Morrone, Carn nan Drochaide, Gong and Viv!

Saturday afternoon we headed out to Braemar for the first of the weekend's runs. Short of time we opted for the very accessible Corbett - Morrone Hill which overlooks Braemar. This is the same hill as the Braemar Highland Games hill race, a short but steep out and back.

Unfortunately I forgot my phone so didn't get any pics but it was a short run in snow, ice and low cloud, around 700mtrs. We did get some nice views south towards Glen Callater but no visibility to the North. There was a fair bit of snow higher up and the path had some ice on and off from the very bottom to the top. I wore my Salomon SG's but my Artcic Talons would have been the better choice.
We were going to do a loop but we really were short of time and had plans at night so one out and back speed rep was all we could manage.

Saturday night was great, a fine meal at the Buchanan Bistro, good banter, serious life chats, a couple of character taxi drivers and far too much wine!

Sunday was a lazy morning and late start again but we went back out to Braemar this time deciding for the Corbett Carn nan Drochaide from the Lynn of Qoich.

River Quoich, another classic Deeside spate paddle

The weather was Ok, not much wind, cold but not like Morrone the day before.

As the estate are rebuilding the road that was swept away in the crazy floods a couple of years back, we had to park further back up the road. After an initial landy track climb you drop down into Glen Quoich and cross the river at the new bridge built by the Cairngorm club.

Morrone Hill

Once you clear the forest at the Quoich it's a flat 2km landy track until you turn north at the Allanmore cottage and onto the lower slopes of Creag a Chleiric following a very overgrown landy track up to its summit.

 This was good running turning steep and no give right up to Creag a Chleric.

Braemar down on the left, Morrone centre and the Glen Callater and White Mounth hills at the back

Then drop down and across to the rocky side of Carn nan Drochaide. There is a faint trod which we followed for a short distance but then went off grid which was more direct so it was into deeper heather, rocks and some snow up onto the summit.

Approaching the Carn nan Drochaide cairn

Looking SE to Carn nan Sgliat and Creag nan Leachda on the other side of the A93

Ben a Bhuird (1179m) towering behind!

Looking over to Glen Quoich and our decent

This was a great route and still very runnable unlike the higher hills just now which are becoming more difficult with deep snow. Reports of the higher munros in this area and over towards Lochnagar the same day sounded like very difficult running.

After the run we stopped past the Bothy at Braemar Mountain Sports for food before we said our goodbyes and I carried on over Glenshee towards Blairgowrie and Perth having some fun on the way as I was in the car (van still off the road) and then onto Glasgow for the night as I was going to see a gig.

Gong and Steve Hillage

What a night at SG3 in Glasgow seeing one of my all time favourite bands and idol live, the legendary, hippy axe man himself - Steve Hillage who was being supported by a distantly related version of his band Gong. It was amazing and a great nostalgic trip! ;)

The maestro himself

Jazz club - Niiiiiice!

After the gig and on my way back to the hotel I stumbled upon this jazz quartet playing in a pub so I popped in for a listen and a couple more shandies! ;) They were brilliant!

Absolutely blinding weekend from one extreme in the snowy hills to another in Glasgow city center listening to the most amazing prog rock!

Mike and the Mechanics taking away Viv with a blown turbo!

Now Monday morning was another day! Up reasonably earlier and I was zooming up the road from Glasgow to meet Mikey who was picking up my van from Stoney to take it away to fit a new turbo. Getting it onto the trailer was comedy gold! For a start the smoke belching from the van was like thick fog and eventually blinded the whole street while the minor road block we had created started getting a bit heated as folk started losing patience with us! This pretty much brought the Stoney Marina to a stand still for half hour! Pffffff..

Mikey hero tho was able to pull the engine that afternoon ready for the turbo which I was now on my way to pick up. My plan was get the turbo and then nip out to Bennachie for a quick blast before meeting Mikey again later on to give him the turbo.

