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.

Eich Doune Mid

Pushed the 5 mile limit to about 6 1/2 to get to Luss for a run over these hills. Parked at the top of the Glen, up Beinn Eich to start, wet and soggy underfoot meant more walking than usual to avoid a face plant or two.

Over the top the wind picked up along with a mixture of hail, rain and rainbows. Cool running for the next 40 minutes over Beinn Lochain to Doune Hill, usually do Doune Hills smaller second top as well, missed it out as I was feeling the cold.

Ran down into Sith Mor and some much needed shelter from the wind. Trudged up Mid Hill enjoying blue skies and weak sunlight on the way, by the time I reached the top the next squall was coming in over the Arrochar Alps, rain started as I ran the short out and back to the two small cairns. Steady run down to the Glen finishing just over 3 hours.

Ben Bowie

Back to local hills and trails this week, Stoneymollan, Ben Bowie, Killoeter, joining them up using the Three Lochs Way and John Muir Trail. Mist and drizzle all the way round. Started up the trail behind the Carman reservoir, along the Muirs to the Stoney.

Trails to Ben Bowie then Killoeter, returning past the Black Third onto the trails.

Back over the Muirs to Carman Fort and down past the Radiomast, finishing inside 3 1/2 hours.

Duathlon

Latest race in the Clubs annual GP, 6 of us set off in reverse handicap order spread over 15 minutes. Run is a 4 mile+ circuit round the Vale, the cycle just over 12 miles, up and down the horseshoe from the bottom of Auchencarroch road with a 5 mile loop through Gartocharn in the middle, set off on the run in the last group of 3, reached transition almost a minute down on the other 2, only caught one person on the cycle, 3rd fastest on the run, 4th fastest on the bike, 3rd overall out of 6. One more race to go, 3 lap Cross Country round Balloch Park.

SA Virtual Challenge

Another Scottish Athletics virtual race, 3km road run, used the same route as last time except shortened it from 3.18 to 3.07km, target was sub 13 mins, finished 1 second over 13 mins as it took about 10 seconds to access the Strava app on my phone!

Ardgarten Trail run

Very windy, planned a low level trail run from Ardgarten to Succoth round Glen Loin and back to Ardgarten, set off from the Ardgarten forest car park up to Honeymoon Bridge Car Park and onto the trail towards Glen Loin, the trail undulates up for a couple of miles before it joins the Glen Loin loop another 4 miles of climb to a stream crossing.

Ford across the allt Coiregrogain

The stream had turned into a raging torrent, turned and went back the way I came!

Plenty of water

The Brack

About 14 miles which was slightly shorter than planned and a bit easier, finished just over 2 1/2 hours.

Stoneymollan, Killoeter, Ben Bowie

 Local run this morning, up behind the Carman reservoir over very wet Carman, Overton and Bromley Muirs, joining the 3 Lochs Way trail for a few hundred yards before continuing down past the Black Third farm.

Climbing up through trees to the Killoeter ridge line.

Helensburgh and Firth of Clyde from Killoeters summit

Loch Lomond from Ben Bowie

Ardmore Point from Ben Bowie

Narrow trod goes up the ridge past the small cairn and follows a gap in the conifers all the way round to cross over the Three Lochs Way and up to Ben Bowie's double top. Off the back of Ben Bowie along a muddy ramp and down onto the John Muir Trail.

Inchmurrin from Gowk Hill

Detouring up Gowk Hill for a couple of pictures, returned along Overton and Bromley Muirs past the Fort, Radio mast and Cemetery to finish in just over three hours.

SA Virtual Challenge

3rd try at a Scottish Athletics virtual race, option for 3k, 10k or 1/2 marathon distance, I went for the 3k using our Thursday night Club run Fartlek session as a warm up. Finished in about 13 1/2 minutes but about 200m over distance, there is about 1500 entries so it will be interesting to see my finishing position.

Ime Vane

 Another Arrochar run, usually run these two in the opposite direction, missed out the bottom zig zags going up beside the burn, onto the upper zig zag trail that runs alongside the Buttermilk Burn as it comes out the trees all the way to Bealach a'Mhaim. Steady trudge up into the clouds on Ime's new rocky trail, almost came out above the clouds at the top, blue sky above but still surrounded by cloud.

Rewarded with a faint Brocken Spectre and nearly a fogbow.

Ben Vane from Glas Bhealach 

Followed the path into Glas Bhealach then dropping out the cloud going across and down through the crags picking up the narrow trod on the ridge that runs down between the two burns into Lag Uaine, waved to a couple of runners going in the opposite direction.

Clouds skimming the top of the ridge from Narnain to A'Chrois

Approaching Vanes summit ridge

Misty rock

Vanes summit

Started up Vane's grassy slopes, North, North East, then East along the cloud covered ridge to its small flat top. Set off down the walkers path through the small crags and gulley's busy with walkers. 

Loch Lomond from Vane

Loch Sloy from Vane

Lochs Lomond, Arklet and Katrine from Vane

Dropping out the clouds again, views open up and the tops clear as I leave the mountain for the Glen Loin trail back to Succoth.

Ben Vorlich from Vane

Looking back up Ben Vane, how many people can you see?

Ben Vane from the Glen Loin trail

Finished just over 4 1/2 hours, about 15 minutes slower than the opposite direction I ran a few months ago.

10 Mile Handicap

Longest race in the Club GP, an undulating 10 miles round the horseshoe, 6 of us set off in reverse order, pleased to run inside 80 mins, a couple of minutes quicker than last year, 3rd place on time but last over the line, good day for running, nice and cool with clear blue skies.

The Cobbler and Narnain, chasing Ptarmigan

 Easier run today, covering these two hills using the main walkers paths I usually avoid. Early start to beat the rain forecast to come in late morning. Set off just after 8, not many walkers out yet, jogging up the zig zag path felt hard work.

The Cobbler

Beinn Ime

Out the forest and plodding up past the Narnain Boulders towards Bealach a'Mhaim, the hills taking on their autumn cloak.

Beinn Narnain

Beinn an Lochain

Steady walk up the Cobblers back steps, jogged along the plateau then another walk to the central peak.

The Cobbler with Ben Lomond behind

Paddy's Milestone in the didtance

A couple of pictures and back to the Bealach, jogged  the first part of the path then another steady walk to Narnian's boulder field. 

Ben Luj

The Cobbler from Narnain

The eyes in the Cobblers Needle

How many Ptarmigan can you see?

Only three in this one, I think!

I could hear Ptarmigan croaking, some movement caught the corner of my eye, clambered up for a look and came across about 30 Ptarmigan making their unhurried way through the boulders, took a few pictures but they appear slightly out of focus as their camouflage confuses my camera. On up to the summit trig, a quick touch and off down to the Bealach past the croaking Ptarmigan.

Beinn an Lochain and Ime

Easy jog back down to Succoth as the rain came on, pleasantly surprised to finish in 3 hours.  

Luss, bike, run, bike

 Run with a difference this morning, cycled to the top of Glen Luss, ran out and back to Doune hill over Beinn Eich and Beinn Lochain then cycled home. Lindsays idea, but worked out fine, another clear sunny day, great views and runtime under 2 1/2 hours as usual, even managed to stop for a refreshment outside the Loch Lomond Arms Hotel on the way back.

View from Beinn Eich to the Arrochar Alps and Ben Lui behind

Lins near the top of Beinn Eich

Last weeks hills

The Cobbler & Ben Ime from Doune Hill

Paddy's Milestone

Mid Hill

Cruach an t-Sidhein from Beinn Lochain