Narnain and The Cobbler

Late night meant an afternoon start on a sunny Saturday, lots of route choices finally went for Narnain and The Cobbler, the quiet way, although not as quiet as usual. Straight up Narnain from the car park, through forest then the path that's a burn, clear of the trees a series of man made step ramps make for steady progress, great views open up as I climb, plenty of people coming down and only a couple going up at this time of day. Some small patches of snow, easily avoided, didn't stop at the busy trig point continuing down to Bealach A' Mhaim then up the back stairs to The Cobbler, met a pushy Collie who's idea of friendship was to lean into your legs and push, not the best thing on a staircase. Easy jog across the plateau then a last trudge to the top beside the needle. Stopped to take in the views and some juice before departing down the rocky path to the grassy ridge to An t Sron, boggy path down to the Buttermilk burn, avoided the zig zags using the argo track then a short section of the block path/burn although managed to spot where the argo track comes out for future runs. Beautiful afternoon, views to Paddy Milestone, Jura and a snowy Ben Nevis.

Ridge to A'Chrois from Narnain ascent, almost went that way!

Ben Nevis from Narnain

Ben Vane , foreground, Lui Munros background from Narnain

Cobbler from Narnain

Ben Lomond from back stairs to The Cobbler

Narnain from back stairs to The Cobbler

The Cobbler from An t Sron

Stoneymollan Hill Race

First club hill race of the year, just under 5 miles and 1200' of ascent, 6 of us set off roughly in reverse order, finished a few seconds quicker than last year, ok as it felt pretty heavy going out there tonight, the run up to the trig and down from the fort suffering from bike ruts, the boggy bits boggier than usual made for a good run.

The Cobbler Hill Race

Third go at this hill race, turned out to be my slowest. a Championship race this year, about 200 runners, ladies off first , 15 minutes later the men. Dry and calm until about 15 mins before the ladies set off , wind and rain set in, forecast just about spot on. Through a fire break to start, walking up steep muddy ground, exit the trees, walking up steep tussocky hillside to the An t Sron checkpoint, ran and walked form here to the rocks and last steep climb to the top, the strong winds justifying more walking than usual, some hail, weak sunshine and cheery Arrochar MRT Marshals at the top, set off down the rocky trail passed two or three, couldn't see anyone else in front, finally caught a couple nearer the bottom then back into the trees, slid and slipped down the firebreak now a muddy swamp, finish with a short run on the forest road.

Ladies Start

Glen Striddle, Glen Luss

Set off early to beat the high winds forecast for the afternoon, plan was Beinn Dubh, Mid Hill, Coillie Eughain Hill, Started up Beinn Dubh to the rattle of woodpeckers and further up skylarks above. Wind ok as it was a helping from behind, steady no gusts. Hard work on ground soggy from snowmelt. Thoughts of turning back disappeared on the run round to Mid Hill, ran into the glen and onto the tarmac for a few hundred yards crossing a swollen raging Luss water before the slow trudge up CE Hills steep pathless sides to it's peat hagged top, clouds scudding by as the wind strengthened. Ran down over the paps, a faint path helping to avoid the worst of the tussocks and bogs towards the bottom, through the trees the woodpeckers rattling my return.

Nearly Beinn Ime

First run in Arrochar for a while, taking the easy route up the walkers paths as they zig zag slowly upwards. Past the Narnain Boulders to decision time at Bealach A'Mhaim. Which way to go, Cobbler, Ime, Narnain or two or all three, I wanted to do all 3. Decided to try Ime on its own as I am not at my fittest and had struggled a bit on the run up. Steady trudge up the path into the clouds, a little snow at first, gradually increasing until about 500' from the top I was in a white bubble, sky merged into ground, I could get my compass out to stay on track or turn back, I was moving a bit slow and getting cold so I turned back, easy run back to the top of the zig zags where I took the path that traverses across the front of Narnain and found an old quad bike track we used to take to avoid the zig zag and block paths, good end to the run with easy running on this grassy track.

Ime from Bealach A'Mhaim

Into the snow

Across Glen Croe from Ime

Narnain from the boulders

Buttermilk burn

Loch Long from quad bike track

   

Local Hills and Trails

Similar route to last week, about 20 minuites longer as I added in a Bromley Muir loop on the way out. Reversed the loop round Killoeter and Ben Bowie for a bit of variety. Wet and windy as I set off , freezing sleety rain over Bromley Muir, happy that I wasn't higher up and thankful for my Sealskinz on the cold and soggy ground. A few glimpses of the snow capped Glen Finlas hills through the clouds. Soon onto the firmer ground of the Three Lochs Way until the path blockage, up and over Killoeters ridge on the way to Ben Bowie, a couple of small detours to avoid the worst of the bogs. Ran down the ridge re-joining the 3LW and Hel n Back routes about half way down, turned off up the walkers path that follows Killoeters ridge. Over Killoeter dropping down to the 3LW and home the short way via Stoneymollan.  

Carman Reservoir & Dumbarton from Mount Mallow

Glen Finlas from Bromley Muir

Ben Bowie from Killoeter

Stoenymollan Trees

Riverbank 5k

Club 5k race, 5 of us set off from Old Luss Road, through Lomond Shores onto the cycle path to St Martins, tried not to start too quick and maintain a steady pace, seemed to work out ok, nearly a minute quicker than last year, finished 4th out of 5.