Engine oot

Mither Tap on Bennachie

Here's where my day really got crazy! After my run and back at the car getting changed I was sitting on the passenger seat pulling jeans on and I sat on the car key and the car locked. I unlocked the car and threw the key on the drivers seat thinking nothing of it.. I then got out of the passenger side of the car and shut the door... you know where this is going don't you!?

BEEEEP I heard! This is when I knew I had fucked up! I clearly hadn't unlocked the car when I thought I had thus locking my key in the car! Noooooo!! It's Ok I thought.... I'll phone the house and arrange the spare key to be taken out but how could I do that when my freekin phone was also locked in the car!? Shite!!

Oh, I only had a T-shirt and a wafer thin OMM top on.. I was freezin, it was minus something with ice on the ground and starting to get dark and not a soul about in one of the more remote carparks at Bennachie.. At least I managed to put my jeans on!

I had just run out of hope and started running towards Chapel of Garioch when an older gentleman drove into the car park. I think he might have been God! I was able to borrow his phone and call who else but the one and only big Kev who came to the rescue AGAIN after towing my van from Inverurie to Blackburn 2 weeks ago when it first broke down. He picked me up, took me home to get spare key and then back to the car!
What a diamond!

Finally I was back on track although running massively late to meet Mikey to deliver my turbo down at Asda Garthdee..
Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, nipping on to make up time, I ran a very debatable red light while crossing Great Western Road on Anderson Drive! Oh wait, is that blue lights behind me!? Yes it fucking was!! I pulled over waiting for Jeremy Beadle to jump out of the bushes but sadly not only a pair of fucking jobsworths! After the usual condescending good cop, bad cop bullshit and bringing up my slightly shady driving history, I was finally back on the road but with 3 points on my license and a £100 fine! Thanks for that... Just to put this into perspective.. I've had an exceptional amount of shit to deal with this last month (REALLY!!) and it seems like there's some sort of conspiracy going on against me! I'm waiting for some sort of earthquake or volcano to erupt next!

Anyway, one of my more full on weekends I've had in a while. All good now though, Mikey finished Viv and she's back running like a dream!! Booooom!!

A wet, moody day on Pannanich!

A fine start to the day in the warm and cosy Birdhouse cafe in Banchory for coffee, smoothies and croissants, staring out at the rain pouring down, the cars ploughing through standing water on the road and people walking past the window under umbrellas generally looking miserable.. Oh great! 

What's that old saying - There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing! 

Then it was the short drive out to Ballater and to the start of the days route, Pannanich and Craig Vallich loop.

On with the suitable clothing and off we went starting from a layby just east of the town on the South Deeside Road. It's landy track winding up through the forest following the tree edge east and parallel to Brackley Burn which was a raging torrent with 2 days of heavy rain. It's a steady climb from here all the way to the trig point.

If for any reason you stop to take in the views on the way up past the forest, be careful not to lean on the fence by the path... you might get a wee 15,000 volt kick! lol

Pannanich summit

We took a wrong turn early on which had us visiting the mast site on Craig Coillich which was a great steep climb! I can see myself coming back here for reps!
Although the weather was awful there's still something satisfying about running in the rain and zero visibility! It was very, very wet with multiple small streams forming and running down the trails and mostly no visibility with the very occasional break in the sky. A shame as the views here are amazing. I've been hiking and running in the Glen Muick area for years but not really looked at these much easier and more accessible lesser peaks.

Hole in the sky

Once on top it's fairly flat and good running, well apart from the deep troughs of water we had to either bypass through heather or wade through.

From Craig Vallich down towards the Bridge of Muick we were treated to the most amazing, atmospheric and moody scene developing from the west where we got a sunny break above and between the Coyles of Muick and Creag Dearg lighting up the heather which stopped us in our tracks!

Gorgeous!

Soaked to the skin while soaking up the atmos!

Because we went wrong at the start we were up there a bit longer than anticipated so it was touch and go catching Rocksalt and Snails before it closed!! Nooooo.... We picked the pace up and got back to the car, dried off, changed and into town for 4pm which gave us just enough time for the most amazing, fully loaded and hot plate of Minestrone soup! Yaldie!!


