Scottish Hill Running Relay Championships

Comrie Relay Championship HQ

It was late August, a mellow, sunny day that was just perfect. Gregor collected me for the journey up to Comrie, a picture-book village on the edge of the Highlands set in glorious landscapes. The Comrie Relay Races have been going for 19 years and were selected to host the Scottish Hill Running Relay Championships. The setting was mesmeric on the edge of the village, at the cricket ground with the pavilion built on a south-facing slope that was nature's design for basking in the sun as autumn beckoned. 

It was Gregor's first hill race. He had been invited to join the new Queen's Park Athletic Club, which had broken away from Shettleston Harriers earlier in the year. He had joined the previous week and been selected to run the first leg for the V40 team. It was serendipity that we had lived next to Queen's Park for seven years. In the year before Gregor was born, I started running competitively again, beginning with a half marathon in June 1983 and then the Glasgow Marathon in September. My training was largely around Queen's Park most evenings, trying to achieve a PB on every run.

Gregor had raced for ten years entirely on the roads; he had run 2 hours 21 minutes for the marathon and been selected to represent Scotland at International Events. He had always enjoyed running in the hills but was hesitant about competing in hill races. After his 420-mile run up Scotland earlier this year, much of it on trails and in the mountains, he was open to giving hill running a go when Queen's Park called.

When Gregor went for his warm-up before the start of the race, I set off for the first changeover point, walking up Glen Lednock on the Laggan trail, initially on the route of the first leg of the race, then climbing more directly through the spectacular native woodland and crossing the River Lednock on the Shaking Bridge. Across the river was the Lord Melville Monument at the top of Dun Mor. To the north were the craggy slopes below Ben Chonzie that were ascended on the third leg of the relays. 

The handover station was buzzing with 50 or so runners who were to take over on the second leg. I met Matt Ogston, an old running partner, who was a marshal, and Malcolm Patterson, the coach of Queen's Park AC. He was one of many who had transferred from Shettleston Harriers. He had a clear objective for Queen’s Park AC  to become competitive with tthe all-conquering Carnethy Hill Running Club, Scotland's premier hill running club. He seemed to know a lot about me from other runners I had competed with in the 1980s and 90s. I have always regretted that I didn't have the time to train and race for hill running and only competed in about ten races, although I did manage a dozen 2-day mountain marathons. The enthusiasm of the hill runners today reminded me of the easy friendship and companionship that is given in hill running circles. 

Gregor made a good start on the first leg, plugging his transponder chip at the handover station in third place, a couple of minutes behind Carnethy. He decided to run up the Glen to the next handover point to support his team. I returned down the west side of Glen Lednock and called in for a coffee in Comrie before returning to the cricket ground in time for the finish. Carnethy won in 3 hours and 5 minutes, a new course record. Queen's Park men's team came second and the women's team third,  whilst the V40 team were the first vets team home. 

The afternoon sun was beating down on the slope in front of the cricket pitch as the runners arrived and soaked up the sun and some seriously good food served by Strathearn Harriers. A perfect place to enjoy a grand day out and the companionship of the hill running fraternity, complete with happy children and well-exercised dogs. The last team arrived in just less than 5 hours as the prize-giving began. Every team that came in got a rousing reception from the crowd on the hill. There were no fools here.

Path in the Laggan Wood

Second leg summit - Crappich Hill

Lord Melville's Monument on Dun Mor

Shaking Bridge over River Lednock

Handover point for second leg

G finishing first leg

Time to relax at the finish

Queen's Park win V40 team prize - beer

Running Scotland

Start at Kirk Yetholm

Cape Wrath

I have just returned from Cape Wrath, where Gregor ended his mammoth marathon-a-day run from Kirk Yetholm on the border with England to Cape Wrath. 420 miles in 17 days was a big ask, and, according to the lady in the cafe at Cape Wrath, it was the first time she was aware that anyone had run the entire Great Scottish Trail. The Cape Wrath Trail is the more usual long-distance run, but it starts at Fort William, which was Day 9 of Gregor's run. Running Scotland was in memory of Aileen and to raise funds for the Starthcarron Hospice. They had provided carers for Aileen for 12 weeks after she was discharged from hospital with terminal cancer, and where she spent her final days.

