Braeriach on Hogmany

With an amazing forecast for Hogmany but nobody going about to join me I decided to go solo over to Aviemore first thing and get into some big hills!

I was originally going to repeat my Cairngorm Skyline route but I'd be pushed to finish in daylight and I wanted to get back for Hogmany night so I chose Braeriach from the Sugar Bowl carpark.

Braeriach was a great choice though and the route would give me 15m and 6500ft of quality running with next to no snow with the recent mild spells.

The Chalamain Gap

Starting from the Sugar Bowl car park I used the Chalamain Gap to gain the LG and up onto the eastern shoulder of this big bugger of a hill, the 3rd highest mountain in the UK at 1296mtrs!

The path from the Sugar Bowl to the Gap is well made and provides good running and gives a great warm up, mostly flat but undulating and eventually steepening up into the Gap which is the easiest access into the Lairg Ghru.

Some boss eyed gimp I met at the Gap

I love the Chalamain Gap with its impressive boulder fields giving some great fun boulder hopping through it. Once through the Gap it's back onto the good path down into the LG.

There's only 50mtrs or so running south into the LG you peel off right up onto the Sron na Lairige path which is steep and mostly well made. The running is excellent from here right up onto Braeriach.

Lurchers Crag

Ben Mcdui left, Carn a Mhaim centre and at the head of the Lairig Ghru and the shoulder of Cairn Toul to the right

I've been here many times before between hiking many years ago and running and know this area well but no matter how many times I'm here the views from this mound looking South is absolutely stunning!

Cairn Toul and Angels Peak (Sgor an Lochain Uaine)

An impressive area in the heart of the Cairngorms and home to 4 of the top 5 highest mountains in the UK after Ben Nevis! Ben Mcdui (1309m), Braeriach (1296m), Cairn Toul (1291m) and Sgor an Lochain Uaine (Angels Peak 1258m).

Pano of the big 4

Braeriach cornice

I met a few parties a long the way, mostly hikers but I did see 2 other runners coming down off Braeriach but I didn't recognise them.

I got the usual funny looks from the Himalayan Edmund's obviously unimpressed with my lack of full on winter mountaineering get up! One guy I saw was wearing Crampons walking between Sron na Lairaige and Braeriach with absolutely no snow or ice but sand, grass and rocks! Maybe a christmas present!? :)

The cliffs of Braeriach

I'm not knocking them, I know full well how quickly things can get out of control in Scottish winter, in fact any season here is so unpredictable.. However, what a lot of walkers don't realise when they see runners in the mountains is that many of us have come up through years of hiking and mountaineering and we do our homework.. I had taken into account the 3 slightly differing forecasts and I was very confident I'd have a clear, dry yet slightly breezy day running in the mountains.. Yes I packed as light as possible to ease running but my pack still included full waterproof body cover, bivvy bag, spare LS top, spare hat and gloves, running crampons, basic first aid kit, head torch, map, compass, whistle, 500ml water although there are many water courses on the route including the actual source of the river Dee, plenty calories between MF jellies and home made flap jacks, a charged phone, GPS watch, the list goes on and on..
Just because I don't carry a pack that's as big as I am and I'm not wearing 4 season mountaineering boots doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing.. Wow that turned into a bit of a rant! :)

Looking North

The forecast was spot on with clear skies, dry and a bit breezy at times gusting 30-40mph. It was quite warm considering the time of year and it was mad to see next to no snow! Surely global warming?? ;) 

I had a wonder round to Carn na Criche and if I'd had a bit more time I would've nipped over to at least Angles Peak but I was keen to get down in daylight and back home for Hogmany. 

Meal a Buchaille from Creag a Chalamain

On the way back passing all the hikers I'd passed on the way up, I decided to do a quick rep of Creag a Chalamain which was great and caught the sun as it was going down.

Then back down through the Gap and back to the van.

I had a stop off at Loch Morlich to boil the kettle and just as the sun set I managed to snap these blinders -

Loch Morlich

Gorgeous end to the day! 

Hogmany night turned out to be a damp squib and although I had a couple of beers I was fresh for New Year's day and some more running!

The route

Knockargety night race

The 2nd Deeside night race at Knockargety, Tarland and I was keen to podium in my category at least and maybe even get an overall place as no Dan Whitehead to be seen! 

However, Peter Hendry and Stuart Pringle were both running and I didn't see Calum Dempster at the start so i thought it could be on! Stuart had raced the day before at the Lochaber winter series so I thought he'd be tired and I might get the better of him as I've been going well recently on shorter courses.