As landy track routes go it was great and the terrain suited my companion's injuries so a win win for an easy accessible 18kms/700mtrs road side sesh. Booom!

The route

Meall a Bhuchaille hill race (13km/720mtrs) and the annual SHR ceilidh!

Good start to the weekend, the van broke down at Old Rayne Saturday morning on the way over to the race! luckily Sonic Sinco wasn't far behind in his new V-Dub and was able to pick me up which meant crazy, top bants all the way over to Aviemore, narrowly missing a dog in Dufftown on the way - good skills by my driver!

250 runners this year and a championship race with a lot of fast names on the start line! I was going to be well down the finish list but as long as I got a PB I wasn't caring.. I did a 1:19 here last year in snow so I was fairly sure I'd get one..

Last year's weather

Last year

Pre race chat

Stuart, mysel and Walter

I started with Stuart and it pretty much stayed like that all the way to the finish. It's a fast start on a good landy track for a few Kms but I was struggling to keep up with Stuart who was motoring on.. I couldn't wait to get onto the hill and start climbing!

Once on the hill and slowed down it was great and I settled into a good steady run/hike. I picked a few folk off here and onto the summit before the first decent on very uneven rocky heather. Perfect ankle breaking terrain!

As usual I had a great tussle with Stuart swapping leads with each other several times.






It was very cold and blowy up high and a couple of times I regretted the vest!
I love the tops on this race, enjoyable, fast running over varied terrain, undulating trails, deep heather, loose rock, bog, it's got it all! And with Cairngorm and Coire an t-sneachda as a backdrop, what else do you want!


The decent is awsome. From the last top it's flat out, barely in control, plummeting down a wet, peaty, boggy trail with holes everywhere! We were chasing down Stefan Wagner who appeared out of nowhere and overtook us at the last top so he made a good target for Stuart and I.
This section was carnage with several folk falling here including Stuart just as we were neck and neck. At least it''s a soft landing! I managed to stay up somehow but it was close.

Just about back

Out of the forest and back onto landy track, Stuart caught up with me being stronger on the flat but I managed to cling on and only in the finishing straight I caught him and just got in front finishing in 1:13 and a 6 min PB coming 32/250 overall and 6th V40. Happy with that especially being a championship race and I'm clearly getting some speed back after a season of racing long and slow!

My coach was proud! ;)



Rob had a great race considering he'd finished 2nd at the Mourne Skyline last weekend and now down with a cold he finished 3rd in 1:02 just behind James Espie 2nd and Findlay Wild 1st (course record).

Sonic

Rob getting his 3rd place prize

After the race prize giving we went back to our luxury Coylumbridge lodge that Sam had organised to blow the froth off a couple and to get cleaned up. I was told casual but it turned out everyone was getting ponced up so Sinco and me went looking like the homeless! .

A dapper Esp and myself

The annual SHR dinner and ceilidh was brilliant. I caught up with loads of folk I've not seen in ages over a few beers and good food. Then it was back over to the hall for the ceilidh.

Ally and Diana

Charming! 

Everyone was up dancing at the ceilidh, what a laugh, the amount of folk that had no idea what they were doing including me was hilarious! There were bodies strewn all over the floor but the band did well keeping everyone right.

The only criticism for the night was nae bar! Fit!? Hill runners, a ceilidh but nae bar!?  Luckily though we came prepared! :)

Sinco giving it large!

Deeside vs HHR and most of the lodgers

Trouble ahead! ;)

After the ceilidh finished we dropped a few folk back at the lodge then the rest of us went into town to Mambo's which was bouncing! Things got a bit crazy but I won't go any further than this apart from saying that what happens in Aviemore stays in Aviemore! Bwahahahah! ;)
An amazing weekend running and partying! 

That's all the races done I think for this year. I might do a couple of short speed session races but I'll mostly be looking forward to getting back to long training days in the mountains. I might even dust off the axes and crampons! Shazzam!

