Rain And No Running

Ben Nevis Inn

 We've had a  quiet weekend with little running as both of us have had colds and the weather has been  wet. This has given me more time to sketch out and about and  to paint  indoors.
 We had a coffee and a snack at one of our favourite haunts; the Ben Nevis Inn . This is decked out like an alpine style hut and  has a single large window facing  out on to the Ben path through which the light streams even on a dull wet day. The little sketch below is from the West End car park in Fort William looking  out on to Loch Linnhe.

Below are two pictures I've been working  on this weekend . They are too large for our scanner so I've photographed them which is why the images are poor quality. I hope to sell them in our local gallery.

Arisaig Bay

Commando Memorial At Sunset

Bridge of Orchy Runs

Glen Etive

 We've had a couple of good runs from Bridge of Orchy to Fort William recently.
 It is one of my favourite runs and a really good test of fitness without being too exhausting. We can get a cheap train ticket to Bridge of Orchy from home and start running just ater 9 am. Once over the hill behind the hotel there is a short section of tarmac then on to Telford's road. Built in 1803 it was the main road until 1933 but is now a remote track over Rhannoch Moor. The cobbles are still there and are hard on the feet ! Once you get to Kingshouse you feel you've done something, but it is wonderful; the mountains of Glencoe and Glen Etive are all around and only the busy A82 detracts from the wild beauty of the place.
The next hurdle is the Devil's Staircase apparently named by hard pressed soldiers on road building duties in the time  of General Wade. Later workers on the Blackwater dam would use the route to get to the Kingshouse Hotel to spend their wages on a Friday night. Returning was sometimes more difficult than anticipated! I like the staircase but dislike the track into Kinlochleven which is steep and gravelly and although downhill seems to go for ever.
Kinlochleven is a good place to get drinks or food before the steep climb onto  the Lairig Mor( big pass)  and consists of 15miles of   undulating rocky track through the mountains. Just now the heather is in bloom giving  the hillsides a beautiful purple tinge but even more striking is the wonderful smell of honey that fills the air.
 On the 2nd February 1645 The forces of Montrose chased the Campbells of Argyll through here after defeating them at the battle of Inverlochy. They must have been tough in those days to fight a battle then run through the Lairig Mor in the depths of winter!
The final stage of the run is the descent into Glen Nevis with the majestic Ben as backdrop.

Sunset  on the west coast