Arrochar hill run

Good forecast, planned Beinn Narnain and The Cobbler using the less busy Narnain ascent and Cobbler descent, going straight up Narnain from Succoth car park, down to Belach a Mhaim, up the back stairs to the Cobbler descending via An t Sron and the zig zags back to Succoth. Set off before 7:30, cool and cloudy, forest road to start then straight up the old access path, not much running, steady trudge, only a few people up this way, a couple and a guy on his own and a guy with 2 large husky type dogs, met man and dogs again at the top, he was doing Narnain and Ime, ran off towards Bealach a Mhaim and changed route to Ime, another steady trudge, a few more people here, about 9:30 and still reasonably quiet. Back down to Bealach a Mhaim and with time left on the Parking ticket went up the Cobbler. Descended via An t Sron rejoining the busy walkers path at the top of the zig zags, easy run down to finish in just over 4 hours with a seat in the stream to cool off.

The Brack from Narnain

A'Chrois from Narnain

The Cobbler from Narnain

Ben Lomond from Narnain

The Spearhead at the top of Narnain

Hills of Glens Luss, Douglas, Fruin and Finlas from Narnain

Beinn Ime from Narnain

Narnain and The Cobblere from Ime

Ime from The Cobbler

A couple through the Needle

The Cobbler from An t Sron

Ted Baker Pappert Well race

Latest club race, another lollipop route out the back of Pappert to the trig point returning past the Well, down a fire break to join the outward route, finishing in just over 46 minutes, 7th out of 10 in the handicap. Everyone finished within 5 minutes and if you discount the first and last the other 8 were within 2 mins 20, times ranged from 44 to 71 mins.

Luss Lollipop

New race, about 7 miles and 3300' of ascent, Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill then Beinn Dubh again, 69 runners set off in low cloud but warm with little wind. Route marked due to the low cloud meant I lost the benefit of my local knowledge although I did make up 20 yards on the guys in front cutting the corner at the peat bog. Lost a bit of ground on the top half of the climb back up Beinn Dubh, good descent to finish in 50th place inside 1 hour 48, a couple of minutes inside my target time.

At the finish

Luss Lollipop recce

New race next week, went for a run round the route, I have run most of it in my training runs in the Luss Hills except for the drop into Glen Mollochan and the climb up Southern flank of Beinn Dubh. Runnable climb up Beinn Dubh and round to Mid Hill, rough tussocky descent into Glen Mollochan. Sting in the tail is the 1000' climb back to the top of Beinn Dubh in half a mile, varies between steep and hands and knees steep, mercifully it's only half a mile then a nice grassy run  down to finish at the bottom of Glen Luss inside 2 hrs 15.

Beinn Dubh ascent

Beinn Dubh ascent 2

Beinn Dubh descent

Another Arrochar run

Left home just after six planning to try the Lui munros, bike in the back of the car for the 3 mile out and back to get to the hill. Driving up the loch side low clouds prompted a route change, back to Arrochar for a run over Vane and Ime. Set off round the Glen Loin trail to the new path up Vane from Coiregrogain, not many out at this time, Nearer the top you could feel the heat from the sun then the clouds turned bluey grey before I popped out into a blaze of sunshine above a sea of cloud. Quite a few sitting around takin in the views. Stopped for a few pictures, something to eat and drink then plunged down into the cloud lying between Van and Ime. Good run down in the thick clag a couple of navigational handrails near the bottom confirmed I was going the right way. Found the small ridge I use going up towards Ime, there's a zig zag ramp through a crag half way to Glas Bealach then a featureless tussocky climb, veered left to ensure I didn't miss the steep pull up to Ime's summit. Towards the top the heat built up and popped up through bluey grey clouds into sun and sea of clouds again. Ime is a few hundred feet higher, even better views. Another crowded summit everyone gazing at the rocky islands sticking through the cloud. Took the walkers path back to Succoth, the cloud starting to break up as I reached the lower zig zags.

The Lui munros from Ben Vane

Ben Narnain from Vane

Beinn an Lochain from Vane

The turning stone and Ime from Vane

A fog bow on the run down to Lag Uaine

Vane, Vorlich then Stuc a Chroin and Ben Vorlich(Loch Earn) from Ime 

Ben Lomond in the distance over Narnain and A Chrois from Ime

The Cobbler from the run down to Bealach a Mhaim

Arrochar Run

Planned a run over Ime and Narnain. Started from Succoth up the Glen Loin trail glad of the fir trees shading the path from the hot sun. Left the shade at the top of the glen into the valley between Vane and Ime along tussocky ground to Lag Uaine. started up Ime beside the gnarly ridge soon into mist visibility got worse as I climbed, down to 30 or 40 yards, strayed a bit to the right about 500' from the ridge, and began traversing round hoping to find a more recognisable route to the top, gave up and descended back to lag Uaine realising I would have been about 100 yards short of where I wanted to get to, ran back down to  Glen Loin, sun came out again and completed the loop back to Succoth, ran a couple of miles extra but a 1000' less than planned.

