I'M INJURED -
after a bad ankle roll at Knockergety night race back in December. Instead of letting it heal I didn't rest at all and have been running on it for almost 2 months and it's finally taken its toll! Anyway all this glass ankle stuff means I've been hitting the MTB more and more which I'm really enjoying so every cloud. However I have still managed to hobble over a couple more Corbetts -First was Ben Tirran (896m) or The Goet at Glen Clova. Weather was pish, rubbish vis up on top but it was a great work out. Straight into a good steep climb on single trail then onto landy track up onto the summit.
 |
| A Landy on a Landy track, what do you know.. |
Wet, boggy running a long the tops with absolutely nothing to see. I'm not a massive fan of this area at the best of times (with exception to Mayar) so it's even worse when you can't see further than your nose!
 |
| Tirran Cairn |
There were bits of enjoyable running here and there and as long as I'm in the hills I'm happy so it's never all doom and gloom.
The week after was Brown Cow Hill (823m) from Corgarff Castle.
At almost 500 years old this castle, among it's various uses over the years was once used to house soldiers to keep an eye on illegal Whiskey smuggling in the area so I found it amusing to find out it had its own Brewing House inside the castle!!
A fairly mundane and long landy track starting at the castle winds up onto an unspectacular plateau.
After the landy track petered out into single track and up into heather the path disappeared and reappeared through deep and confusing bogs. Not ideal running but when we found the scattered path it wasn't too bad. Same route back for the descent.
Sgor Mor (813m) was next from Linn of Dee in awful weather!
The corbett is sandwiched between Ben Brotain to the West, Carn a Mhaim and Lairig Ghru to the North and Linn of Dee to the East. This route was taken off of Walking Highlands and it looked like a decent loop! |
| Spider on a Bicycle where all epics start! |
However in reality the route was dog shit! From the LOD landy track going west towards White Bridge we peeled off NW soon after starting straight up through deep heather onto Carn an 'lc Duibhe (630m) which was a savage start. From here continuing NW to Sgor Dubh (741m) off grid and no trails, the running here actually wasn't too bad on short heather, soft mossy grass with a sprinkling of snow.
 |
| Sgor Mor |
From Sgor Dubh SW to Sgor Mor, much of the same but more snow. This was probably the highlight of the terrain with some cool running between these 2 tops. Unfortunately visibility was garbage and we never once saw any of the big boys that surrounded us. We should have been looking straight up into the LG with the big 4 towering over but unfortunately there was nothing to be seen,
disappointing!
From Sgor Mor to the LG path under Carn a Mhaim was hell! Terrible underfoot terrain, deep heather, boggy thigh high ruts. Very painful moving for my glass ankle and I just wanted to be beamed up back to the van!
 |
| Crossing a freezing Lui |
Eventually we got onto the LG path and finally got some good running out via Derry Lodge and back to the van but it was a real slog for me in agony!
Quick change, fed the Robin and straight to the Braemar Bothy for coffee!
 |
| The tamest Robin! |
 |
| The route with the pain running highlighted |
