Trigg point found!

Remember that Trigg point I couldn't find the other week....in the daylight?

Well tonight I went out with Dave and Andrew from Clydeside Orienteers and they led me straight to it, in the dark.

I went out for a bit of night time hill running with these guys last winter but a foot problem cut my forays short. A small group of them go out every Thursday at 7 30 rain or shine!

I chose the wettest windiest night on record to go out, but that's sort of the whole point. I think.

It is a very invigorating experience. While everyone else was battening down the hatches we were heading out. Dave lent me his brand new head torch and we were away.

I slipped on a fallen tree within two minutes but no major damage done. Just face first into a muddy puddle! We ran into the wind up the hill, it was extremely wet and boggy and I could feel my tendons stretching out with the soft ground. Climbing the hill was tough and although I would like to say I ran the whole way I did take a few walk breaks just to get to the top. In the dark when you can only see right in front of you, you can't see the top or how far you have to go. This is probably a good thing and it really teaches you to take it 'one step at a time'!

The reward is great though . At the top of the hill, the wind howling, you look down on the lights of Glasgow. A glittering, twinkling display of street lights. You look up and see more stars than you ever manage to see from the 'ground' elsewhere and you feel VERY small!

Then the fun begins and you start careering down again. We took a longer route down. It took me a while to gain confidence...and technique. There are no paths just heather and grasses and bogs. I realised that you can go much faster slamming your heel down into the soft ground first as it gives you an anchor. (Never too sure which way your foot will land.)

I managed to stay on my feet the whole way down...till I got to exactly the same spot..avoided the fallen tree..and my foot went straight down a hole...that was me over again. No damage just a red face.


I really enjoyed it and will be back out with them plenty more this winter...might even have to invest in one of those snazzy headlamps too;-)