Another wonderful trail run

[swanscot]

Yesterday I was fortunate to have a few free hours, to have use of my car (usually in use by DS1 although it is mine!) and decent weather in the form of sunny intervals between the showers.

I tackled one of the woodland routes I'd identified. I'd seen this route as a shorter walk on the WalkHighlands* website, and extended it to it my current LSD (Long Slow Distance) run length of about15 km.

It was a great route, with lochs, a canal, boats, woodland paths and even a castle!

I've written a wee speil and share more photos on my wordpress blog:

swanscot.wordpress.com/2013...

*(walkhighlands.co.uk/ is a brilliant site giving routes for walks across all of Scotland and sharing maps, GPX files, route profiles and route descriptions)

[Malcy Graduate]

Lovely photos on your blog page - you're very lucky to have this as your back garden!

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Malcy]

Thank you, yes living up here in the far north has its advantages.

[Cazvs Graduate]

That looks beautiful! You're so lucky to have such gorgeous routes near you.

I really want to start trail running but daren't go charging around the woods on my own. Hopefully we'll be getting a dog later on in the year so I'll have some company.

Do you wear different kit to road running, is it leggings and long sleeves rather than shorts and a vest?

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Cazvs]

Apart from trail shoes I wear whatever I'd wear for a road run. That may be t-shirt and shorts or like yesterday when we had a cold wind, capri pants and shirt.

However I carry a waist bag with stuff I don't carry for a road run: a water bottle, thin windshirt (wind- and water-resistant), buff, gloves, A4 printed map, camera and 'first aid kit' which currently comprises about 5 sticky plasters and nothing else - I suppose I should put together something a bit more substantial!

After yesterday's run I stopped in the running shop in town and bought a new waist bag. My son gave me one for Christmas, but no matter how I adjust the waist strap and the compression straps, I could not get it to fit comfortably. I hope the new one fits better.

[Cazvs Graduate in reply to swanscot]

Thanks for the tips! I've struggled with a running belt too, unless I did it up tight it bounced around everywhere, but when it was tight it was uncomfortable. Might be because I bought a cheapo one or it might be my body shape (big hips, little waist).

[Landesman Graduate]

Great blog, swanscot. And thanks so much for the photos.

I'd love to do that - the surroundings look so spectacular and so beautiful. I have lots of opportunity here with the Pyrenees nearby (in which we go hiking), but haven't yet got the strength or stamina to cope with running in the hills, or even the foothills. So for the time being I'm sticking to sea level - but onwards and upwards (in time)...

[swanscot Graduate in reply to Landesman]

Your surrounding hills and mountains are substantially bigger than what we have here in Scotland, so will be a major undertaking!

[greenlegs Graduate]

Oh, what a lovely run, and beautiful photos. (Bit long and hilly for me, but I enjoyed reading about it very much!) We had a holiday in a boat on Loch Ness a few years ago, and I remember seeing those boat hulks - very atmospheric.

I'm now off to find more photos of the castle - the children I work with were writing about castles today, and I was supporting a little Polish girl who does not know very much English yet, and she struggled to find the words to describe a castle. I think that one would be lovely for us to look at together and talk about! (Her castle had pink and purple spots!!!)

Lovely blog.

[swanscot Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

You'll find lots of photos of Aldourie Castle online since it is available for holiday lets.