, character building run, finished in about 90 mins.

Whinney Hill

 
After timekeeping at the club cross country, went for a run up and down the Whinny Hill trail, freezing conditions helped firm up the muddy bits, great views from the seat, Finlas and Luss hilltops sitting above the clouds, majestic white Ben under a pale blue sky, good day for a run.

Wreckless running

Thursday night Wreckless Eric in the Glasgow CCA, took the Friday off rather than risk the new dd laws.

Friday run up to the Fort then along to the trig, instead of turning back ran striaght for the Vale.

 Stopped for a photo of the valley from Balloch to Dumbarton.

Ben Bowie

Set off about half two, sealskinz socks, gloves, wooly hat and head torch, along to the stoneymollan, up through the trees for shelter, along the deforested forest trail, wet n windy. Back in to the forest for some more shelter before an exposed climb to Bowies tops, staggered about in the wind, turned back for the Stoney, detour on the way back via trig and fort, the last descent in the dark, finished just over two and a half hours.

Trossachs Night Trail Race

Good crowd for tonight's trail race, about 5.5 miles, the first in a series of three, website here, the other races are Jan 27th and March 9th. My Petzl Myo headtorch outshone by ones masquerading as car headlights. Good mixture of firm trails, rootsy muddy trails, a couple of wee uphills and mostly downhill towards the end. Soup in the Forth Inn to warm us up after, finished in about 50 mins.

Stoneymollan

First weekend run for a couple of weeks, planned for an easy run up to the fort. Breezy with a hint of moisture in the air, decided to run on to the Trig point and continued down to meet the Stoneymollan trail. Short rest then turned back for home, nice and soft underfoot, toes took a while to thaw out, time for Sealskinz, finished inside two hours.

Stoneymollan

Short run Saturday, round the reservoir, through the quarry and up to the fort, out for just over an hour finishing in the dark. Stopped for a few pictures otherwise might have reached the trig point.

Dumyat Dash

My first race for a while, the short sharp apt Dumyat Dash. 120 plus runners for the 3 miles and 1300' of climb. Different route again this year with a wee diversion to go through some scree and then Castle Law 's summit before Dumyat. Uphill's mostly walking, running the undulations in between, steady run off the back of Dumyat to finish just inside 58 minutes. Collected my SHR Mug for completing 4 of the 6 selected races, Birnam, Ben Lomond, Slioch and Durisdeer, in this year's championship.

Beinn Dubh

Shorter run this week, Beinn Dubh to Mid Hill, then either down and across the glen or back the way I came. Turned out the latter, set off, early confrontation with the residents of the first field, negotiated safe passage. Stop start on the climb for a few pictures, the trees and hills taking on their autumnal cloak.

Warm on the climb until near the top a cooling breeze, jacket, hat and gloves kept it comfortable for the run to Mid Hill. New fence round the peat hags and bog. Took the easier option and turned back for Beinn Dubh instead of crossing the Glen to Coille Eughain Hill.

Clouds began to clear, glimpses of blue skies and the sun on the way back, a few walkers out today. Finised in just over 2 hours. More pictures here.

BOO, Beinn an Dothaidh, Beinn Achaladair

Drove up to Bridge of Orchy, planned to run out and back over Beinn an Dothaidh, Beinn Achaladair and Beinn A'Chreachain, or as far as I could. Thick fog dissolved as I drove up Loch Lomondside.Clear, windless day as I started up the hill to the col between Dothaidh and Dorain, frosty in the shade.

View looking east from col between Beinn an Dothaidh and Dorain

 Found a good route through the bogs under Dothaidh's triple summit, ran over the NE one and down a steep grassy ridge onto the long undulating ridge to Achaladair's summit, three ups later I was there.

Ridge to Achaladair, Chreachain centre back.

Stunning views to the hills beyond Rannoch moor. Decided that was enough, Beinn a'Chreachain, next along the ridge too far for today. Easier run back along the ridge.