Gregor had spent several months planning the event, which was intended to be solo and working on a plan of roughly a marathon a day. Until Crianlarich (Falls of Falloch), it would be possible to get overnight accommodation with friends, relatives, at home or with me. I would drop him off in the morning and/or collect him at the end of most days. Hostel accommodation was booked in Glencoe, Fort William, and the Great Glen. Beyond that, it was difficult to find accommodation, so we hired a camper van for the final week. I returned from Fort William to collect the van from Glasgow and headed up to the Cluanie Inn, where Gregor had ended Day 10. 

On ten of the days, Gregor ran solo, but running friends, upon hearing of the Run, offered to accompany him on some of them. He had a couple of ultra runners with him on Day 3 over the Pentlands. An Edinburgh friend from the Scottish International team joined him along the Forth Clyde Canal on Day 4, and a schoolmate ran with him from the Falkirk Wheel to Denny. Another running friend accompanied him from Carron Valley Reservoir to Balfron on Day 5. His sister cycled with him on Days 9 and 10 as far as Kingie, and a Glasgow running friend accompanied him on Day 10 over the mountains to the Cluanie Inn. On Day 11, he was joined by an ultra runner from Argyll for the second part of the Day from Morvich to Killilan. On Day 12, a running acquaintance on holiday in Plockton who had been following his Instagram daily posts joined him for the Killilan to Strathcarron section. Thereafter, he was solo for the final 5 days

Kirk Yetholm to Cape Wrath in 17 Days

Date        Route                                                     Distance      Ascent  Time 

14 May    Kirk Yetholm - Bowden                            39.9km        759m    3hr 19min 

15 May    Bowden - Peebles                                      39.5km        923m    3hr 32min

16 May    Peebles - Almondell, East Calder              38.2km        688m    3hr 32min 

17 May    Almondell - Denny                                   42.2km       169m    3hr 33min

18 May    Denny - Milton of Buchanan                     42.4km        531m   3hr 22min 

19 May    Milton of Buchanan - Falls of Falloch       42.9km      1075m   4hr 22min 

20 May    Falls of Falloch - Kingshouse                    42.6km       987m   3hr 51min 

21 May    Kingshouse - Fort William                         34.8km      998m    3hr 22min

22 May    Fort William - Glen Garry                          36.1km      312m    3hr 10min

23 May    Glen Garry - Cluanie Inn                            41.6km       994m   4hr   7min

24 May    Cluanie Inn - Killilan                                  37.6km      938m    4hr 14min   

25 May    Killilan - Kinlochewe                                  42.4km      917m    4hr  5min

26 May    Kinlochewe- Inverlael                                 38.7km      775m    3hr 57min

27 May    Inverlael - Glen Okyel                                  42.1km    1032m    4hr 4min  

28 May    Glen Oykel - Duartmore Bridge                   42.2km     1030m   4hr 51min

29 May    Duartmore Bridge - Oldshoremore               35.7km      970m     3hr 10min

30 May    Oldshoremore - Cape Wrath                         22.8km      589m     2hr 21min             

Totals                                                                           661.7km    14721m   62hrs 52mins             

The weather was not kind, although the first three days were dry with sunny periods. The day to Denny was a succession of heavy rainstorms; the Loch Lomond section was perpetual rain, as was the day from Kinghouse to Fort William.  And the next four days had rain showers with low cloud on the hills. Days 13 to 15 were blessed with sun, great visibility, and temperatures climbing to 23 °C by Day 15. They coincided with sections through the very best of Scottish Mountain scenery. Gregor took a deserved rest during the hottest day, having run from Okyel Glen to Inchnadamph. We retreated to the Elphin Tea Room for a couple of hours to escape the searing midday sun with good food and highland hospitality. It worked;  Gregor's batteries were recharged for the long run to Kylesku and then 4 kilometres further to Duartmore Bridge. We headed to Scourie to the campsite to spend the night and fill up with water.  

Finally, two dullish days in the wild, remote coastal areas of Sutherland with a glint of sunshine from Sandwood Bay to Cape Wrath. On these days, the hardest part of the day after the run was posting the day's account on Instagram and Strava. He had committed to including text, photos, drone shots and music. And then the complications were charging the phone, drone, AirPods and watch from the camper van battery. Most nights, we were parked in wild locations that I had found close to the end of the sections.

