Finally! A couple of weeks after everyone else, I get a run in the snow!

[swanscot]

I admit I've been very envious recently when many of you fellow runners (from down south, no less!) were blogging about fun runs in the snow, and here I was - way up at 59°North - with not a spot of snow! Such a contrast to two winters ago. Yesterday we finally got a wee covering and I was determined I'd get out and enjoy it. Today I was lucky threefold: 1) eldest son was off work so I could get the use of his car (which is really my car, that he has on semi-permanent loan) 2) running son was free so he could accompany me (and carry the extra gear - map, compass, YakTrax) and 3) the sun was shining briefly during our run. We headed to Abriachan Community Woodland - a local community-owned woodland high on the hills above Loch Ness.

We ran a 4.5km circuit starting in the coniferous forest that the community owners are slowly harvesting and replacing with native trees.

The path rises up quite steeply to the open moorland above the forest and leads to the summit of Carn na Leitire.

flickr.com/photos/swan-scot...

This gives superb views north over Loch Ness and west to the hills of Glen Strathfarrar, Glen Affric and beyond.

The fresh snow that had fallen yesterday afternoon had frozen a wee bit overnight and had just enough of a 'bite' to it that I didn't need to wear the YakTrax that son was carrying for me.

There was only one other set of footprints leading to the summit and on the descent route I was running on untouched snow. This meant the snow had not become compacted and icy and felt safe to run on, although I had to 'ca' canny' since I was wearing road running shoes, but plan to get trail shoes.

More photos on my Wordpress blog:

swanscot.wordpress.com/2013...

[SBG356 Graduate]

You can be envious of us soft southerners having had snow to run in Sheila but I am more envious of your running "track" - Amazing!! Funny though that this has been your first chance of running in it.......great isn't it?! Lovely you could share it with your son or should that be Sherpa??!

Great photos as always and you have a new follower here

Sue

ps another excuse for gear shopping; love it!!

[swanscot Graduate in reply to SBG356]

> Lovely you could share it with your son or should that be Sherpa??!

I, was carrying my own clothing, but with that Id didn't have room in my belt bag for anything else.

> ps another excuse for gear shopping; love it!!

Trail shoes have been on my list for a while now, but with the injury and 6 week no-running 'ban' (by my physio) and now gentle re-start, I've not rushed out to purchase them. Now I'm waiting to see if the local running shop (Run 4 It) do an offer for the 5x50 Challenge as they did last year.

[greenlegs Graduate]

Oooooh! That does look lovely - thank you for sharing it. And aren't you lucky to have a sherpa-son!

[greenlegs Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Just had a look at your blog - ooh someone else who likes mosses and lichens! and books!

I also now know that swanscot isn't swans-cot, as I've been reading it, but swan-scot! Which makes more sense really!

[swanscot Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

> ooh someone else who likes mosses and lichens!

Oh, you too, enjoy the miniature landscapes in our wonderful natural world? I think mosses and lichens are so often overlooked yet the variety is amazing.

and books!

> I'm way behind in writing the reviews for outdoors related books for my blog.

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Breath-taking, glad you got out and enjoyed

[notbad Graduate]

Gorgeous - I now have terminal scenic envy! It's weird that you didn't have any snow when we all did, but glad you got to enjoy it eventually. Ca' canny!