Braeriach

After the usual faff and late start ;) looking for mystery coffee shops that don't actually sell coffee in Granton we finally got going at 2pm! With a good forecast and promising blue skies from Alford all the way to Aviemore I was keen to get the vest and shades on and get running! However that black cloud that seems to follow me was waiting for us hanging over the Gorms! Typical..

Luckily it cleared and turned into a scorcher of a day and made for very hot tough running! 

The climb onto Sron Na Lairige

This is a great training route and one of the quickest ways into the heart of the big boys. It gives approx 14 miles and 5000ft ascent and depending on weather will give you views that rival anything west (well, almost..).

Starting from the Sugar Bowl car park, through the Chalamain Gap, down to the Laraig Ghru, straight up the other side onto Sron Na Lairige then onto Braeriach. Return the same way. 

Carn A Mhaim left, Cairn Toul center and the shoulder of Angles Peak to the right with Lochain Uaine half way.

The last time I did this route was hogmany last year with virtually no snow and it was a cracking day then as well! 

Cairn Toul and Angles Peak with it's NE ridge clearly visible from the lochain

The running is excellent under foot pretty much from start to finish with Sron Na Lairige having the only rough sections apart from Chalamain Gap of course which is just big boulder hopping.

The views up here are unreal! It's tempting to keep running round to Angels and Cairn Toul but I was only looking for 14 miles as I had a longer run planned for the next day.

I'm uber conscious of injury just now with Mourne only 4 weeks away so I'm sticking to structured mileage and ascent. I've had a fairly tough few weeks training trying to get speed and distance back and I'm starting to creek already with a couple of niggles but just need to keep an eye on them and not over do it.  

Looking west from Braeriach

The crags of Braeriach and the Lairig Ghru

While I slogged on a bit further on my own to get water for us both (from the Wells of Dee) my lazy running buddy sat on their arse on the summit cairn sky gazing as usual! ;) I've become quite a servant in the hills these days and enjoy nothing better than running around after people.. ;)

 

Lairig Ghru

Braeriach summit

My lazy running buddy was kind enough to take a couple of action shots for me! :)

The route's an out and back which is fine because it's just as good going back the way with a final climb back up to Creag a Chalamain and the sting in the tail after descending down into the LG from Sron Na Lairige.  

Chalamain Gap

Then all that's left is the Gap and good trail back to the car park. Love the Chalamain Gap, such a cool section of the run and is as good climbing up as it is descending.

There were loads of folk out and about a long the route and we stopped and spoke to just about everyone one of them! It's great seeing so many people enjoying the hills just now..