| 30.9k 1640m – 19.23m
5380ft |
| A gap in the weather gave
a very pleasant day which was quite warm in the
valleys and brisk on the hills. Stewart Whitlie
tied with Mark Harris of Fife AC to win (both
also V40s) in 2:56. Jasmine was leading lady
finishing in 3:14:07. 18 Carnethies took part. I
came almost last, beating the cutoff by 3 minutes
as my legs gave up after 11.5 miles,
to find I'd lost my car key somewhere along the
way. After a lot of shenanigans, stress & breaking
into my van twice the spare was found under the
front seat. Big thanks to all my rescuers. Beware
holey
shorts! A shame I couldn't
really enjoy the splendid prizegiving, with lovely
beer,
food and prizes galore. A great event. |
Map - there
are two main variations (though not much difference
in distance) on the route.
After turning off
the road at the start and having gone up the
farm track to the start of the footpath, Grieston
Hill can either be taken direct with a steeper
ascent, or traversed around to the left on
footpaths losing a little height but with a
gentler ascent.
From
there on the way is largely on paths, some
boggier than others, with some trackless heather
descents eg Birkscairn to Glensax, parts of
Stob Law to Glenrath. But the heather is quite
short and the route is obvious or marked (the
descent to Glenrath).
At Trahenna
I went round the south side of Louden Knowe
Wood as there was a wide beaten down swathe
through the bog grass leading to a path, but
the better option would have been to go to
the north of it and a path up the valley. The
going from the stile at the small loch to the wood
is trackless through long boggy grassin a direct line
but you could alternatively follow the land rover
track around the knoll to link to the path.
The rest of the route is unmarked apart from a couple
of key points eg the turn to the break in the forest
up Whitelaw Hill. The route is at places dictated by
landowners so marshalls may direct runners in particular
directions which should be followed.
Digby |
Start is on left,
finish at right.
|
Checkpoints:
1 - Birkscairn Hill
2 - Hundleshope Hill
3 - Stob Law
4 - Glenrath Farm (drinks station)
5 - Whitelaw
Hill
|
6 - Stobo Home Farm (drinks station)
7 - Trahenna Hill
8 - Ratchill Farm
9 - Broughton Ales Finish |
| After Grieston Hill and heading towards Birkscairn
Hill |
Report
by Race Organisers, Peter & Elsie:
The race attracted another
large field with 140 entries and 124 starters,
not including Mr Wall, who decided to walk
under his own steam.The weather was kind with
a cooling breeze and warm sunshine - what a
change from the rest of the month.
Stewart
Whitlie and Mark Harris decided to disappoint
the cheering hordes at the finish by refusing
to sprint, finishing together in gentlemanly
fashion. Chivalry is not dead!
The ladies race
was won by Jasmin Paris for Carnethy, but even
she could not hold off the HBT ladies who took
first ladies team prize. The men's team prize
was won by HBT with three in the top eight.
The
Breweries is a classic race, with great support
from both Breweries, the folk from Broughton
and further afield, who turn up an spend the
day on the hill looking after runners regardless
of the weather. Only issue marring the day
was a runner abusing a marshal when we were
trying to ensure the official fence crossing
agreed with the farmer was used - disqualification
next time.
That aside, We had a wonderful day.
How many race organisers can say that, I wonder?
Many, many thanks to all who made it happen
so successfully.
Peter and Elsie |
