Arrochar run

Fine weather forecast for Saturday decided on an Arrochar hill run for the first time in 3 months, last one was the week before Christmas. After two years of cancellations a new race up and down the Cobbler is hopefully going ahead at the end of April, decided to try and find the route. After a couple of miles on forest tracks from Ardgarten found a white marker on a narrow path heading through fir trees towards the SE end of the An t Sron ridge, steep, out the trees a faint path and still steep until the An t Sron top then run walk the undulating path up to the Cobblers summit. Continued over the Cobbler down to Lag Uaine and maintained a slow jog to Ime's summit, back to Lag Uaine then the short trudge up Narnain. Dropped back down to Lag Uaine onto the Buttermilk burn path past the Narnain Boulders to the top of the zig zags, from there traversed across around the lower slopes of An t Sron hoping to pick up the Cobbler race descent. Pathless tussocks at first then an old quad bike track, followed that as it dipped towards the forest, made for an easy route through the trees and soon reached one of the many forest tracks, a few switchbacks later and I was on familiar ground, a short easy run back to Ardgarten.

Loch Long

The Cobbler from An t Sron

Ime from the Cobbler

Ime's summit

The Cobbler from Narnain

Riverbank 5k

Club race, flat 5k from the back of Cameron House through Lomond Shores and along the river Leven cycle path to finish at St Michaels Primary school, 8 of us ran on a cool clear evening, pleased to finish slightly quicker than the last couple of years.  

Wander in the Luss hills

A longer run this week, walking the ups, running the flatter bits and the downs, start and finished at the bottom of Glen Luss, climbed Beinn Dubh as the sun rose, the moon visible above the Glen Finlas hills I would return over on the way back, along to Mid hill, fantastic views to the Arrochar Alps and Crianlarich munros in the early morning haze. Dropped into the top of Glen Luss at Sith Mor, rough climb up to Doune Hills trig point, Beinn Lochain next before Cruach an t Sidhein, a steep descent and traverse round Mahanach at the back of Glen Fruin, gradual climb up Chaorach at first then straight up beside the fenceline to the Trig and Cairned summit, most of the climbing done now, an undulating run across Tharsuin, and a couple of minor tops before descending over the Paps finishing at the bottom of Glen Luss.

Arrochar Alps from Beinn Dubh

Ben More and Stob Binnien from Beinn Dubh

Beinn a Mhanach from Cruach an t Sidhein

View from Cruach an t Sidhein, route back via hills on the right

View from Chaorachs Trig/Cairn summit to the Clyde/Ardmore point

Conic Hill from Chaorach

Loch Lomond from the Paps

Beinn Dubh and Mid Hill double

Planned route was from the bottom of Glen Luss up Beinn Dubh, along to Mid Hill dropping down to the top of Glen Luss, turn round and go back over Mid Hill along to Beinn Dubh finishing where I started. Couldn't wait for the afternoon and better forecast, set off just after 9, passed a few walkers on the way up, into the cloud and rain about half way up, turned to sleety hail on the top them snow as I ran over Mid Hill along with a bitterly cold wind,  running down into Glen Luss thinking I might run down the glen instead of  going back over the hills, warmed up a bit as I got out the wind and with an extra fleece, wooly hat and ski gloves set off back up Mid Hill, thankfully the rain stopped and also got a blow dry in the wind along the ridge between Mid Hill and Beinn Dubh, felt good to finish the run.

Whinny Hill

Last of the Club Cross Country races, only 5 of us today, gorgeous day for running, blue skies, frosty underfoot dried a lot of the muddy parts making it easier to run through them, Finished a couple of minutes slower than last year but a place better.

Ben Bowie & Killoeter

Shorter run this week and back on the hills now the snow has cleared, ground sodden making for cold toes. Carman Fort first, along past the Trig point to join the Three Lochs Way/John Muir Trail at the top of the Stoney, Ben Bowie next, lots of newly fallen trees. Short down and up to Killoeter's ridge, followed it up and down to the Hel n Back trail, re-joined the Three lochs way to the top of The Stoney, returning along to the Fort and home.

