Club Races

Westerlands organise 7 open hill races: Whangie Whizz, Ben Lomond, Kilpatricks, Cort-ma Law, Arrochar Alps, Two Breweries, and Run of the Mill. Full information for all these races can be found at Scottish Hill Racing.

For any of these races (even the Whangie Whizz and the Kilpatricks), the organiser may require you to carry full body cover, map, compass, and whistle. Please be prepared for this when you arrive, even if the race category doesn't strictly demand it (e.g. BM, BS). It's at the organiser's discretion. The Arrochar Alps always requires full waterproof body cover, not just windproof.

Whangie Whizz - More details

Venue: Queen's View Car Park, Carbeth, near Glasgow
Distance: 6.5 km
Climb: 250 metres
Next race: April 2012

The route begins next to Queens View car park and follows the tourist path past the Whangie to a short section of vehicle track before doubling back over Auchineden Hill and dropping back onto the original track which is followed to the finish.

Grazing cattle have cut up the surfaces badly making the route less whizzy than it used to be, and in 2010 a new fence forced a change of route.

Note that car parking is not at the Queen's View - a free shuttle bus operates from the car park at the Carbeth Trout Fishery to take the runners to the start and return after the race.

Ben Lomond - More details

Venue: Rowardennan, Loch Lomond
Distance: 12 km
Climb: 980 metres
Next race: May 2012

Ben Lomond is one of the oldest races in the calendar. It used to be run by Dumbarton AAC but all the effort involved in preparing and running this sort of race became a bit much for the organisers and they started to ask for assistance from other clubs including Westerlands CCC. However, even with the assistance of others, the race folded and was not held in May of 1995.

Westerlands decided to pick up the pieces and reintroduce the race on a trial basis in September of that year, on a much more low key basis than previously. This was reasonably successful, so it has continued in that vein, but back to the original May date.

Entries are via the SiEntries website, and entries for the 2011 race opened at 20:00 on 14th February 2011.

Kilpatricks Hill Race - More details

Venue: Old Kilpatrick
Distance: 10 km
Climb: 450 metres
Next race: June 2012

A long-standing race which became a Westerlands production in 2007. The race has a surprise item to aid fence crossing. This varies each year from coffee table, old chair, to straw bale. Prize giving theme in 2009 was bathtime - towels and bubbles!! (as well as the usual alcohol, for those of you who find Radox undrinkable).

Cort-ma Law - More details

Venue: Crow Road, Lennoxtown
Distance: 10 km
Climb: 560 metres
Next race: June 2012

The Cort-ma Law race was first run in 1985. It is commonly held in June and proves rather popular with an average showing of about 50 runners. Please remember that this race is a category AM race, so windproof body cover, map, compass and whistle are mandatory equipment. The race is open to those who are aged 16 or over at the start of the year.

At 6 miles and 1700 feet it is a good tough workout. The course follows a fairly clear path although the bogs remain a deep and wet proposition.

The most memorable event related to this race has nothing to do with Mark Rigby running towards the wrong hill, or Isabel Coombs being carried off the hill by some rather excited ambulance men, but the now infamous Map and Compass War Dance performed by the original race organiser Big Al Campbell one year. The dance turned into an annual event that attracted large numbers in its own right. Sadly Big Al no longer organises the race so the spectacle of will remain only in the memory of those who witnessed it. Shame!

Arrochar Alps - More details

Venue: Arrochar, Argyll
Distance: 22 km
Climb: 2400 metres
Next race: 25th June 2011

This is a tough mountain race and should not be undertaken lightly.

The race was created in 1987 and was run annually until 1992, before being abandoned due to repeated bad weather. 15 years later, Jason Kaushal and Westerlands resurrected this race for 2007, and the race has now been run several times in the modern era, each time in awful weather!

Course records:-
Men: Billy Bland 3:07:39 (1987)
Women: Andrea Priestley 4:06:46 (2010)

Two Breweries - More details

Venue: Traquair to Broughton
Distance: 30 km
Climb: 1480 metres
Next race: 24th September 2011

The race starts outside Traquair House and finishes at the Broughton Ales Brewery.

Based upon an original idea by Andy Curtis, the race can be divided into 2 halves. The first follows climbs and descents over heathery Scottish border hills. The second half has less climbing and more running on farm tracks. The final section over Trahenna Hill is particularly arduous.

Run of the Mill - More details

Venue: Alva
Distance: 14.5 km
Climb: 850m
Next race: 23rd October 2011

A new race for 2010, to raise funds for the Scottish Hill Racing website.

A very runnable route, starting in Alva and following a track through Woodland Park to Tillicoultry, where there is a sharp climb to follow the path towards Kings Seat. The gradient eases and runners head across to Andrew Gannel Hill, then on to the high point of Ben Cleuch. A sharp drop leads to the jog up to Ben Ever, then it's a fast and furious descent back to Alva.