Lomond Hills. Revisited, Lost in the Fog

We had insane conditions here in March/April with so much snow. I've started a round of revisiting places I ran ... well, tried to run ... in the snow over these months. Last weekend I revisited the Broughton Marilyns and had a gorgeous excursion. This week, Friday the sun shone so bright, and I was excited by thoughts of a revisit to Tinto Hill, this time without snow, and perhaps a delirious 500ft scree descent into Maurice's Cleugh.

The weather in these parts likes to throw a curved ball. Saturday brought rain, and more rain, and more rain, real cats and dogs, like it might never end, then this morning we have a blanket of fog. I'm checking the weather reports, looks like no chance of clear conditions on Tinto today, so hurry up and make another plan. I've decided to head over the Firth of Forth to Fife and into the Lomond Hills. I was there in lots of snow on March 24, and it's one the places I've been hankering after a revisit now the snow is away. The forecast gives some hope that the fog will clear in the afternoon, and there are some great sights there to share.

Last time here I started from Falkland and ran up Maspie Den. Today I'm starting from the Craigmead car park higher up between East and West Lomond hills. It's noon and as I warm up the dominant theme here is the fog. I'm remembering my last time here and it's great to be running on the soft wet earth today instead of snow. The terrain is very wet up here after the rains of yesterday, but I'm running along a good track.

The beginning, the car park and picnic area at Craigmead

Nice to run on the soft earth today instead of snow

The terrain is wet here today ...

... but I have a good track to run along

I reach the approach to the summit of West Lomond Hill, I know it's right here in front of me, but it's hidden in the fog today. I start the ascent on the easy track and meet a couple of friendly walkers who kindly take a photograph. Now the steep gets going, when I was here in March this was covered in deep snow drifts, much easier today. Just one more short steep pull and the summit trig, cairn and shelters come into view. I stop here to consult the map. The plan is to drop into Glen Vale, ascend Bishop Hill, and take some pictures of the outstanding Carlin Maggie in a disused quarry below the summit. I am not familiar with the paths down to Glen Vale from here, I don't really want to spend a lot of time with map and compass navigation today, so I decide to change plan, and to backtrack.

West Lomond Hill is before me, somewhere

Running along the easy track on West Lomond Hill

Ascending West Lomond, this was deep snow drift the last time

Just one last pull ...

... and the summit appears through the mist

I've enjoyed a fast descent of West Lomond Hill and meet the same pair of walkers once more. They seek to walk around the hill, and avoid the ascent to the summit, and they are a little disoriented, we stop to pour over my OS Explorer map. Looks like the track they are on will reach a fence, and follow the fence to the left around the summit then back to the main track I've come along earlier. I decide to go this way, the fence is soon reached, and then I'm happy running along small paths through the heather. I reach a stile, and realize I have no idea where I am, I know only two things about where I am: I've never been here before; I probably shouldn't be here today. Out with the map and compass to triangulate position, but, ah, the fog, no landmarks are visible. Ho hum, alright, not much choice, backtrack to a known point. I've left no trail of breadcrumbs to follow, but I have left a trail of distinctive studmarks in the soft wet soil. The path starts to branch and I can't find studmarks at this time ... stop ... think ... this is no place to be lost today ... easy, there is only one summit here, West Lomond Hill, I just have to re-ascend and then I'm back on track. It's a tough ascent, all fours at times, avoiding disused quarries which appear like out of nowhere in front of me in the fog, but after some huffing and puffing the summit is regained.

Loving running along these tracks through the heather ...

... and enjoying the backtrack.

Re-ascending a dis-used quarry suddenly appears, take care now!

Summit of West Lomond regained.

I have an easy run now from here back to Craigmead. Along the way I meet a charming Jack Russel Terrier who I just have to stop and pet, and the humans are really friendly, lovely, the youngest of them insists on telling me his name is Perry. Returning to the car park I'm ruminating on where I'll go next ... down to the waterfall on the Maspie Burn or up over East Lomond Hill? I plump for the waterfall, all frozen and icicles the last time I was here, and with all the wet the burn could be in spate today.

Down through the grass toward Maspie Burn

Take care, muddy and slippy down to the waterfall.

Running behind the waterfall ...

... and from the viewpoint

I've got to backtrack now up to the car park once more. There's a group of three friendly mountain bikers on the path and we play leapfrog holding the gates open for one another. I find it hard work returning to the car park and start to think "that's enough" but it's only just over a mile to East Lomond Hill so off I go, a little bit mind over matter now. I'm running along stoney paths which were deep snow drifts when I was here in March. Before long I stand with the final ascent of East Lomond just in front of me, and it's lost in the fog. The weather forecast was wrong today, the fog never cleared. I know it's a steep slog up to the top with tired legs but after a while the summit viewfinder comes into sight ... on a clear day the views from here are far and wonderful, a great reward for the effort of the ascent. I take another stop to consult the map, I don't want to descend the same way I just ascended, it would not be good running, I have in mind thoughts of my last time here and how I can link descent towards the radio masts with a traverse back to the car park. I notice the fog thickening as I study the map, and there is a better looking path down ahead of me. Easy decision, away the map, and away the old plodder. It feels like no time at all and I'm heading down the last section of footpath back to the car park.

The track to East Lomond was deep snow drift in March

There, ahead of me the final ascent of East Lomond, you can see it, now? ...

... aha, well here it comes, huffing and puffing ...

... until the summit viewfinder is reached

Return to the car park at Craigmead, I'm done, tired, sore, and happy.

There's something a bit beguiling about running in the fog, stuff appears and dissappears so fast, it certainly adds a sense of adventure, and getting a little bit lost always adds to the excitement. I've had a good outing today, distance a shade short of 17km, total ascent about 640m, on the go for just under two hours and twenty minutes. I've met a surprising number of walker groups, almost all very friendly, and three really friendly mountain bikers. I'll be back here on a clear day sometime, the views can be fantastic. Right now I have an hour or so of drive back home and then cook up a bbq supper for the family, yum!

Enjoy!