There were initially fourteen volunteers for the run but by the time running day arrived our number had been whittled down to seven by injury, illness and a reluctance to brave the bad weather. Our logistics were delightfully simple – drive to Brig O’Turk, run round the route then drive home again although this didn’t stop Alan from making an interesting detour near the end. By the time we arrived at the start the rain had lightened up and soon fizzled out once we got going. We quite quickly split up into a fast group and a slow one and the two groups weren’t to meet much on the way round.
Once we had climbed out the head of Gleann nam Meann some slushy snow began to appear on the track. Further on there were a number of deeper snow drifts but they did little to slow our progress. What we hadn’t anticipated was that most of the burns running across the track were in spate so our leaping muscles were well exercised. We all regrouped by the cairn at the highest point of the track for a supposed lunch stop. It was agreed that walking and eating would be better than sitting & eating in the cold wind. There must have been some gobbling going on in front as the leading group soon disappeared from view.
Soon afterwards the sun came out but I couldn’t find anyone to photograph – the fast ones were mere specks ahead in the distance and the slower ones were way behind so I just took a few photos to show you what the terrain was like (plus a couple of photos from Alan). I was on my own for a long way down to the loch; as I got lower the sun grew ever warmer and I began to wonder if my face was going to get sunburned. We eventually all regrouped at the car park then stopped off for refreshment at the Lade Inn on the way home. A good day was had by all.
Nigel Rose