It was a cold night, perfect for a race! 

This is a flat trail race through woods, single track, landy track, road, felled tree stumps, heather, grass etc etc. Very fast running and care needs to be taken as several of us found out, Stuart receiving 3 injuries! We both rolled an ankle each in the first couple of kms on tree routes but not bad enough to stop.. 

So from the start Peter, Stuart and myself sped off waaaay too fast but it was enough to build a gap for a while with everyone else behind. Then the inevitable happened at this pace.. I could hear somebody behind me and I had no idea who it was. I certainly wasn't going to look. The footsteps followed for a while until finally overtaking me and it turned out to be young Calum Dempster again who beat me by 1 second at Cnoc Dubh when he took 3rd overall putting me in 4th two weeks before. Calum was on top form and disappeared quite quickly in front.

Peter had a good lead on Stuart who was slowing by now with his race the day before starting to take its toll. I had now caught up with Stuart but he was still pushing on so I decided to hang back with him as there was nobody that close behind us and I knew if I overtook I would speed up but only for a short time. It was great and we had a wee chat here and there and pushed each other on.

Then Stuart had some bad luck, he hit his head ducking under a fence which alerted me to the hazard so I missed it, then not long after he ran straight into a felled tree stump giving him a nasty gash on his thigh! Ouch!! He was now hobbling in front and with a head torch getting closer to us from behind, somebody else was catching us so I passed Stuart and put in a wee push and got a bit of a lead on him. I kept it up until we got back to the carpark at Tarland Trails and Stuart had managed to gain on me and caught me and passed me! The hardy bugger was on fire! I stayed on his heels though down the road towards the finish and found a last spurt of power and just managed to pip him by 1 second!!!! 

I finished 3rd overall and 1st V40 with Stuart 4th and 2nd V40. It turned out Calum had caught Peter and won with Peter runner up. 

The post race was at the local cafe in Tarland where I caught up some folk and shot the shit. Prizes were veggies so i got a bag of tatties and a Lindt chocolate rabbit! Yaldie!

Brilliant race and another great battle with Stuart. 

Dess Woods next 17th Jan. Ooooosh!

Tattie and chocolate prizes.

Conachcraig from Glen Muick

The Corbett ticks continue with Conachcraig (850m) bagged on Sunday in some interesting conditions!

As is now normal with timekeeping outwith my control ;) and with the added factor of the morning after the night before, we didn't have many daylight hours left to take on something bigger so it had to be local and fairly short.

This has to be the most overlooked Corbett I've done as I've probably passed it more than 50 times on my way up to Lochnagar!

Looking NW from the Clais Rathadan track towards the Braemar hills

From Glen Muick car park in quite pleasant conditions (blue sky, no wind) we followed the main Lochnagar tourist path through Allt na guibhsaich up the Clais Rathadan track but when you get to the fork where you would turn left and up towards Meikle Pap and the Gar you simply turn right (NE) at the cairn and follow a faint trail up onto Conachcraig.

Cuidhe Crom left, Meikle Pap center and the Gar just out of sight to the right and behind

Just as we cleared the forest at Allt na giubhsaich and its shelter it was obvious the day wasn't going to stay quite as still as I'd hoped! It got progressively gustier as we climbed and by the time we were at the split on the Clais Rathadan track it was very blustery with frequent freezing, driving snow showers creating whiteout at times.

Getting breezy!

A lull between Conachraig and Caisteal na Caillich

Once we summit-ed Conachcraig we carried on a bit further NW over to the summit of Caisteal na Caillich which was actually not bad running underfoot considering the snow. The issue was the arctic blasts into the face!

The photo opportunities were too good to miss and I couldn't stop snapping! UNREAL scenes were developing in and out of blizzard conditions.

The Gar

Close up of the corrie

The Gar center behind and with MP in front and Cuidhe Crom on the left

The money shot and the reason why I do this!

Between Conachraig and Caistal

 

Running in the mountains is always special no matter the weather. Summer is great and nothing better than moving fast in minimal clothing and gear whilst getting a sun tan..  HOWEVER to really know you're alive and for a more intense experience with scenery that competes on a global level, Scottish winter running is unlike anything else! And it's only just begun!

Unfortunately tho there will come a point where running is impossible and it's time to either dig out the axes and crampons or skis! Until then though I'll keep running as long as poss up high. Boooya!!

The route was 13km/580m although we did a bit more repping some bits.

