Had a great day out in the hills yesterday - a bit of running, a bit of walking, and plenty of chat with a good group of friends. Got a lift to Glen Muick with Dod and Lintie where we met up with Mike and Jonathan. The plan was to head up to Cac Carn Beag (the main peak above Lochnagar) then decide on the route depending on how everyone was feeling. The weather was kind and legs were coping well with the easy pace so we decided to take the longer way back via Carn an t-Sagairt Mòr, Cairn Bannoch, and Broad Cairn (we missed out Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach from the recognised round for some reason I can't quite remember). The weather was kind - strong wind at times, but not too cold and with a bit of sunshine - and I had a lovely day out.
Great company, great mountains and great views. Big thanks to Jonathan for organising it.
I've put the best of my photos on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=240898&id=826853218&l=467cdcf57a which should be accessible, even if you don't have a facebook account. Please let me know if it doesn't work.
Showing posts with label munro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label munro. Show all posts
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Saturday, 24 October 2009
Weekend in Tyndrum
Last Saturday, Vikki and I were going on a 25 mile training run on the West Highland Way, the start of our preparation for our attempts at the Highland Fling Race next April. Somehow, this turned into a weekend away for the whole family including the in-laws.
We set off on Friday morning and drove down to "Scotland's Theme Park". Unimaginatively named and, imho, unimaginatively put together, it didn't exactly impress that much, but it was generally good fun and I really liked the Tsunami suspended coaster, despite the somewhat tasteless name. In any case, the boys had a good time which is really what it was all about.
So, then we had to drive through rush-hour Glasgow and then follow various camper vans up the bonnie, bonnie, banks until we reached the Tyndrum Lodge Hotel and rendezvoused with the in-laws, got some food, then met up with legendary jogger ;), George, for a wee drink. George was sleeping in the car park, but joined us again for a pre-run breakfast. The run itself was really good - down the WHW to Beinn Glas for a bowl of soup then back to Tyndrum with great scenery and great company. My foot got sore on the way back so we ended up walking the last four miles but it was still good. We went for dinner at the Real Food Cafe - good food as ever, and the biggest mugs of hot chocolate I'd ever seen.
Andy and Rosemary had decided to go walking on Sunday morning - despite the lashing rain they got on the bus to Bridge of Orchy, leaving us to finish our breakfast and decide what we were to do. In the end, we headed down to the Sea Life Centre in Balloch to see some wee sharks and rays, some excellent looking fish, and some cute otters eating little baby birds. It was nice, and the boys got to touch starfish and sea anenomes which was cool. We returned to Tyndrum in the afternoon, then left the kids with the in-laws again and had a quick walk up the WHW to work up an appetite. Nice views towards Beinn Dorain on that bit, a hill we'll have to return to sometime when and if the Munro bagging gets underway.
So, all in all, it was a very fine weekend with lots of miles covered (in car and on foot), and I think everyone enjoyed at least some of the weekend :) It was also a significant weekend - after the run on Saturday, I decided that I'm going to go into the 2010 Highland Fling as part of relay team. Vikki has already sent off her entry - she's running the Fling solo. All 53 miles of it. We all know she'll be brilliant.
Photos from our run here
Photos of rest of weekend here
We set off on Friday morning and drove down to "Scotland's Theme Park". Unimaginatively named and, imho, unimaginatively put together, it didn't exactly impress that much, but it was generally good fun and I really liked the Tsunami suspended coaster, despite the somewhat tasteless name. In any case, the boys had a good time which is really what it was all about.
So, then we had to drive through rush-hour Glasgow and then follow various camper vans up the bonnie, bonnie, banks until we reached the Tyndrum Lodge Hotel and rendezvoused with the in-laws, got some food, then met up with legendary jogger ;), George, for a wee drink. George was sleeping in the car park, but joined us again for a pre-run breakfast. The run itself was really good - down the WHW to Beinn Glas for a bowl of soup then back to Tyndrum with great scenery and great company. My foot got sore on the way back so we ended up walking the last four miles but it was still good. We went for dinner at the Real Food Cafe - good food as ever, and the biggest mugs of hot chocolate I'd ever seen.
