Training Log Archive: runnermdj

Family walk from Lynwilg to Geal-Charn Mor via the Burma Road. Wanted to do a straightforward hill. No issue with snow since it had melted back to damp patches. Misty and breezy on top, and another nice atmospheric day. No one else out early so had the hill to ourselves.

Went to Loch Vaa for a stroll, and did some orienteering practice for Hanna. Downloaded an excerpt of the map onto the phone, with a bit of a Black course on it. Used a couple of controls and some other features to try and explain some techniques for Orange courses (mainly attackpoints). Will be good once she picks it up again after not much in past couple of years. Loch Vaa area superb for wondering off the paths.

Plan was to drive to Forest Lodge in Abernethy for a walk but the track in was closed at the road (due to Covid!) so we parked there. Walked in towards Forest Lodge then turned right onto the track to Ryvoan Bothy. Nice walk through the woods then over the moor to the Bothy. Returned by the same route.

Wanted another fairly flat route so headed out on the trail past the gocarts and Loch nan Carraigean to the tunnel. Did an out and back to the track end at the east of Loch Vaa, and returned via the Speyside Way. Picked up the pace on the way back and was pretty much tempo effort at around 4min/k. Fast and hard enough for tired legs! Fairly rainy the whole way so only saw a few cyclists out and about.

Forecast was decent so headed to Kingussie to head up the Corbett Carn na Fhreiceadein. Headed up Bhinn Bhreac first and made rapid time to the Bothy around 550m. Above the Bothy the track was increasingly full of drifted snow and the going became very challenging indeed. Even trying to avoid the worst, there was a lot of hard trail breaking in untouched snow over knee deep. There were a few points where we considered turning back but the weather was cracking so we ploughed on (literally) and eventually reached Beinn Bhreac. There was a short respite of fairly snow free track before hitting drifts again before the col, then the next climb was very harder work in places. On one section I had to plough a trench for Tracey and Hanna to make progress and they sometimes found it easier to crawl on the surface. We eventually got up on the top ridge where the going was then fairly easy to the main summit. The fantastic views and amazing conditions made up for the tough going at least. Hit some more drifts on the way down the track, which was waist deep in one bit, but much easier going generally. Felt like walking on air when we hit the snow-free track. A walk to remember on, what for most, would usually be a very unremarkable Corbett. Previously ran it with Tracey when snow free on a grey day so very different experience!

Needed a fairly easy run so just went out and back on the Speyside Way. Nice route and spot on. Snow free which was good!

Run with Hanna. Warm up to the forest gate and back then strides plus 8 x 80m on the road outside the house which was slush free, followed by a warm down. Decent session in cold snowy conditions.

Run in the woods. Ran along lower track which was quite slushy then up a long climb to the top fence where the snow was over 10cm deep and a real winter wonderland, albeit making the running tough! Headed along cycle path then down main tracks home. Amazing conditions for May. Snow showers for most of run.

Drove up to a very snowy Glenmore for a walk round the trails south and east of Loch Morlich. Around 10 to 15cm of snow and we were first on many if the trails which was cool. Amazing weather for May. Good fun.

Woke up to snow on the ground. Drove to Carrbridge for a walk round Tolquhonie Woods. Was snowing quite heavily when we got there with showers throughout the walk though only about an inch of snow lying. Really nice walk and very quiet as expected.

Decided to run from the house to Beinn Ghuilbin aka Kettle Hill. Snow had largely melted. Had studied strava and picked a fairly direct route via mainly cycle paths, though it was fairly complex and only had 1:50k map which wasn't that helpful. Failed to get the right line on the first shortcut which resulted in a long cut to get onto the cycle path. Was trickier going than expected underfoot though followed the route OK. Main issue came as it was very challenging to spot where to cut off up to the left onto the hill and ended up overshooting on the bike track and stopped when came to an unexpected descent. Got the phone out and checked OS locate which confirmed I was roughly in the area I expected so climbed a deer fence and ploughed straight up the heather to the summit. There was a vague trod south off the top but ended up in the heather to get back into the woods. Tried to speed up home by sticking to the big tracks but ended up on longer zig zags than was ideal. All round a bit of a stramash! Pretty knackered by the finish.

Family walk at Uath Lochan, round the lochs at the start then a route over the craggy hill. Went on a bit of the Badenoch Way which was really nice. Such a good place for trails. Snow showers again and quite a lot of snow building up above 500m.

Run from Inverdruie to Loch an Eilein via Lochan Mors trail, went anti clockwise round the loch, then back via Blackpark. Ran with Cat and Richard which was first run with anyone outside the family since February last year. Nice breezy bright evening. Good to catch up.

Family walk up the two Drumochter East Munros A'Bhuidheanach Bheag and Carn na Caim, accessing the plateau via the Land rover track near the Dalwhinnie Road end. Got out early given the forecast and the wind did pick up through the day. Fair bit of mist on the tops so had to keep an eye on the map and compass. There is a big path most of the way but it does disappear on ABB, so I missed it on the way down and just used the compass. Pretty cold on top, around freezing. Hills quiet for a Bank Holiday Monday, only saw one other person on the tops though a couple were starting out not long before we finished. They'd have got a pasting! Good to get up a couple of Munros given the general winter forecast. Cairngorms very snowy.

Ran round the loop we walked round on Saturday in Kinvechy Woods above the house, with a few minor extra bits. Ran a bit harder than intended, hard to judge after a hillwalk.