Lochs Arklet and Katrine

Waterfall on exit from Lag Uaine

Luss Hills

Another Friday evening run, shortish one, just over 8 miles, Luss horseshoe, over Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill, crossing the glen and coming back via Coillie Eughain hill and the Paps, Path off the Paps obscured by ferns and tussocks, probably giver this route a miss until the vegetation dies back. A warm evening and sat in Luss water for a few minutes to cool down before the drive home.

The loch from Beinn Dubh

Doune Hills twin tops from Mid Hill

Mid Hill

Luss from Coillie Eughain Hill

Fairy Pool, Luss Water

Narnain and The Cobbler

Friday afternoon run, set off just after half 3, straight up the old hill access path with the concrete blocks, this route is usually quiet and only met three people on the top half. Warm in the afternoon sun, once I cleared the treeline a slight breeze helped. The path on the next part has been upgraded, large rocks and stones form an uneven staircase, ok going up, not so good for a fast descent. Views open up with height to A'Chrois and the Cobbler, through the Spearhead onto Narnian's summit plateau, great views all round the Arrochar Alps, the hills beyond fading into the haze. Down to Bealach a'Mhaim and up the Cobblers back steps to the central peak, another 3 people, usually its 103. Descended behind the summit crags onto the ridge to An t-Sron, from there descending grassy slopes to meet the walkers access path, passed a few more people here, down the zig zags to Succoth inside 3 hours.

The Cobbler from ascent of Narnain

A'Chrois from ascent of Narnain

The Spearhead

Ime from Narnain

Narnain from the ascent of The Cobbler

The Brack from The Cobbler

Descending behind the Cobblers crags

The Cobbler ftom An t-Sron

Stoneymollan

Short club hill race, just under 5 miles and about 1000' of ascent, run in handicap format for the trophy in memory of ex club mate Alex Robertson. 8 of us turned up, I set off in 6th, only managed to pass one runner, nearly caught another. One runner caught and passed me but I got back in front a couple of hundred yards later courtesy of running across a thankfully dry bog, as the other runner went round, happy to finish in 5th place, 2nd fastest. Ground was very dry which made for fast times on this fun short race.

Luss Hills

Ran todays route about 5 weeks ago except in the opposite direction and in cold and windy conditions, a lot warmer and drier underfoot now.  Todays route was Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill, Doune Hill, Beinn Lochain, Beinn Eich finishing with a run down the glen road. Afternoon run having watched the football on Friday night. Steady jog up Beinn Dubh and along the ridge to Mid Hill, dropped down grassy slopes towards Sith Mor surprising a few deer on the way, crossed tussocky ground then up Doune Hills fern covered eastern flank to the col between the twin tops, up to the trig point then along the ridge over Lochain, Eich and back into Glen Luss for a couple of miles on the road to finish, about 15 mins slower this time, cooled down with a seat in Luss Water.

Arrochar Alps from Beinn Dubh

Couple of Deer on the run into Sith Mor

Looking down Glen Mollochan from ascent of Doune Hill

Last wee climb up to Doune Hills Trig Point

View of Loch Lomond from Beinn Eich

Fairy Glen

Latest Club race in the annual Club GP, 3 laps round the bottom of Fairy Glen and up Heart Attack hill in Balloch Park, just under a mile a lap, only 5 of us tonight, started off in 3rd place, made up one place on the second lap, finished just outside my target of 24 mins about 25 secs behind 1st, good fun on a tough wee race.

The Brack and Ben Donich

A run round the two hills across the road from the Cobbler, set off from Ardgarten down the side of Loch Long turning up the track through Coilessan Glen, turn NE up the ridge from the col between Cnioc Coinnich and the Brack, follow a faint path to the Bracks summit trig. Descended the walkers path  towards Ardgarten to the tree line, a path runs beside a fence above the trees then turns up round some crags leading to the col between The Brack and Donich, from there up grassy craggy slopes to Donichs top and Trig. Followed the walkers path back to the top of the Rest and Be Thankful and down forest roads to Ardgarten.

The Brack from Coilessan Glen

The Brack trig point with the Cobbler behind

Looking back to the Cobbler on the ascent of Ben Donich

Ben Donichs Trig

Ben Lomond from Ben Donich

The Brack from Ardgarten forest track