The first snow was falling with blizzard conditions in the Cairngorms as we set of on a slightly chilly, fairly still and overcast morning. After last week's longish run to St Cyrus via Laurencekirk, which went well by all accounts, this was a shorter run.
Five headed out over Drumgley and the gradual climb up and through Kirrie to the Glen Isla road, the pace was mixed with good efforts on some of the lumpy hills. We sailed past the hotel for the first time with the short loop round Forter Castle, Kirkton of Glen Isla our destination.
It was a wee bit chilly with low cloud 600' higher than Forfar but as we turned the and headed back to the hotel for lunch the sun started to come out a wee bit making the leaves turning that bit brighter
The last time we had tried for lunch the hotel was semi shut and there was nobody about to open up that day but it has since been taken over with new management ex Clova Hotel and the standard has certainly risen. We were a wee bit early for lunch so we had a coffee first followed by fine bowls of soup and sandwiches.
Refreshed we headed for home with the plan to head over towards the Bothy and back via Shanzie and the Bogside Rd and Lindores. Heading left on the Glamis Kirrie Rd Gus thought of am old farm track that went across from Warren Woods to Drumgley which used to be part of the summer off rd runs.
The first mile or so was ok with not to many pot holes but deteriorated quickly after the last farm cottages, we had a bit of scrambling through nettles and up embankments for 1/2 a mile or so before we rejoined farm tracks which took us past Ballindarg Farm and out at Drumgley then it was a right turn and back up the brea and into Forfar.
A fine run, 53 miles - not bad for a short day, the route is here if you would like to try it
Next week, 12th Oct, is the club weekend trip to Slochd follwed on the 19th the club AGM which starts at 9:30am in the club rooms and is followed by a gentle club run to the Tav in Ardler for lunch.
