Lochore and Benarty

If you've ever driven south on the M90 from Perth to Edinburgh, you must have noticed a wee gem of a hill, standing steep over the shores of Loch Leven. This is Benarty Hill, one of the smallest of the Lomond Hills in Fife. I've been there once, walking with the family, long ago. We started from the north, at the RSPB nature reserve at Vane Farm, up what felt like endless steep steps through the trees, I'm planning a short running trip up Benarty Hill, but I'll start from the south, which I've read is easier going. I'm parked in Lochore Meadows Country Park, so the mixed-terrain run today will be a bit on the paths through the park around Lochore, and a bit on the rough up and over Benarty Hill, a kind of anti-clockwise figure-of-eight shape of a route.

Benarty Hill. viewed from the north.

Lochore, from near the visitor centre.

I've had about an hour of a drive to get here, so I'm starting mid-morning. Its fresh this morning, with a strong breeze, but at least its dry. There are quite a few folk about already, walking dogs, cycling, and fishing. Nevertheless a peaceful start, the main sounds are birds, and two skeins of geese above me, high in the sky (photo attempt was a complete fail, alas). I reach a junction and am unsure of position, but here to the left of an access road I spy a nice little path through the trees which I think heads in the general right direction. Well, it was a good path to run, it twisted and turned and lots of mud, but only lead me back onto the access road, and soon I am back at the Loch and I am back to running along the grass verges next to the asphalt/gravel footpaths (which looked so earthy and enticing on the map!).  Now a sharp right on tracks through the trees up Harran Hill, and loving the carpet of autumn leaf-fall on the floor.

Enticing side-trail through the trees ...

... loops me back onto the grass verges along the gravel/asphalt.

Autumnal carpet going up little Harran Hill, gorgeous.

Common question from beginner trail runners is "how do you find routes?". Well, I find the OS Explorer maps helpful (up to a point, more later), and the walker websites, and the mountain biker websites. I remember I read about the trails on Harran Hill on one of the mtb-er sites, perhaps here. The trail has been a not-steep but unrelenting punishing ascent (nice views through the trees to Lochore below), and then turns into steep switch-backs (yay, an excuse for a walking break, bring it on!). The descent is steep again and fast, camera stowed, one nav-fu error and back-track ... not all paths are marked on the maps. Soon after a brief section along rough road/track I must commence the ascent on Benarty Hill. There is a small car park spot here at the foot of the staircase and a mountain biker is making his preparations. Gulp that's quite a flight of steps, I'll give it my best as a run, but I think it will not be long before the gradient will reduce me to a walk. (I thought this was supposed to be an easier route from the south ...).

Loving the views through the trees down to Lochore ...

... and a welcome excuse for a walking-break.

Here starts the main climb of the day, up to Benarty Hill.

The climb feels relentless, over and over there is a short section where the gradient is nothing to think about, and then the steep steps start, and then easy going. I reach a junction which makes no sense according to the OS Explorer. To the right a lot of descent, to the left a lot of ascent, no other clues due to the absence of views through the dense forest. I opt for left, surely up has got to be the right choice, being as I'm climbing a hill. I soon meet a couple of local walkers, we try to figure out where I am on the map ... we get it wrong ... the path soon becomes narrow and a bit overgrown, I realize that I have turned left onto an un-marked track, and am now very much off-route. Maybe I should back-track, but this is such a lovely path ... then on a barely runnable, surely not bikeable, path I bump into a couple of mountain bikers, they know where we are, I am more than a mile off-course here, I receive good route advice. Steep and hard again but soon a gap in the wall to my left leads onto delightful small footpaths through the heather over the high moors. I've been contemplating the near landscape, the scattering of trees in the heather which have escaped the forest, and thinking a little how these are like shopping trolleys which have escaped the supermarket, and this gives me a little bit of a chuckle. In a brief moment of inner awareness, I realise that I have ceased, since I cannot remember when, to have had tiresome everyday mundane thoughts in my mind, now I am only thinking of here and now.

More steps :(

Wrong direction, yet right path ...

... and still better paths over the high moor :)

Escaptrees!!

Viz is good today, I can see the trig point in the distance, I am spurred on and soon upon the summit. There are great views from here, to the east over the beloved Paps of Fife, many memories, but I do not want a camera stop, I want to carry on running, along the undulating ridge to the west, as far as the craggy end and then turn south-east to descend. Lovely views over Loch Leven and Bishop Hill as I pause to catch breath after a steep climb. The path becomes weaker, its clear that fewer folks come along here, but as I glance over my shoulder I think to myself, folk are missing out if they do not have this view.

The trig point, the summit, at last ...

... and the beautiful route ahead along the undulating ridge. 

Lovely views down to Loch Leven and over Bishop Hill

The path now becomes the less trod ...

... but oh me oh my the views over the shoulder.

I am hearing the sounds of gun-shot, and in the distance I can make out some signs, and a red flag flying in the wind. Oh, yeah, the wind, its blowing something up here into my face which is impeding movement, some good resistance training, but I love it, its cooling my body which has become a little too much on the warm side. I'm running with a cap on my balding head, dont know why, maybe I was thinking there would be some Sun today ... there's not enough space in my bum-bag to stow the thing ... don't think I'll be doing this again any time soon. Anyway, I digress, seems there is a firing range ahead (not marked on the map, grr) and I must change route. Reaching a fence corner, progress ahead is out-of-bounds, so a quick check of the map is in order. Hop over the fence to my left and follow that back to original route plan, easy-peasy. One hand on the fence to climb, and ... BZZZT! ... I should have looked first, its electrified. No big deal, no pain, made me back off real quick ... must scare the heck out of the animals I'd guess. Over and down on rough ground, and then shucks, there's a whole herd of cattle in my path ahead. (I've been getting a bit more nervous about cattle recently.) Now, okay, these ones are (very) far away, but some do look (very) small (see what I did there?!) - I mean compared to the other of them. This means mothers with calves, I'll traverse across the rough and keep my distance.