For once we were back to the van early and zooming into Rocksalt and Snails in Ballater for a fine bowl of curried carrot, lentil and apple soup in front of the wood burner! Incroyable!!




Oh meant to add I was running with a couple of new tops and thought it was worth mentioning..

I wore an Inov8 Tri blend short sleeve under an Inov8 ATC Merino LS hoodie! Game changer!
So summit temp was -4 and wind chill was anything between -10 and -15 brrrr.. however I was absolutely fine in the above combination until the snow really started blasting me and I was getting wet so I did pull on my OMM Sonic smock for a bit more protection but even then the Sonic is wafer thin and I was toastie.

Inov8 Tri blend T SL

I really liked the hood on the ATC although sinch cords would have been even better but to have a hood over a buff was great. As for the built in pullover mits, absolutely brilliant and I used them over my hands the whole time. I did put gloves on when it was really bad and blowing on top.
I was never too hot and never too cold - Goldilocks! Merino feels so good next to the skin, smooth and cozy but also light weight.

Inov8 ATC Merino LS Hoodie

I'm not a big perspirer anyway so I wasn't too surprised I was dry underneath back at the van but I was totally dry! Very  impressed with the wicking performance.
Fit was perfect, I chose medium (5,9/70kgs/slight build) and it was great, not skin tight and not loose, I have a short upper body and longer legs so it sat a bit lower on my bum which is great for me and another layer over my bum.
I've actually just ordered another of each as they're on offer on Sportsshoes just now. The Tri blend T is half price!!

Braid Cairn, Glen Tanar

The Deeside Corbetts still summon us just now with minimal snow and short travel time.This week was the turn of Braid Cairn, a child summit of mount Keen and Corbett.

Goes without saying any run begins with coffee and what better place to stop off but Spider on a Bicycle in Aboyne where I bumped into Zicky who were off to solve mysteries with their bike gang (actually they were off to bike a route on the Fungal). Good wee catch up tho..





The problem with the Mount Keen area is monotonous landy track no matter which way you go in.
Our route started from Glentanar car park then taking the more southerly track following the same course as the Water of Gairney between Clachan Yell and Little Cockcairn then at Black Craig take the south fork on the track and ascend Gathering Cairn first then onto Braid Cairn. Return was the reverse and the quickest way back.

The guts of the first 10kms is on what seems never ending Landy track. Once you clear the Forest of Glentanar and head out onto the open hills the views are great. At the ruined shelter at the fork under Black Craig it's onto single track and some nice techy steep running up to Gathering Cairn.

Black Craig and Clachan Yell from Gathering Cairn

The forecast as ever was bullshit and what started out as a nice blue skied, dry day although a bit breezy, turned into a full on blizzard-fest up top! Gusting 50mph and -10 wind chill with horizontal sleet and hail and often zero visibility made Cairn finding a bit tricky!

Braid Cairn

We got some short glimpses of Mount Keen but it was mostly hidden in cloud and the snow flurries. It was bad enough at Gathering Cairn and we still had to nip across the plateau to Braid Cairn where it was more exposed.

Lions face and Mount Keen behind

This was the worst bit and we got battered here, bare legs pelted with freezing wind and hail! As soon as we found and touched the Cairn we were off, no photos nothing, just a big fat U-turn back to Gathering Cairn and directly down to the broken shelter off grid through deep heather!

Then all that was left was the 10kms back out to the van and another mad rush to catch Spiderbike for 2nd visit this time choosing Lentil and Coconut soup by the wood burner.. bliss!

Ace day, mad weather and although mostly landy track it was good and fast running and another Corbett bagged. Route was 30km/4000ft!

The route

Cnoc Dubh night race

Great speed session last night at Cnoc Dubh night race at Cambus O'May! This is the first in a series of 4 winter night races organised by my club Deeside Runners. The races are in date order Cnoc Dubh, Knockargety, Dess woods and Potarch Hill.

Cnoc Dubh starts at the Riverside Cottage Cafe on the North Deeside at Cambus O'May between Dinnet and Ballater. A great start and finish to a race serving coffee, cake, soup, toasties, even meals if you wanted! Oh and ice cream - Thanks Rickie Badboy Ingram for my post race cone! ;)

This short hill race is 7.5km/200m so just a wee bump but it is brilliant and very fast running with some interesting ground including landy track, tree routed forest trails, bog, long grass and heather. And of course pitch black apart from your head torch!

