Lochnagar loop tourist path - Glas Allt

A wee cobweb blower on the Gar after a few drinks the night before and a week after Glencoe.. I didn't do too much this week, mostly ate and stretched with a couple of swims. I was desperate to get back into the hills so opted for my local training ground - Lochnagar on the Balmoral Estate.

Cac Carn Beag

I ascended the main tourist path and descended Glas Allt Sheil path and then back a long Loch Muick.

Decending down to Glas Allt Sheil

Love the Glas Allt path down to the Loch, very fast and amazing scenery especially passing the waterfall that myself and Kev Simpson abseiled down around 20 years ago for shits and giggles.. 

Loch Muick

Total route 19kms/1000mtrs

I bumped into Tony Whitaker and his partner at the Loch, they had just done exactly the same route so I ran back to the carpark and had a good catch up.
Tony is an epic open water swimmer and Celtman finisher. I have some great plans and ideas with Tony for next year involving some running and big loch swims.. can't wait!

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Glencoe Skyline (52km/4750mtrs) 30th/180 overall, 2nd MV45

This was A-race number 2 for me this year. Tromso was the main event for me but Glencoe was important as I was keen to bag the full route after having to settle for the poor weather route last year (32km/2700mtrs) due to high wind.

The Buchaille and Curved Ridge the day before

I was preying for good weather or at least no wind and it was looking good with Ben Nevis Ultra and ROS both getting blue bird days on the Friday and Saturday. However Sunday the weather deteriorated and although not particularly windy it was wet and dull which isn't a bat thing for a long run.. Well maybe not for Curved ridge!

Not even 7am..

I started steadily but was very aware not to push too hard, there was a lot of climbing ahead! I picked off quite a few folk between Kinlochleven and the A82. Legs felt fresh and strong on the path up towards Curved Ridge.

Glad to get to Curved Ridge and find it reasonably dry and managed to blast up with no big delays queuing. Love this scramble, nothing too tricky but there's some nice exposed bits that give you a nice "out there" feeling. However it does feel less stressy racing it, there are other folk in front and behind, climbers are tethered to the crag doing safety and watching you, a false sense of security, you are there to get up as fast as possible, you are in a race after all!

I got an unexpected surprise half way up when I heard a friendly, jovial voice - "alright Ayron?" Looking up at Charles Sprosan of Mountainrun.com and RO of the Lakes Sky races doing safety! Priceless!

Curved ridge

Up onto the summit of the Buchaille, poles out and I was off picking off a couple of folk here and there. The ground is very loose here with some good solid running scattered in between.
The decent into Lairig Gartain was fast and flowing and then back to a slog once I started the climb up to Etive Beag the 2nd big climb then back to flowy running down into Lairig Eilde.

There was plenty water in the burns so I started with only 500ml MF RAW to keep weight down then just filled as I needed but this is the last place to get water for a while so I filled up here. Throughout the whole race I probably used 1.5ltrs Mountain Fuel RAW in 3 pre powdered flasks. I used the same plain water flask on my other side and probably had the same 1.5ltrs. I also used MF jellies every 45 mins/1 hour plus NAKD bars and some home made cocoa/nut balls.

The weather turned nasty near Bidean nam Bian with some rain squalls and the wind picked up but thankfully didn't last. Once I got Stob Coire nan Lochan done and back to nam Bian I was starting to get hungry and legs were tiring. The descent back down to the A82 and aid station was hard going, the lower path was wet and like glass and I took 2 bad falls here.

I briefly stopped at the aid station and took a potato and a handful of sugary sweets and I was off.

Aonach Eagach awaits from just after the road aid station

The climb from the road up onto AE was brutal and the start of my low time! I really struggled on this after the pounding descending off of the south side of the road to go straight into another huge climb! By the time I was onto the ridge and running again I was very weak and realised I'd stopped eating. I had to slow and get calories in. This isn't a great place to feel bad, especially on the Crazy pinnacles where you have to be sure footed!! I was super careful not to slip/trip on this section. I wanted to stop so badly but I wanted to get past the techy bits and then stop and sit and eat.. I took a Jelly and a full NAKD bar, loads of water and slowly got going again and then I came back to life with a bang and managed to make good time.

Anoch Eagach ridge

As I was starting to get going I was passed by a lady but I managed to catch her up and pass her before I realised it was Katie Kaars Sijpesteijn who I know through Rob Sinclair. Only 2 days earlier she finished 3rd at the Ben Nevis Ultra and was now running GS and going very well considering! Great to see another friendly face on route!