Roon the Vale in the snow

Another longer run this week, up behind the reservoir, Stoneymollan, Ben Bowie, Killoeter, Whinny Hill and Pappert Well. Walk the steeper hills and run the rest aiming for about 6 hours. Forecast wasn't good, turned out fine. Snow on the ground down to about 500', not much of a breeze which is ok for a long run. Jog walked up to the Reservoir and up towards the trig, into the snow, a bit deep to run and walked to the Trig and down to the Stoneymollan trail bruised shins from snow crust. Ran out towards Ben Bowie, stayed on the 3 lochs way trail then the Hel n back route to avoid higher snow covered ground on Ben Bowie and Killoeter. Ran most of the way to Whinny Hill except a couple of short sections through the forest. Back down the trail then across fields past Robin House through the Haldane housing estate leaving via tinkers loan up the road towards the dump, a track leads across behind the golf course, another detour, this time into a field to avoid a large bull, re-joined the track to find another 3 bulls luckily they were far enough away to allow me to scuttle past. Across a muddy field to cross to reach the Whinny Hill trail, went up the fire break, snowy swampy ground slowing me to a walk again. From the trig point straight down the ridge onto the trail and home via Bonhill Bridge and the Magic Roundabout. Finished in just over 6 hours.

The Ben from Stoneymollan Trig point

Looking towards Dumbarton from Stoneymollan Trig point

Ben  Bowie from Stoneymollan

Dumgoyne and Dumfoyne from Stoneymollan

Glens Finlas and Luss across Loch Lomond

Cameron House Marina from Whinny Hill Park

Pappert Well Trig Point

Great Glen Way

12 mile loop on the Great Glen Way, started and finished at Invermoriston, ran along the low trail for 6 or 7 miles then looped back on the high trail. A mixture of undulating forest roads and single track with a mile or so on the road at each end of the run. Some nice views and unusual man made features along the way.

Stone Cave

Troll Bridge

View Catcher

Appin loop

Away for the weekend, managed a run on trail/road and hill around Appin. Started on the Clachtol loop from Port Appin onto single track road to Appin then a detour up and down Beinn Donn, the Appin Show hill race route, back on single track road past Castle Argh/Stalker to Port Appin. Mixture of sun, rain and hail.

Polaroid Cross Country

1st race in this years Club GP, ground a bit too dry for Cross Country, high winds had brought a few trees down on the course requiring care going over, under or round. Hard work in the wind along the path beside the Leven. Finished just over 37 mins, slower than last year but a better placing.

Ben Bowie and Killoeter

More off road this week using an out and back over Bromley, Carman and Overton Muirs, with a loop round Ben Bowie and Killoeter in between, less road and trail more hill and moor. Another overcast day, ran it all this week, nice and easy to start, finishing in just over three hours.

Killoeter summit

Ardmore from the Hel n Back route

Mount Mallow summit cairn

Roon the Vale

Longer run this week, Stoneymollan, Ben Bowie, Whinny Hill and Pappert Well. Idea was to walk the steeper hills and run the rest aiming for about 5 hours. Kind of mizzly morning but not much of a breeze which is ok for a long run. Jog walked up to the Fort and Trig then ran to Ben Bowie, a walk on the last climb to the twin tops. Ran most of the way to Whinny Hill except a couple of short sections through the forest. Back down the trail then across fields past Robin House through the Haldane housing estate leaving via tinkers loan up the road towards the dump, a track leads across behind the golf course meaning only one muddy field to cross to reach the Whinny Hill trail, a bit of a mud bath, down the fire break back onto the trail and home via Bonhill Bridge and the Magic Roundabout. Finished in just over 5 hours.

Ben Bowie summit cairn

River Leven bhouys

Apprentice rowers on Loch Lomond

Burn of Balloch in Fairy Glen

Whinny Hill trig

Balloch Park Cross Country

Last Club race of the 2021 race series, 7 of us set off just after 9am, plenty of muddy patches but in between ground firm dry, good for running. 3 laps, each one slightly slower, came home second, first for the club.

Happy Dubh Year

New years day run up and down Beinn Dubh with a cold swim in Luss water to finish. Mixture of sun and cloud, breezy to strong gusts on the top. Steady run up, the last few hundred yards crab like against the wind, a few hazy pictures on top then back down for a swim in the Fairy Pools, cold and river in spate struggled to resist the current, stayed close to the edge. Quite a few in for a swim today.

Arrochar Alps from Beinn Dubh 

Looking back to Beinn Dubh's summit cairn on the way down

Conic Hill and some islands

Fairy Pool