Erddig parkrun

'Race': Erddig parkrun

Time/Position: 19.46 (6th from 286)

On my two previous runnings of this lovely course, I seem to remember a lot of mud. Conditions were perfect today, which meant I got within a few seconds of my course pb despite going off a bit too fast. The muscle memory is to blame, and I was a lot quicker on the out-and-back section than previously, then maintained a decent pace through the Erddig grounds to the lovely gently descending running through the woods at the far end. At least a minute slower than the V55 course record, although I was pleased enough with the performance given current training.

Border League relays

Race: Border League relays (Prestatyn 1m+)

Time/Position: 5.38 (1st Vet team)

With the cancellation of the sixth fixture, this became the '25-'26 season finale. It has been a good one, and this was a nice way to end, with the presentations at the Nova Centre later. We got together a Vet team for the course, just over a mile along the prom in a light easterly with a glorious sunset developing. Dave B led off with a very quick first leg, I went third after Richard but could only manage a pedestrian performance, despite feeling fairly good. The field was smaller than at Birkenhead two years ago and we won the Veteran's race fairly comfortably. This was nice as it added to my 100% record this season, coming first V55 in all five races. If I count the relays as league fixtures, I think this was my 100th Border League appearance. Finally, this was my 4th ever age category season win in the league (alongside one V45 win '15-'16 and two V50 wins in '21-'22 and '23-'24).

Coniston fell race

Race: Coniston fell race (12.8k/1100m)

Peaks: Wetherlam, Swirl Hows, Old Man of Coniston

Time/Position: 1.51 (117 from 241)

With my constantly slowing pace, particularly in the hills, I wonder if one way forward is to do some races that I haven't done before - meaning I have nothing to compare it with. Not bad as a principle, but then of course you look at the finishing position! I barely scraped into the top half today, which isn't great and really does illustrate how slow I've become in the hills. Despite, or because of this, I quite enjoyed the race which is a classic Lakes fell race. I was last on Coniston in the late 1980s! And I'm not sure I've ever been to the top of Wetherlam or Swirl Hows, although I did do a mountain marathon in these parts 15 years ago (or so). Conditions were pretty good - cool with low cloud over the tops, but nothing too troubling. After a sharp track climb, a steep hill leads to a level section before a very gradual drag up Wetherlam. I was up in 47 minutes or so, after which the bulk of the hard work is done. I fell over early in the descent to Swirl Hause, partly because I was running in trail shoes to protect my heel. Then came the steep contouring up the 'Prison Band' and into the clag on Swirl Hows. Good running then leads over the tops, with loads of route choice and many locals taking racing lines. I did contour Birk Fell to get to the top of the Old Man - my first time up here since the 1980s. I could see Dow Crag emerge from the mist, that's a place I have visited more recently for its famous rock climbs. The descent saw local runners immediately take counterintuitive but direct lines down the grass to the right of the normal path. This was steep and awkward, but mostly grassy. I just tried to read the landscape and pick up, and we soon emerged from the clag which made it easier. At one point I hit the tourist path near some quarries and definitely lost time lower down by taking an indirect variant through a plantation: I would have been better off on the tourist path as at least I could have used my road speed. I was down in 21 minutes or so from summit to village, by which time it was warm and sunny.

Pen y Fron climbing

Crag: Pen y Fron

Routes: Yellow Peril (f5c:sec), The Urchin (f6a:led), Leete Entertainment (f6a+:sec), The Needle (f6b:sec), Pale and Interesting (f6b+:sec)

This local bolted venue is growing on me a bit, which might have something to do with the traffic it is getting. This was just a brief workout with Peter and Vic in perfect sunny weather, and we kicked off with the easy Yellow Peril which has a long reach at the start but is otherwise simple. This theme continued for the open groove of The Urchin, which I led. This is overgraded but gives pleasant climbing on positive edges to a slightly steeper finish. The final three were more technical, although also overgraded. I think I had seconded Peter up the 6a+ before, but then came the good route of The Needle, which has some fairly sustained climbing on small holds. The route to its left is also good, and goes through an area of white rock to some technical climbing to finish, The fact that I handled all these relatively comfortably (with rope above of course) suggests that all three are a tad overgraded. Still, a nice workout.