I have only ever done Cnoc Dubh once before in 2015 and finished 10th overall, 2nd M40 in 40:21 which I was fairly pleased with at the time so I was chuffed to blitz that time this year finishing 4th overall, 1st/2nd M40 in 32:47! I say 1st/2nd because the winner Dan Whitehead is also M40 but I got a prize for 1st M40 outwith the podium.

Anyway I was very pleased to be only 1:16 behind the winner and only 2 seconds behind 3rd place Calum Dempster who put up a really good fight with me most of the way round the course. We swapped leads a couple of times and were never really more than a few meters apart the whole race but he just crept ahead on the last section of landy track to take 3rd, well done to him!


Podium-

Dan Whitehead 31:31
Peter Henry 32:23
Calum Dempster  32:45

Myself, Gary Thompson (GRR) and the one and only bad boy Richie Ingram!

Culardoch and Creag Dail Bheag

Back to Braemar for the 3rd time in a row to tick off more Corbetts!

I'm really enjoying exploring these smaller hills nearer home plus they're more runnable than munros just now with less snow lower down.. I'm never fed up of Deeside either with some of the best coffee stops in the country! :)

This week we chose Culardoch and Creag Dail Bheag which lie just North of Braemar and SE of Ben Avon.
Parking at a freezing Keloch car park (-4) on the Invercauld estate there's a 1.5km run on tarmac to begin with then turning right and North into the forest just before Invercauld house..

???

The route is mostly Landy track which is a little monotonous but the views are amazing especially with a little snow..

Once you climb out of the forest and onto the open hills the scenery really is spectacular looking SW over to Carn a Drochaide and down into Mar Lodge estate with the Dee snaking its way down towards Braemar, SE over to Meikle Pap and Lochnagar and then NW to Beinn a Bhuird and Ben Avon.

Carn na Drochaide to the right, Morrone to the left, Mar Lodge and the Dee center and Glen the Ey Munros at the very back.

Culardoch was first up after the long slog in on the Landy track then a good steep push on single trail up to the trig point. Although the weather was mostly clear with blue skies it was quite gusty and bitterly cold with -10 wind chill gusting up to 40mph on the tops. Thankfully I chose leggings!

Culardoch

Lochnagar with the nipple of Cac Carn Beag and Meikle Pap to its left

Close up of the Gar

My kit list for a slightly cooler day -

Inov8 Arctic Talons, OMM Flow vest under an Inov8 ATC long sleeve and then OMM Sonic smock which I switched between wearing just on my arms and shoulders and then when particularly cold or if stopping for any length of time pulling it down over my pack to my waste. I find this works really well year round and a good compromise between keeping cool when running and warmer when not.

Sheltering behind Culardoch trig point with Beinn a Bhuird/Ben Avon behind shrouded

The wafer thin Sonic does have its limits though and on Creag Dail Beag where wind was particularly bad I briefly pulled on my OMM Kamleika jacket for more protection.

Rab Powerstretch beany and Mountain Fuel buff, OMM Fusion gloves, OMM Flash tights on top of  a crotch-less leather thong (just checking you're reading this!).

Salomon Ultra 8 pack containing everything I would carry for an AL race so full body cover (INOV8 Race Ultrapants, OMM Kamleika Jacket), spare OMM thermal T, map, compass, head torch, bivvy, 500ml water (loads of water courses on route), nutrition was my staple Mountain Fuel jellies and a couple of NAKD bars.





From Culardoch it's back down on to the Landy track and retrace until back at the Bealach Dearg then it's a bit of heather bashing up onto Carn Liath or Creag Dail Bheag as it's now known.

This is where it got interesting on the summit and out of the lee of the lower slopes and into the full weather from the NE with strong gusts and driving blown snow hitting us on our right hand side making difficult running. I had my buff pulled diagonally across my face covering my right eye! The views out of my left eye were great! Unfortunately we only got rare glimpses of the nearby higher munros because of cloud.

Beinn a Bhuird and Ben Avon money shot!

Ruined wall on Carn Liath

Once back at Carn Liath cairn and following the ruined wall south we turned SE zig zagging down through deep heather which was a slow slog and difficult under foot then finally back onto the Landy Track and the tedious run out back to the van.

The long road out

Then another race against time trying to catch Rocksalt and Snails in Ballater before it closed but we lost! I had to make do with the Spanish Board at the Barn in Banchory instead, oh well! :)

Great day out even on killer landy track and well worth it for the amazing views!
The route was 23kms/1200mtrs.

The route

Live long and prosper! ;)