Gah! Active firing range blocks my route ...

... and cattle will block my diversion.

The cattle started moving in my direction, ooh-aah, better get a fence between me and them. Luckily I found a spot where the electric line was a few feet away from the older rusted barbed wire - I should be able to duck under the electric wire and then clamber over old fence. Ducking part went well, followed by a short sharp shock of the posterior, but at least on this occasion no damage from the rusty barbs.  More rough ground and following animal tracks, the cattle trods were vicious holes in the half-dry mud, but lovely views ahead to Lochore. Had hoped to head east across fields to avoid a short section of road-work but did not feel like taking on another e-fence, at least there were lovely autumn colours along the road-side and the relief of escape into the leaf-clad trails through the trees came along soon enough.

Lovely views across the pasture to Lochore.

Autumn colours along the roadside ...

... and along the leafy trails.

The trails through the trees ended at some farm buildings and my plan was to turn to the west over fields back toward Lochore. Turned out this was the worst part of my day. In the first field a small group of cattle, no problem, they are a little distance away, go slow, all were placid enough. In the next field, larger group of cattle also a little distance away. Taking care not to approach the mothers with young calves, still a couple of cattle started to run toward me, and in a flash the whole herd was running right at me ... no time for the camera now ... yikes ... scared ... I turned around and sprinted toward the open gate, it was a close thing, eek ... I could not get the gate out of the mud ... luckily the cattle stopped and I was back in the first field. Now the cattle in the first field have become unsettled, the bull still in the second field is making a noise unknown to me, but must be language to them, and they start the chase ... another short sprint back along the track, eyeing the fence to my right just in case, and just and made it to a climb over the closed gate and safety. Completely breathless, adrenalin over-dosed, had to sit down on the road-side for a short rest. Consult the map, re-route, short jog along the roads and back onto the paths around the Loch. These paths are alas also asphalt and gravel at first, but crossing a footbridge I enjoy the view down the burn toward the Loch. I am getting tired now, my calves are a bit sore, but I'll be back at the car park soon, and I'm enjoying looking over the small wooded islets in the loch.

Wee burn feeding the loch ...

... and bonny wooded islets in the loch.

The gravel/asphalt path continues, my feet are not very grateful, but I spy a gate and a softer path. There is a sign at the gate, it warns users to close the gate, else cattle may stray onto the path, which can damage the path, and might be dangerous for users of the path, I think to myself, after recent experience, yes, good advice, and of course take care to ensure the gate is properly closed after I have passed through. Lovely running along the dirt across fields, and more lovely views of the wooded islets, happy me. Then, I see the last field before end of the path, and what is that ahead, its cattle anyway, and looks like they have young calves again. I am thinking, hmm, do I back-track, but I spot the dead-end of a path to a viewpoint in the trees to my right. So once more over a barbed fence, Most times I am very good with these fence jobs, but I am tiring, and my fence-fu is not at the best, and as my rear foot comes over the toe-bumper catches on a barb and I tumble. The water-bottle in the small of my back hits the ground first, another barb has torn the skin a little on the inner right thigh, the landing has grazed my left knee there is a trickle of blood, some small amount of pain ... just lie here for a couple of minutes to curse, and then up and on.

Lovely path through the fields alongside the loch.

Enjoying the sight of the wooded islets.

All good except for the cattle blocking the path ahead.

The soft leaf-carpeted trails from the fated fence crossing lead me back to the gravel/asphalt paths (they did look so earthily appealing on the map, perhaps me is an hopeless optimist). There is a small headland ahead, map says it is called Clune Craig, and I think I'd spotted a small break in the undergrowth, a path more appealing. Found and enjoyed, also the view up to Bencarty Hill. Breaking out of the undergrowth back onto the gravel/ashpalt path, startled a beautiful spaniel, who seemed to take umbrage at my arrival. The friendly owners tookc ontrol of the situation with kindness and grace ... I thought for a moment to relate the story of the cattle herd earlier, but thought best not, and scampered off back to the car park. Brief stop along the way to see if could help a walker who had twisted her ankle, in pain poor lass, and then to enjoy watching a few newfoundland's having a swim in the loch. Lots of folk here now, all good green fun and games exercise, lovin' it :)

Found some relief from the hard path .. 

... and savored the views to Benarty Hill in the distance.

That was, for me, a bit of a tough outing, I was running on empty, breakfast was a mug of tea on the drive to the start. Mixed-terrain, mixed-feelings, pretty much 16km dead, and about 420m total ascent, Few cattle incidents, one of which scared me, fortunately nothing too serious, two electric fence experiences, and one painful barbed fence climb fail. Lovely terrain and views on Benarty Hill. Very much recommending Lochore Meadows Country Park for road runners who prefer the asphalt/gravel, and could be a super (a bit too short) family cycling outing one day ... but not exactly the trail runners' paradise. Hey ho, we explore, we learn, there are up and downs, life would be much the worse without these experiences. I guess, overall has to be positive, these are lovely places to be, I could have been bored running the city streets instead, bah!

Enjoy!