Beinn Ratha

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When I'd read past reports of this race it sounded like there would be mountainous tussocks, descents barely a degree off vertical, bog that would make Indiana Jones squirm with unease all set in wilderness at the ends of the earth. And to top it all apparently it's the kind of terrain that Manny loves ....! So, I had no expectation of being able to run any of the 12km, more just enjoy being out in an understatedly scenic part of Scotland.

Chris and Ellie, on a northern Easter jaunt, joined me at the start and we set briskly off along a very runnable track: so far so good. After 4km the route then heads up the side of Beinn Ratha and eventually slackens off allowing a run to the summit cairn. And what views from there. The flow country laid out in splendid flatness and on the horizon hazy profiles of distant hills (Ben Loyal/Morven? - not sure but they look impressive). The descent was blissfully short and led onto the final grassy climb before a heathery 4km coast downhill with plenty of flapping markers to guide on the way to a final fast (ish) tarmac mile. My torture-by-tussock bog-battling imaginings happily never materialised!

Magic race .. really good route and fantastic wild feel to it with a delicious post-race tea and cake fest (well worth the drive for this alone). Medals for all and we three Westies all left with some glassware: Ellie 1st Female, Chris 2nd Male Vet and me, well I was 2nd lady but now it seems I'm am old lady (at 35!!!) so was 1st Female Vet.

Posted by cat miller on Sun 24 Apr 2011 | 3 comments

Category Hill Race