Beinn a Ghlo and a wee blast on the Pentlands

A special night in the van at the Loch Tummel campsite on Friday night - Fillet steak, melted Camembert and a fine bottle of Malbec or 2! :)

Opening the rear doors of the van on Saturday morning we were treated to the most unreal scene directly overlooking a glassy Loch Tummel in spectacular autumnal colours..

A quick coffee stop at the Queens view before heading off to the start of this weekend's nearby run, the Beinn a Ghlo range at Glen Tilt with a route tally of 3 munros - Carn liath 975mtrs, Braigh Coire Chruinn - Bhalgain 1070mtrs and Carn nan Gabhar 1121mtrs. Total route 22k/1900mtrs.
Last time I was down this way I was shouldering a kayak and hiking the hefty 10km slog up to Marble Lodge and to the get in for the excellent river Tilt and one of my favourite paddles!

From Carn Liath over to Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain

After a couple of easy landy track kilometers and past the wee hut to the foot of Carn Liath, it's a good, steep, glute burning push all the way to the summit with absolutely no let up and into some atmospheric weather! 

What follows is an exposed but quality and very runnable trail taking you over to Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain. A good bit of fast descending and then more pushy uphills, I could really feel the last few weeks training kicking in, pulling me up the steeper climbs..

Looking back to Carn Liath and the huge streak of lightening ridge

We were reasonably lucky with weather but we passed a very concerned looking Edmund Hillary, staring at our shorts and running shoes who reported high winds and - " you can't stand up on top, it's freezing cold, seriously mate!!" etc.. My immediate response was - "maybe I'll take my kite!" which didn't seem to go down well with Edmund's sense of humour but fortunately his mate Tenzing got the joke and giggled! Starting later in the day after having checked MWIS and several other sources of weather info, apparently we missed this category 15 typhoon! Oh well my kite will have to wait till next time! :)

Still, a wee bit breezy and mostly clear for much of the run it did deteriorate for a short while on Carn nan Gabhar with some rain and poor visibility but nothing bad at all..

Carn nan Gabhar in the clag

 

The descent path from the Allt Beallach an Fhiodha starts well but it's very eroded further down and becomes a hard going, boggy mess only to turn back into a very well built path skirting the foot of Beinn Beag and back onto the main landy track back to the van. A good opportunity to really open it up on the way out and stretch the legs.

The pyramid of Airgiod Bheinn and the shoulder of Beinn Beag to the left

Allt Bealalch an Fhiodha path

Typical breaking weather on our way out..

Carn Liath and Viv as the weather broke

A great route, very runnable and would make an awsome mountain race!

Saturday night was a strange one.. We checked in then checked out 10 mins later from the hotel from hell! 

Imagine an ancient John Cleese crossed with Riff Raff off of Rocky Horror and you have the proprietor of the Weem Inn near Aberfeldy! "Cash only" he said as he stooped over the counter eating a carrot! This should've rung the alarm bells but it took the no heating, no TV, a towel as a curtain, stained bed rests and 70's decor and damp smell to convince us to leave! Getting my money back was a laugh, he really wanted to hang onto my cash!!
I'm convinced if we'd stayed we'd have been on his menu the next night! Oh wait.. no that couldn't happen because he doesn't have a cook or a working kitchen!! lol

Today we headed down to Edinburgh from Perth to watch a couple of folk we knew running the Ultra tour of Edinburgh which takes in some of the Pentlands so it was a good opportunity to get the running gear back on to see them coming over the hills and get a bit more running done. 

Pentlands today

I missed Pentland Skyline this year because I only entered it to get the 4 Long Classics I needed to compete in the series. I've done Jura and Trotternish so far and due to clash of events the only 2 races I could make were Pentlands and 2 Breweries. However, Glencoe Skyline was the week before 2 Breweries and still a bit stiff  and worried about my calf, I binned 2 Breweries last minute which meant I didn't have to do Pentlands either. It's not really my bag as a race anyway..

Saying all that, it was great to be out on them today and not racing but just for a leg spin. Edinburgh's not a bad back drop after all!

Another great weekend running around our hills with special company looking for that PURE experience! Shabba! xx