Andy and Rosemary had decided to go walking on Sunday morning - despite the lashing rain they got on the bus to Bridge of Orchy, leaving us to finish our breakfast and decide what we were to do. In the end, we headed down to the Sea Life Centre in Balloch to see some wee sharks and rays, some excellent looking fish, and some cute otters eating little baby birds. It was nice, and the boys got to touch starfish and sea anenomes which was cool. We returned to Tyndrum in the afternoon, then left the kids with the in-laws again and had a quick walk up the WHW to work up an appetite. Nice views towards Beinn Dorain on that bit, a hill we'll have to return to sometime when and if the Munro bagging gets underway.
So, all in all, it was a very fine weekend with lots of miles covered (in car and on foot), and I think everyone enjoyed at least some of the weekend :) It was also a significant weekend - after the run on Saturday, I decided that I'm going to go into the 2010 Highland Fling as part of relay team. Vikki has already sent off her entry - she's running the Fling solo. All 53 miles of it. We all know she'll be brilliant.
Photos from our run here
Photos of rest of weekend here
Monday, 30 March 2009
A Tribute to Kate Bush?
Whatever other people think about it, running is, for me anyway, quite hard. Running in high winds is particularly hard. Running up big hills in high winds is extremely hard work. Running up big hills in high winds in ankle deep snow is really just getting a bit ridiculous. And yet, somehow on Saturday I found myself part way up Mount Keen with some of the running club, running shoes caked in snow, 50mph gusts of wind whipping snow into my face. I reached about 650m altitude before I decided the sensible option was to head down again. Fortunately I had some company on the way down, although some brave souls went on and reached the summit. The run back down was great fun and everyone made it without injury and no reports of frostbite. Well done to everybody who came along.
Sunday, 19 August 2007
A message from 4406ft
This message was recorded on the summit of Ben Nevis using my camera phone. It is fairly awful - my voice sounds dreadful and the camera work is of the lowest quality. I think Vikki looks pretty good in her pink hat though.
Vikki, Amy, Dave and I went up Nevis on the Wednesday. We kept it simple and went up the Tourist Route, starting from the Visitor Centre at 9am so we could get an update on the weather forecast; bit of cloud, chance of some showers, close to freezing near the top. It turned out to be fairly warm and sunny for much of the climb, with the clouds nearer the top giving us brief glimpses of the views, and making it cool but not really cold. Our trek back down was fairly slow thanks to some sore legs and, sadly, Vikki didn't see anywhere she felt was going to be private enough to try the SheWee, so the Ben Nevis Inn at the base of the mountain was a very welcome sight - a chance to relieve bladders and slake thirsts before heading back to Fort William for a barbecue.
In case you're wondering, the boys spent the day with their grandparents at the beach. I'd like to include some photos from their day out but I think they're still on Andy's phone. The best of my photos are here:
Vikki, Amy, Dave and I went up Nevis on the Wednesday. We kept it simple and went up the Tourist Route, starting from the Visitor Centre at 9am so we could get an update on the weather forecast; bit of cloud, chance of some showers, close to freezing near the top. It turned out to be fairly warm and sunny for much of the climb, with the clouds nearer the top giving us brief glimpses of the views, and making it cool but not really cold. Our trek back down was fairly slow thanks to some sore legs and, sadly, Vikki didn't see anywhere she felt was going to be private enough to try the SheWee, so the Ben Nevis Inn at the base of the mountain was a very welcome sight - a chance to relieve bladders and slake thirsts before heading back to Fort William for a barbecue.
In case you're wondering, the boys spent the day with their grandparents at the beach. I'd like to include some photos from their day out but I think they're still on Andy's phone. The best of my photos are here:
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