I had absolutely no idea how I was doing as my watch had died after 8.5 hours but I just  kept chipping away trying to keep pace up and actually made some good time between AE and Kinlochleven. Katie and I swapped leads a couple of times but she eventually took me in the last couple of kms descending back down into Kinlochleven.

I was very very surprised and very happy to finish under 10 hours in 9hrs 39mins and placed 30th/140 finishers from 180 and 2nd MV45!

Katie and myself 

Awsome day out in the hills and glad to bag the full route this year. I did Ring of Steall in 2017 and managed 2nd MV40 so maybe I'll tick the trio and do Ben Nevis ultra next year gunning for 2nd MV45 or I might just bin the Glencoe races altogether as the prices are becoming ridiculous! I'll see.

Mormond Hill but not running...

Something a little different. My day job! It's a good arm workout but I'd rather be in the hills running!

This is Mormond Hill near Fraserburgh and one of the towers my company manages. I occasionally have to climb up here to maintain and commission new telecommunication services. This particular job was an antenna replacement for the Nexen Buzzard platform.

The lower antenna at 40mtrs had to be taken down and a replacement winched up. I'm usually sat at a desk so it's fine to get out now and again and I enjoy the exposure!

I was based up here for 4 years around 2005 and took advantage at lunchtimes running over to the old lodge and back. A great work out with routes from 5-10kms and anything from 200-1000mtrs depending on how many reps I did.

I always thought it would make a good local race up there and now there is one. I raced it the first year it was put on and finished 4th and 1st V40.

Glencoe recce

2 weeks till Glencoe Skyline and since I only bagged part of the south side last year due to the enforcement of the bad weather route I wanted to recce the rest of the route.
I couldn't have picked a better day, blue skies and very little wind. Glorious!

I met a few folk on Curved Ridge and quickly passed them. I also saw 2 climbing teams on Rannoch Wall. What a day for it!

Looking back down Curved Ridge

From the top of Curved Ridge 

I love training in the hills as there's no hurry, it's just about steadily plodding away and soaking up the atmosphere of being in these special places. I don't mind running in any conditions from beautiful summer blue sky days to full on winter blizzards but when it's warm and sunny, there really is nothing better! Just remember that sun screen!

There is some amazing running up here with varied terrain. A lot of loose scree on the tops and insane ridge lines shooting off in all directions.

I was trying Leki Micro Trail poles out too, they're great although I managed to loose both tips on this route. I have to mention Leki customer services were amazing replacing these quickly and free of charge!

Total route 37kms/3000mtrs.

With the whole south side of the road done I'm happier where all my water sources are and I've got a better idea of nutrition for race day. Can't wait!

Glen Esk swim/run

I've been wanting to swim Loch Lee for a while now. A beautiful loch at the head of Glen Esk supplying water to the infamous North Esk river where I spent many years kayaking earlier in life!

Myself  on Triple Falls during the North Esk river race

Myself  on the Fish Ladder, North Esk 

Back to the swim/run. I decided to swim first as I was trying a new full wetsuit and didn't fancy running too far with it so after leaving the van at the car park I ran the 3km to the far side of the loch so I had the wind behind me on the swim.

                                     

Quite weedy here

                                   



                                     

I've used several tow floats in the past. The LOMO one for the money isn't too bad but like most floats it's rubbish for running any great distance. The straps are cheap and just not suited for running. I do like the double chambers and valves for redundancy though and the price is good.

New Orca Sonar, love it!

                   

The loch is quite weedy at the far end so I got in just past the worst of it and swam out to the middle of the loch. The weather wasn't too bad, cloudy with occasional burst of sun. The water was cold as it's mostly in the shade but when the sun came out I took advantage and flipped over onto my back to warm my feet and face in the sun. Great swim tho, although I was sighting the old house at the other end of the loch I was meandering quite a bit I managed to clock up 2.7km.

Mid loch selfie

                                   

House at the near side of the loch

                                   

Onto the run. This was a 22k plod over some unspectacular terrain but with some spectacular views towards Lochnagar and Mount Keen. The Angus hills aren't really my bag but it's fine to mix the hills up and get a change of scenery from the hills to the North and West. It's very close to home as well.

Loch Lee

Carlochy, will come back for this wee gem

 

Lochnagar

Total route 2.7kms swim/22.5kms/1500mtr run.


A great day out and a good work out. These sessions are all about the swim, the run is an added bonus. Although I did split the swim and run up with a visit to the van in between it's not a true swim/run. None the less it's a great all over body workout and such a great experience going from water to running shoes. I just can't get enough of this and have so many more routes I want to do taking in some bigger lochs and bigger runs! Watch this space..