It’s all downhill from here!
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
"Brakes off, brain off” is the mantra needed for running downhill in the mountains, I’m told at the summit of a Corbett I’ve wanted to climb for some time.
At 849 metres above sea level, Bac an Eich stands tall above the end of the road down Strathconon, and I’ve joined a couple of members of the Highland Hill Runners – Jonathan Appleby and Alex Sutherland – in the ascent.
I can understand what they mean as I hurtle down the snow-covered hillside – at least it felt like I was hurtling down, though in reality I suspect they were taking it easy for me. Still, trying to stop yourself is almost impossible once you get going, and the question of what might happen if you were to trip doesn’t bear thinking about!
It’s less than an hour-and-a-half since we left the car at Inverchoran, and it feels bizarre to have already reached our goal for the day. As a regular hillwalker, I’m used to spending all day on the mountains, but this time I was home in time for lunch.
This was a tough introduction to hill running, though. After passing the house, we climbed steeply up the track and my calf muscles were quickly burning. Next there was a river crossing to negotiate before suddenly we were heading up through grass and heather on a slope that it was impossible to run up.
These sections of walking and almost scrambling in places seem to be an accepted part of the hill-running adventure, and it is on the downhill where these guys show what sets them apart.
We continued uphill, jogging in short bursts here and there where it seemed possible, leaping in, over and through peat hags until Loch Toll Lochain came into view.
Across Glen Orrin we had a spectacular view of the Strathfarrar Munros, resplendent in a fresh covering of snow from the night before. Despite the already tired legs, I thought how wonderful it was to be up here on this beautifully sunny morning. We couldn’t have asked for more.
From this direction, Bac an Eich’s summit ridge is gained via a seriously steep climb to Sgurr Toll Lochain, and all three of us clambered up this slope, Alex leading the way, until it eventually eased.
Bac an Eich is a beautiful hill and the views from the summit, which we reached at a gentle jogging pace most of the way along the easy ridge, were panoramic. There was fresh snow up here too, and it was cold and perfectly clear as we took a brief break at the trig point.
My main problem on the downhill was that I was up here in my everyday running shoes, with about as much grip on this terrain as a sledge! Jonathan and Alex both had Innov8 shoes specifically designed for this kind of stuff, so I had to be extra careful as we ran down the snow then onto what turned out to be even more slippery grass and mud.
Thankfully I didn’t end up flat on my face, though I wasn’t too far off on a couple of occasions!
We soon came down into the glen and crossed the Allt Gleann Chorainn to meet the track which leads back to Inverchoran, crossing the river more times than my soaking wet feet care to remember on the way.
Despite the icy cold water, my first day – or I should say morning – out hill running was memorable for all the right reasons. In all, we were only out for two hours and 40 minutes, yet we’d climbed a proper mountain and done it without the usual heavy load of gear I would carry as a well-prepared hillwalker.
Alex explains that hill runners have a “heightened awareness of our vulnerability”, but says it’s a balance between being able to move more freely through the hills and being ready for any emergency.
For me, hill running could well be a new way to enjoy the great outdoors, as well as fit in a few more outings without taking up so much time. All I need to do is get myself some decent footwear!
Highland Hill Runners
* Highland Hill Runners is a running club based in the Inverness and Easter Ross areas, catering for all standards of hill, road and cross-country running.
* New members are welcome at any training venue.
* The club also organises hill races at Knockfarrel, Cioch Mor, Slioch, Fyrish and Meall a’ Bhuchaille (Cairngorms).
* For more information, visit www.highlandhillrunners.org.uk or email highlandhillrunners@yahoo.co.uk
