Running the Southern Upland Wa
y. (have subject line lengths been shortened?)
Following my jaunt along the West Highland Way I've started wondering if the Southern Upland Way is runnable. It's rather long (212 miles) so I'm thinking of arranging to do in relay fashion (each runner doing 106 miles over 48-72hrs or however long it takes).
Now the WHW I know very well but the SUW I know nothing about. Anyone here know anything about the quality of the route in terms of its runnablity, how it compares to the WHW etc.?
If I do it, I'll need three other fools/runners to make up a 4 person team who'll run in two two-man teams, alternating between running and providing support for the other pair from a support van (and hopefully finding time for a little shuteye).
I know of one other fool so I'm two runners short of a madhouse. Anyone interested in the idea? Tentatively looking at the weekend of July 14th/15th.
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
I've only been on bits of it but it's been of pretty reasonable quality. One of the guys (he won the WHW a year or so ago!) in my club's done quite a lot of it and I'm sure he said some bits around St Mary's loch were muddy but that's not any different to the WHW in bits either I guess!
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
Do you know Mike Cudahy did this in 2 days something? He wasn't overly impressed with it (WTtFH)
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
Hi Deeko, is that Jez you're talking about? If it is, I might get in touch with him for info.
Clodhopper, I just fancy doing to as a fun challenge. I guess it's not going to compare well scenerywise to the WHW but it'll be fun to explore some new ground.
Can I put you down as the third man? I'm sure it would be good endurance training for the Ben. :D
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
Quote:
Originally Posted by
runningfool
Can I put you down as the third man? I'm sure it would be good endurance training for the Ben. :D
Once you set a firm date let me konw and I'll make sure I'm working that day or in prison or unavailable by some means or other :D
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
You gotta love Sitka Spruce, there's a helluva lot of em. The ground as others said is similar to WHW, can get diverted a bit by forestry operations. Rained solidly for the first 6 days when i did it.....
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
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Originally Posted by
Alf Tupper
Rained solidly for the first 6 days when i did it.....
Shudda run a bit faster then... :p
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
Cheeky young whippersnapper!! LOL i was walking it. A funny story in a bothy book about an ancient stone which one of the forstry lads knocked over with his JCB, he said he's not sure where it was meant to go so he just bunged it back in anywhere!!! lol prob some deep religious significance to it's position.
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Alf Tupper
Cheeky young whippersnapper!!
Young? Pleased to hear that 50 still counts as young. ;)
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
How about the Great Glen Way.
I was at sea for a while in September so hadn't trained. So on the way back to Bangor from the Northern North Sea the boat had to come through the Caledonian Canal. So as I'd not trained for a while, I ran from Inverness to Fort Augustus, only 41 miles or so, but nice enough, much easier running terrain than the WHW, but the total is 73 I think. The last half is mainly canal tow paths I think.
Took me 7 hrs to run that, while very hung over from a first night on land for a while, and that included a few stops so very runnable.
Well done on the WHW anyway! I'm going to try and get up for a few training runs in the spring. I'm out for 4 or 5 hours most weekends in Snowdonia but its all on the hills so distances have been short. Need to up time and distance really.
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
Quote:
Originally Posted by
IainR
How about the Great Glen Way
David and I were wondering about doing it in addition to the WHW sometime but getting a support crew is presenting problems. It needs a crew with a higher level of madness than we can lay our hands on at the moment.:D
The GGW would be nice to do sometime but we're in the grip of that ultra-runners obsession of running longer, not shorter.
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
There's a round Anglesey coastal footpath, 125 miles?
Not been out on it yet, down south for you I guess, but a bit longer than the WHW. Not too hilly but mainly on footpaths, fields and beaches I think.
Cheers
Iain
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
Quote:
Originally Posted by
IainR
There's a round Anglesey coastal footpath, 125 miles?
Not been out on it yet, down south for you I guess, but a bit longer than the WHW. Not too hilly but mainly on footpaths, fields and beaches I think.
Cheers
Iain
Hmmm. Does that mean a stile every 200m? Could be an ultra steeplechase?
Re: Running the Southern Uplan
lol sorry mate, i realise i'm a young member too, at 43. i thought you were younger than me, u prob pass me every race........keep them walshes dirty!!