The climb back up to an Dothaidh's summit would be slow.

Ran round the summit plateau taking in the views from each of the summits. Bypassed most of the bog to the col, from there a rocky boggy run, tough on tired legs, shoes visited one bog too many, sole coming apart added to the fun.

 View looking west from col between Beinn an Dothaidh and Dorain

Finished in 5 hours, stunning day and views, plenty of pictures here.

Stoneymollan

Slightly longer variation on last weeks run, ascent on trail behind reservoir.

Wedge of Geese coming in to roost. Ran up through the quarry to the Fort.

Another good sunset. Out and back to the trig, descent via radiomast trail to finish just over 90 mins. More pictures here.

Stoneymollan

Running again, nice n easy, up past the radiomast to the Fort and along to the Trig point, plenty of rest breaks, returned the same way, about 80 minutes. Pictures here.

Nevis Weekend

Couldn't run, went up for the weekend anyway, walked up Heart Attack hill for a few photos of the returning runners. On the way home, lunch on the bank of the River Orchy then visiting the new structures at the Falls of Falloch and Inveruglas

More pictures here.

The Cobbler and his wife

Plan was to run up the trail to the Cobbler, then Narnain, returning via a new hill for me, A'Chrois. We climbed through the south eastern corrie to the Cobblers central summit, didn't thread the needle, again.

Ran down the back stairs to Bealach a Mhaim and up the short pull to Narnains broad flat top. Cloud too low for the untried ridge to A'Chrois and we ran back to the Bealach then past the Narnain Boulders, trotting down the path took a fall and tried to smash a rock with my knee, limped back to Succoth. Some more pictures here.

Pappert Well Race

Club GP Hill race, 12 of us set off in reverse order, took it nice n easy, finished 7th in 52 minutes.

Beinn an Lochain and Ben Bowie

First long run in a while, ran from the RandB Thankful car park past Loch Restil crossing tussocky ground to join the path that follows the NE Ridge to the double summit.

Cloud well above the tops, views to Jura.

Returned the same way, a lot of walking today, finishing a bit over two hours, only a couple of people out today. More photos here. Sunday, more runnable, Stoneymollan to Ben Bowie and back, late afternoon run with plenty of photo/rest stops.

Finishing in just under three hours. More photos here.

Luss Highland Games

A bit wet on Saturday morning, began to clear and set off for the Games, two hill races, local and open, a couple of hours apart. Local, only 5 of us, 4 Helensburgh runners and me, started out 5th then moved to fourth as the path turned up. Its a short manic race just keep going as fast as you can to the flag about half way up the hill, turn and thrash your way back, all over in 20 minutes, fourth place for a fiver. It's a couple of hours to the open race, wandered round the Games field, winning a bottle of Malt in the Tombola! The open race, 21 of us set off, about 14th at the top, took a tumble down the swampy stream coming away with a badly twisted knee, kept going and made up half a dozen places on the descent, as usual those unfamiliar get lost. Finished in 34 1/2 mins.

Beinn Eich, again!

After Sunday's aborted run a chance to complete. Warm humid evening, none of the forecast thunder and rainstorms, jog walk up Beinn Eich, about 10 mins quicker than Sunday, hills for miles in the haze, nice breeze on top, ran down and over Beinn an Lochain to Doune Hills top, dropped my bumbag at the trig and ran a 20 minute out and back to 701 top then back along the ridge to Beinn Eich.

 Ben Lomond from Beinn Eich

Pink sky beyond Cruach an t-Sidhein from Beinn Eich

Running down the glen sinking into the warm still air at the bottom, refreshing wash in the stream avoiding the eels, about 8 miles, 3800' of ascent in 2 1/2 hours.

Beinn Eich

Short run today, up and over Beinn Eich, nice and sunny to start, the wind and rain blew in on the run up to Beinn Lochain, turned back, 5 miles, 2500' in about 2 hours, sun came out again as I finished. Hopefully leaves some energy for a few hills next week.