Training Log Archive: Sludo

Glen Affric

Really enjoyable plod around the Black, if a bit epic. Making a few mistakes, struggling to concentrate but was moving OKish if slow for the first 80mins or so. Then the legs just kind of died, not sure whether it was hunger/thirst, fitness or last nights efforts, likely a combination of all! Ended up orienteering as much on instinct from glimpses at the map by the end.

Very well planned, some good long tough legs and tough forest. Well worth the trip.

Only 35 minutes being spongey........

in London Thurs/Fri so no training. shin was quite bad on Mon AM when woke up and Tues/Weds night training.... couldn'y have done much more. british has hammered the shin a bit. Another crap/hectic week at work, but at least left pre 10pm most nights :-) sanity should resume next week.

Lapaich and Carn Non Gobar.

Bit late setting off as was tieing few things off at work till midday but evening light was sufficient to squeeze something in once I'd got up north. Shin really not great on the track run out and most way round but threw caution to the wind. Met two chaps towards the end of the track who seemed a bit concerned that I was heading out at this hour with the last words being "look after yourself..." Anyhow mood was not dinted given the reports of limited snow up top and only one dodgy bit on Lapaich (1150m).

Was rough underfoot after a few km but awesome having the hill to myself and loads of deer. Climb up to Carn Non Gobar was lovely if tough and no snow to speak of, but could see quite a bit over on the bits of Lapaich that weren't in clouds. Already decided that two hills would be enough given shin/how slow I was going and didn't want to be running along snowy ridges in the dark. Down to the col at 800m then onto Lapaich which was now in mist with vis to <40m, managed to link up clear patches of snow mostly to top but followed some footprints that led up to a ridge that thinned out to a snow bridge. There were some footprints over it but no way I was risking it alone with sheer drops both sides, bit frustrating as I was only about 75m vertically from top.

Pootled back down in a bit of a boo but then caught glimpse of some different tracks further West, wary of fading light but I still had a good hour of reasonable light so went for another crack up a different route and got up fine ish, just one steep bit of slow but isolated and very wet so no risk. Breezy on top.

Lovely descent from the Col to the Loch in the last of the light - complete isolation and desolation through the terrain, and just about avoided the need for whipping the torch out. Great evening oot!