Lancet Edge to Geal-Charn

Peaks: Sgor Iutharn, Geal-Charn, Diollaid a'Chairn, Carn Dearg

Area: Ben Alder, Scotland

This area has loomed large in my imagination for decades and it didn't disappoint: varied, absorbing mountaineering throughout. As I cycled in from Dalwhinnie, however, one thing did surprise me and took the edge of some of the remote isolation this area is famed for - this was the high-end Ben Alder Lodge 10k down Loch Ericht. This turreted monstrosity, along with almost everything else here, is owned by a Swiss billionaire and rented out to the well-heeled. Amazingly, there is even a luxury bothy near the site of the recently demolished Culra. Whatever, it was still wonderful and the weather improved beautifully throughout the day, and after 40 minutes or so of riding (it is a private track to the Lodge) I left the bike above Loch Pattack and enjoyed the feeling of being somewhere I have wanted to visit for years. It really does have a feeling of genuine remoteness, deep silence and tremendous views over the peaks to come. A very good, level path leads up the valley of the Allt a'Chaoile-reidhe, with Ben Alder to the left. But the most obvious and eye-catching objective is the Lancet Edge, to which I was now heading. This was really fantastic - alone in a giant landscape. Culra is supposedly being rebuilt so I headed up to what I assumed was the site of this, finding at the last minute that it was this bizarre luxury bothy in the middle of nowhere. I continued up with the Lancet edge getting gradually closer, eventually (after a stream crossing) heading up trackless hillside, very steeply, to gain it. A few little outcrops and steep grass lead to the first section of scrambling, and then the ridge really coalesces into a narrow rocky arete. This was fabulous, a wonderful line in a tremendously isolated location with stunning views down to Loch Sgoir. The actual scrambling doesn't last long, and it emerges near the cairn. Ahead, Gael Charn seemed almost entirely snow-covered and this is where I headed. It is a giant plateau, today a huge snowfield under vast skies. The cairn is right at the far end, and I trotted across the snow towards it, mostly comfortable but occasionally soft. Big views over wild terrain down to Glencoe and the Southern Highlands, and across to Beinn a'Chlachair, Creag Meagaidh and many other closer hills I'd done more recently. I then had to get off the plateau towards Carn Dearg, which isn't all that easy as there is only one route off. I ploughed across the snow to gain the descent down a little neck, but it was snow-covered and convex. Given the remoteness, my lack of axe and the fact I couldn't see the bottom, I exercised some mountain judgement and looked for an alternative! This meant contouring back to the col below Sgor Iutharn and then putting kahtoolas on to descent milder snow slopes to gain a very atmospheric traverse below the eastern /northern edge of the escarpment. I kept kahtoolas on throughout until I crossed two streams and gained the normal route over to Carn Dearg. This was simple, a beeline over a forepeak to steepish slopes to Carn Dearg. I was tiring a bit though, and massively dehydrated (having not taken a drink at the meltwater, as I wanted to find the descent first). It was obvious Carn Dearg would be a dry mountain, and it was. I followed the broad ridge direct to Loch Pattack and only found water towards the bottom, where I then had a nice lunch in the sunshine, in a very isolated location. Then it was down to the Loch Pattack track past bubbling breeding curlew (my favourite sound of all, even more special in the total silence of this location). A diver called too, as did several sandpiper. I got back to the bike and saw the only other person I'd seen all day, a cross-Scotland mountain biker. Then it was the simple matter of cycling 12k back along Loch Ericht back to Dalwhinnie (22k on foot, 25k on bike). After a break, I drove all the way down to Moffat.