On the final day, I dropped Gregor at Oldshoremore, where he had finished the night before we had retreated to Kinlochbervie to eat at the excellent Quay House in the transformed Seaman's Mission. I drove to the Kyle of Durness to get an early place in the queue for the 12:15 ferry for myself, Emily and Amy, who were driving up from Aviemore to be at the finish. The tiny ferry across the Kyle of Durness resembles a large tin bath and dropped us at a jetty where we waited for the minibus and the 13-mile ride to Cape Wrath through the MoD shooting range on a track that is little more than a linear pothole. Gregor got there before us, and after photos and a coffee in the cafe, we returned to civvy street. 

Miles had been run, and funds had been raised, over £17,000 as I write this. Gregor had shown immense determination and perseverance to capture memories that will last a lifetime. An Instagram Log of the trip can be found on trossachs_trails, and an interview on the Young Hearts Run Free Podcast. young hearts run free

Day 2 - Overnight stop outside Peebles

Day 4 - Almondell, West Calder

Day 6 - Falls of Falloch, West Highland Way underpass 

Day 7 - Bridge of Orchy

Day 7 - Rannoch Moor

Day 9 Towards Glen Gary

Day10 - Wading towards Glen Shiel

Day 11 - Beinn Fhada from Morvich

Day 11 - Dropping down to Killilan

Day 12 Killilan

Day 12 - leaving Killilan

Day 12 - still a long way to Kinlochewe

Day 12 - Beinn Eighe from Kinlochewe

Day 13 - heading for Fisherfield

Day 13 - Skimming Fisherfield

Day 13 - Corrieshalloch Gorge, near Ullapool

Day 13 Bluebells near Inverlael

Day 14 An Teallach from above Inverlael

Day 14 - Okyel Bridge - a great tea in the Hotel

Day 14 - Glen Okyel overnight camp,  Suilven and Ben Stack

Day15 Ben More Assynt

Day 15 - approaching Inchnadamph

Day 15 Elphin Tea Room - lunch

Day15 - Unapool

Day 15 - Kylesku Bridge

Day 16 

Day 16 Final overnight in camper van at Oldshoremore

Day 17 Arriving at Sandwood Bay

Day 17 Sandwood Bay

Day 17 - Cape Wrath, Relax

Lochalsh

Skye Bridge from Kyle

It rained for most of the morning as I waited for news of my daughter and family who were flying up to Inverness from Luton. There were the inevitable delays as air travel had been disrupted by Storm Babet and a couple of planes had skidded off runways when landing. I had expected them to arrive at about 1 p.m. but it was unlikely to be before 3 p.m. by the time they landed,  hired a car, and travelled 75 miles to the cottage. I had always wanted to walk across the Skye Bridge and I needed one or two provisions so I drove to the Kyle of Lochalsh. I parked at the newish Coop at the start of the road to the bridge and started the walk from there. It was cold, damp, and windy but the bridge was preferable to a hill walk.

The Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust has built a centre along the road to the bridge and there were some odd-looking characters standing outside. They may have been the drivers of three STO category 2 lorries that were towing massive black speed boats that were parked across the road. I thought about asking but decided to keep walking, there was something ominous about the boats . There is a low-level bridge that crosses Eilean Ban, and the tide was ripping through faster than the South Esk River. Then the steep climb to the the main span of the bridge, high enough to let sea-going vessels through. I reached the high point and took photos of the Red Cuillin, Kyleakin, and back towards Kyle of Lochalsh. Even on a grey day, the views were impressive. 

Arriving back in Kyle I made a tour of the town with various marine vessels from Shetland and Orkney as well as the Hebridean Princess, the cruise ship on its penultimate tour of the year. I explored the railway station at the end of the most remote line in Britain. An old diesel multiple unit was ticking over but no passengers were around. Together with the throbbing diesel engines of the three vessels, it made me contemplate whether if we are to achieve net zero this would still be possible in 2030?

The family arrived after 4 p.m. along with the late afternoon sun. We unloaded and had a drink and I suggested a walk on the nearby stony beach at Fernaig. It was a revelation, the sun was setting over Plockton, wader birds were patrolling the shore, and a heron kept ahead of us as we beachcombed and engorged the refreshing sea air. "To think that we started the day in Luton", summed up the sense of scenic tranquility perfectly. It was holiday time.

Looking back to Kyle

Skye and the Red Cuillin

Kyleakin

Marine vessels

Kyle of Lochalsh Station and the Hebridean Princess

Fernaig Beach

Waving goodbye to Luton

Evening Mood