Lochnagar LSD swim/run

This is a swim variation on my LSD run/scramble route (Lochnagar, Stuic, Dubh Loch). The route is approx 25km and starting at Glen Muick carpark takes in Black Spout gully on Lochnagar, the Stuic Butress on the Stuic and Central Gully on Dubh Loch with approx 2500mtrs of climb. It just so happens there are several mountain lochs a long the way and I always thought it would be a great swim/run!

Kit list

This is my local stomping ground and I must've hiked, climbed and run this mountain 50 times over the years but very seldom am I over this end of the loch so it was great to see the corrie from this angle and even better to finally get to swim in this high, cold and dark lochain..

The loch of Lochnagar which is actually called Lochnagar. The mountain is named Beinn Chiochan!

I found the swim failry cold. The loch is at 750mtrs elevation. I picked this day to do it as the forecast was epic and with high temps. I thought it would be cold but it was baltic! I really felt it on my face and feet and it was surprisingly choppy towards the get out. I had the wind and chop hitting my left ear so I was breathing on my right side only and was quite glad to get out on the other side and back onto my feet. What an experience though.. I stopped for a float a few times and to take in the atmos and it really was PURE! I've open water swam in various rivers, lochs, seas, but a mountain loch is different and a high Scottish mountain lochain is very special!
I couldn't wait to get over to the Stuic and into loch no 2..

Lochnagar overlooked by Meikle Pap at the back

Top of Black Spout

The Stuic and Loch nan Eun, swim no 2

Company! Love this pic, he looks like he's part of the boulder..

Inviting aqua but freekin freezin Mr Bigglesworth

Great running from Cac Carn Beag over to the Stuic and to swim no 2 Loch nan Eun. This is a short 300mtr loch but this was probably the best experience of the day. Just as I thought nothing could beat Lochnagar this just blew me away! The colour of the water is unreal, a clear green blue loch. It was quite choppy in the middle and cold like Lochnagar but I didn't want to get out! A special situation to be in. I think the added remoteness of this one hit me in the middle of the loch. There was absolutely nobody about and there seldom is here. Nobody knew exactly where I was and I was solo in the middle of a freezing loch! This was absolute PURITY! The only thing that could've made this any purer was to ditch the wetsuit but there's no way that was happening!

Loch nan Eun with the Stuic buttress behind

Once out of the water I quickly got behind a big boulder out of the wind and got changed back into running gear and started up the Stuic butress. This is a grade 2 scramble and quite straight forward sticking to the crest, like most ridges when you start looking for easier routes and deviate from the crest, it's easy to end up at a dead end or worse into an inescapable position!

Loch nan Eun from half way up Stuic butress

From the top of the Stuic round and down to Dubh Loch starts on a  good path which would eventually take you round to Cairn Bannoch but for Dubh Loch it's off grid to the SE on rough ground but surprisingly good running with care as it is heathery, grassy and boggy especially nearer Dubh Loch. You can follow Allt an Dubh loch burn down to the loch. Normally for the run only route and to Central Gully it pays to stay high and traverse round to the gully entrance but I was swimming the loch and from the far side of the loch I ran straight down the Dubh Loch path to Glas Allt.

Creag an Dubh Loch. The run route is up Central Gully

Dubh Loch was slightly warmer than the other 2 swims and by that time I was looking forward to the swim and getting the swim secure back pack off my back!! I should've added before that I was mostly carrying the pack in my arms as the straps had completely failed and broken. I tried to botch a fix but it was very uncomfortable to run with on my back and was rubbing like hell.

Dubh Loch

Dubh Loch, warmest swim of the day

Dubh Loch

Swim Secure tow float - garbage! 

Dubh Loch overlooked by the infamous Creag an Dubh Loch

I had planned to do Loch Muick as well which is another 4km of swimming but I was running out of time (and energy tbh) so I decided to bail on it with a view to coming back to complete the full route another time. I have swam the Muick several times so I wasn't too fussed. I ran from here back to the carpark. 

An amazing experience over all in unreal weather. There was some faffing with the back pack float and it took until Dubh Loch before I had a slick operation going with all my gear, remembering what to keep in and out of the pack. I'll be better prepared for the next one! Bwanow!

Update - I've been experimenting with different float packs and none of them are particularly good for running long distance. The perfect float would be a cross between the Lomo float and Huub dry bag.

I also upgraded my swim/run wetsuit from my old cut down TRN shorty to a Zone 3 Evolution which is absolutely brilliant! Very focused on running and I'll be keeping my arms on this one!