Dumyat Dash

Nice run at Dumyat on a new shorter course. The race starts in Menstrie at the southern foot of the Ochils. The race started with a steep lung busting climb and then a section of around a km skirting the hill before a long painful climb to the summit at 418 m height. Great downhill charge back to the start again.

Results not in yet but felt I'd done reasonably well.

Everything Is Going To Be Alright

My second night orienteering event of the season was at the very challenging Dean Village. Some really tricky controls near the start with multiple levels to deal with. Got round most of them pretty efficiently. From control 8 onwards the course headed out to some much longer legs along the Queensferry Road.

Control 11 was a complex long route with a very nice route through the museum of modern art and behind it to cross the river. The glowing signage on the building and some smooth running suggested this was going to be a fine night.

Sadly it wasn't to prove to be so as the gates at the back of the museum were all locked and long alternative route via the Britannia Hotel had to be found.

The rest of the route through the West End was relatively straightforward but fairly length legs. Just over an hour long in total running time.

Tinto Twin

Did just the day event at the Tinto Twin down at Happendon Wood near Biggar. The weather wasn't nice but the small area was pretty good and challenging. Was going OK until control 11 when I got a bit lost and then dropped and lost my compass. A bit worried for a while as I suddenly realised I had no idea which direction was which. Followed a few runners until I hit a small path and followed it until I worked out where I was (finding a control I'd been to before). Navigated back to the car park. First non-finish in a very long time.

Night Orienteering in Edinburgh City Centre

The Fight With The Night orienteering series for 2014/15 started with an Edinburgh City Centre course. Decided to give the long course a go which should be fine for urban courses but may be a struggle in the forest courses.

Started from the University Infomatics building and felt pretty solid running. Having orienteered in the city many times the courses are starting to get a bit easier - even in the dark.

For control 13 however my brain stopped functioning and I headed to wrong block altogether and started heading down a very dark and narrow close only to find a group of 4 junkies making themselves comfortable for the night. Not sure who was more frightened as I'm sure they weren't expecting to see some-one in bright green and yellow O-Shirt with a head torch disturbing their activities. After a swift retreat I realised how far off course I was.

Great fun and apart from ending up on the wrong level 3 times a reasonably good run.

Glen Tilt Munros

A second day out in the hills near Blair Atholl. A reasonably early start having stayed over in Pitlochry on Monday night. Left the car in the Glen Tilt car park with the thermometer at -1.5 degrees.

A long cycle up the Glen Tilt valley up to Forest Lodge where I headed up the steep hill towards Carn a Chlamain. It looked really close on the map but as ever seemed to be much further in practice.

Hit the wrong track on the way back and headed off on the alternative route for a while before heading across rough ground back to the intended trail.

A quick sandwich and drink before cycling further up the valley for the next 2 munros. A big horseshoe to do Braigh Coire Cruinn-bhalgain and Carn nan Gabhar. I had already done Carn Liath on its own with Max a few years ago. It was pretty long and tough making it round these two and around 4.30 in the evening before I got down to the bike.

An hours cycle back to the car.

Total distance around 33 miles in 8 hrs 45 minutes and 7000 ft of ascent.

Beinn Dearg 1008 m

A very remote munro indeed. I started from the Glen Tilt car park in Blair Atholl and got on the mountain bike for a long cycle out into the wilds. The track was good and the cycling pleasant on what was generally a steady and fairly manageable incline.

Reached a remote bothy after about an hour and a half and left the bike to start the serious climb on foot. An easy enough ascent with paths most of the way and as always somewhat further than expected to finally get to the summit.

The cycle back was fast - there must have been more ascent than I realised on the way up.

Total time for the journey was 4 hrs 47 min covering 19.75 miles and 3300 ft of ascent.

Walk from Milngavie

Nice walk along part of the West Highland Way and then back through Mugdock Park. Around 9.5 miles in total.

SOSOL 2 at Tentsmuir

Tentsmuir is a fabulous forest on the coast between Dundee and St Andrews. A nice sunny day and nice clean forest with enough paths to make navigation relatively easy. Very runnable throughout. Very enjoyable.

Les's Birthday Walk & Dinner

Les was celebrating his 60th birthday. Headed out for a walk in the Pentlands with Les and a group of his old university friends. The weather was kind and the rains disappeared and gave us a clear sunny afternoon.

Later in the evening we went out to Charwood for a very nice dinner. Steaks and Cranachan recommended.

I Origins

Really enjoyed I Origins at Cineworld.

SOSOL 1 - Loch Ordie

A new area for me to the North of Dunkeld on high rough moorland. We had a really beautiful day for it with clear skys and 16 degree temperature. The ground underfoot was very rough though and in spite of no forest the navigation was tough. Around 2 hrs 15 mins on the Brown course in last position.

Craig A Barns - Scottish O League

Nice day out orienteering. Long and difficult.

Walk in the Ochills

Walk up into the hills from Tillicoultry. Proved to be a little too steep and long for Cherry. Still a nice 2 hour walk even if not quite as far as planned.

Ben More and Stob Beinein

Grabbed a days holiday on the back of a favourable weather forecast and headed out towards Crianlarich for a bit of Munro bagging. The weather was nice at the foot of the hill but turned cold and windy from around 1000 m upwards. It was a bit of a long hard slog straight up the 16th largest hill in Scotland but I seemed to make pretty good speed with it. Very nice day out.

Richard Thompson

Last event of the Festival this year was another trip to the Queens hall to watch guitar legend Richard Thompson. I've a few of his records but none of the songs played this evening. Overall a little disappointing.

Pentland Hill Walk

A practice walk for Les in preparation for his 60th birthday walk in October. It didn't start well with two major road diversions meaning we couldn't get to our planned start point. After a major rethink of walk we started at a new location for me and enjoyed a fairly flat path and trail on the Northern flanks of the hills. It turned out quite a pleasant route of around 5.6 miles in 2 hours that was pretty comfortable going or everyone.

Feral & Lands of Glass

Cherry and Hannah went to see Feral which was very good and Colin, Cherry and Hannah went to see Lands of Glass later in the day. This was not so good!

Carnethy Red Moss Handicap Race

My second outing at a handicap race and it quickly clear that the handicapper had been less than kind with a number of runners passing me in the first mile. Later on there appeared to be many shortcuts taken by other runners whilst I stuck firmly to the proper course. Came in very near the back but enjoyed the pleasant run and at least it should help with the handicap for next time.

Rachel Sermani

Thursday night at the Queens Hall for a a show by Rachel Sermani playing thoughtful Scottish Folk Music. Good show and a talent that should develop over the years to come.

Philiphaugh Hill Race

A trek down to Selkirk for another race by the team who put on a similar but longer event in January. Once again a fabulously well organised event with ample marshals along a route that might otherwise have lost quite a few runners. No big climbs in this just a steady ascent over 3 miles and then gently down over the next 6. Form wasn't great but really enjoyable race.

Went out for a couple of hours on the mountain bike afterwards. Very heavy rain meant this wasn't much fun!

Alba Flamenca and Alex Horne (Monsieur Butterfly)

First two shows in the Festival this year.

Alba Flamenca was trying something a bit different this year with a blend of dancing styles with a bit of Flamenco, Belly Dancing and Indian dance with a taped story setting the context. It didn't quite work but some very impressive dancing nevertheless.

Alex Horne was good fun with a show build around the creation of a Rube Goldberg style machine.

North Berwick Law Hill Race

A beautiful summer evening for this fantastic little race from the harbour of North Berwick to the top of the Law and back. Great crowds cheering you into the finish.

Ran reasonably well but quite a lot slower than my last effort at the race.