Loch Lochy Munros

Peaks: Sron a'Choire Gharbh, Meall na Teanga

Area: Loch Lochy, Scotland

The weather really did change overnight this time, and tendrils of mist draped Loch Cluanie when I peered out of the van after waking. These hills were therefore the perfect choice for a changeable day, as they are pretty straightforward and the nav looked simple. The rain was light but after finally deciding on my strategy for the day, I drove across to Invergarry and had breakfast and tea outside the village hall - a great venue with lots of nice seating and a heated toilet! The weather was forecast to improve, which it began to do, and by the time I parked up at Killfinnan (near Laggan Locks on the Caledonian Canal) it was dry. The route takes a gravel track through forestry above the loch, which I know well from various trips along the Spean Bridge road. I got on my bike for most of this, a great help, and then took the obvious side path through the forest. This is all aimed at getting to the very obvious col, the Cam Bealach. Steep initially, it then takes a pleasant line through the deep valley of the Allt Glas Doire (an old coffin road apparently). The bealach is the key to the day, as both hills can be easily accessed from it. Until this point, the weather had been dry and the cloudbase above the peaks. It did look a bit threatening, however, and it seemed unlikely I would avoid getting wet. I went up Sron a'Choire first, leaving my sac at the bealach and ploughing up zig-zags to another shallow col below Sean Meall, and then the summit up left. Exceptional views and an ever-changing cloudscape, with spectacular effects as the sun burst through banks of cloud. It was nice to look down to Loch Lochy and tiny cars driving up the A82. Closer, Ben Tee impressed: a traverse of these hills would be good. After a chat to a chap on the summit (rare for me to see anyone), I trotted back down to the col and picked up my sac for the longer haul up Meall na Teanga, despite its lower altitude. The path weaved steeply up to Coire Leacachan and then curved west to a steep snowfield and then a climb south to the cairn, right at the end of the summit ridge. Great views to nearby peaks and a fierce looking Ben Nevis across the Great Glen, full winter conditions up there and lots of shower clouds tracking around. I put my shell on as it was pretty cold in the wind, and on the descent one of those shower clouds hit.  By the time I got back to the bealach it was dry again, and I dropped down to a stream for a pleasant lunch, now in sunshine again. I trotted back down, past a dead deer, and it started raining as I regained the forest. It got quite heavy on the final bike section back to the van. Again, it soon stopped and I brewed a cup of tea while my kit dried out before heading for provisions in Spean Bridge and camping at a familiar halt: Creag Meagaidh.

Loch Cluanie Munros

Peaks: Carn Ghluasaid, Creag a'Chaorainn, Sgurr nan Conbhairean, Sail Chaorainn, Drochaid an' Tuill Easaich

Area: Kintail, Scotland

A quick weather check after yesterday's round revealed an annoying change: a mild front was coming in from the west. I had designs on the remote peaks between Glen Shiel and Affric, but the forecast made me change my mind and go for this less ambitious option. I actually parked, and spent the night, at the Lundie car park that represents the start of this round. It was a great route choice actually, and in fact the weather didn't really change until the evening. The round began with a perfectly constructed stalkers path, and I was able to make quick progress up this despite yesterday's exertions. Carn Ghluasaid is hidden behind a forepeak but the weaving path meant I was up in an hour from the van. There had been a weather change, high cloud, but it was well above the tops and completely dry. The next peak, Conbhairean, looked superb from this angle across a deep and impressive cwm still holding a fair amount of snow. I trotted over to a broad and rocky col and then ploughed up, the day still fairly young. At this point some sunshine peeked through and blue sky appeared overhead. It may have lacked the clarity of yesterday but it was very nice, and I really enjoyed the trot out to Sail Chaorainn. This was along a broad ridge and the summit is only a metre higher than the sister peak further north. The weather cleared further for the return back to Sgurr nan Conbhairean (which is easily the most impressive of this range) and I cut the corner to a snowfield and then a narrowing ridge down to a col. From here I trotted up to a little top, Drochaid, with superb views down to the wild valley of Gleann na Ciche, which leads down to Affric. Indeed I could see across to the big mountains of Affric like Mam Sodhail that I did on a long day two years ago. The descent takes a broad ridge above the deep cwm containing the Gorm Lochan. This was pretty civilised until a steep final section during which I was dehydrating badly having taken my usual lightweight approach. It took ages to get to a stream by which time I wasn't far from the road! After a drink I ignored the old military road in favour of the actual modern road, and trotted down this back to the van for an early finish. This had several advantages: the best of the weather (it did soon cloud over) and more time to replenish my body battery. This I did in the usual way: lots of eating, a river bath in a gorge lower down Glen Shiel, and birdwatching at Loch Cluanie: red-throated diver, goosander, sand martin, sandpiper.