Craig a' Barns
Scenic drive over from Inverurie after work via Braemar (where I fuelled up on pre-race burger and chips) and the Cairnwell Pass.
Quite excited but also a little apprehensive given the high quality field and my niggling lower hamstring pain, particularly evident in my right leg.
Mad start, absolutely no idea what was going on and had only just found the start on the map when I came across a control which happily was #1 :)
Kept with the pack to #2; went my own way fairly straight to #3 but lost a bit of ground as both the marsh and green were slower than expected.
Dropped towards the back of the pack uphill to #4 then briefly alone, having a different gaffle to #5, before chasing lights through to #9 but being dropped.
Headed to #10 now all alone; no-one really visible in front or behind. Bit of trouble looking for #13 tucked behind the boulder but nothing major.
First notable error to #15 - no bearing and too far SE [45]
With Jon Musgrave for the next section - though ahead of him really as he had yet to do the western loop of the butterfly. Almost nailed #16 but briefly foraged further west in green / windblow [1m 40s] #17 seemed to be hung within a tree but didn't lose much time.
Back on my own on the way to #20, climbing more than necessary up the ridge [20] Feeling a bit tired but ready for the longer legs - now over half way through the course.
#21 Struggled through rough open but good route and attackpoint down open avenue. A few other lights around here - must have been Short competitors. 13mins down on the leading time at this point / 4mins down on Llewellyn (nearest competitor ahead) / 8m 30s up on Jon Musgrave (nearest competitor behind).
#22 Happy with initial low route. Got a bit stuck in green mid-leg [20] before becoming confused by vegetation further on. Neverthless found ride and attacked along ridge but must have just missed feature and flag. Spent a while wandering around trying to relocate before finding it somewhat relieved [3m]
Now was the time for a calm head but predictably I picked up the pace and ignored my compass. Ended up way way west looking for #23, so far so that when I came across a couple of crags at 'strange' angles I couldn't work out where I was. Eventually (with help of noise from people chatting at the finish) recognised that I must be too far west; managed to find wall and carefully in from above [8m 30s]
Ok through the next couple of shorter legs; didn't realise I'd already visited #26 earlier in the course; drifted slightly east, then looking on some unmapped crags briefly [2m]
#28 Set off contouring ok; tried to ignore the vague vegetation but unfortunately the contour shapes seemed more complex than shown. Came into the correct re-entrant and had a good look but didn't spot reflector. As such retraced steps to check out some earlier lumps and bumps. This time spotted ridge above so knew I was too far north... [5m]
#29 Good initial route; safely in via path and ride. My luck was not in tonight though - hit the ridge and spotted crag to my right, sadly unmapped. Then checked out others further east before relocating from boulder on top of hill. Annoying [2m 30s]
#31 Still time to mess this up; hit marsh and knew I should go left but tempted briefly right onto wrong ridge [1m]
Epic! Finished 45mins down but was not last; 25mins or so of obvious errors so seems about right.
Hopefully this venture will be repeated before too long...
http://3drerun.worldofo.com/2d/index.php?idmult[]=...http://www.interlopers.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#33&a...