Time and date : 13:00, 4th May, 2024.

The race starts and finishes in the Strathyre recreation grounds behind (what was) the Munro Hotel (Grid Ref NN 563 173, W3W ///slippery.performs.gurgling)

Once the bagpipes have finished the hard work begins, a nice steady start up onto the forest track and then a sharp climb on a single track up Tighanes Burn to get you warmed up for the fun ahead.  

Make the most of the first steady 3Ks to ensure you have time in the bank to reach CP4 and make the 2hr cut off time. 

The real work starts after CP 1 once through the deer gate, a fast, reasonably flat, but if the weather has been bad, it will be an extremely boggy section leading you to the ridge (alt 520m) that looks down into Glen Ample and then a fast decent to CP2 (alt 340m).

It’s now time to dig in once through CP2, a steep climb up to Beinn Each (813m with 500m climb) following the old metal fence, little room to over-take, a nice false summit or two to keep you on your toes and keep the heart pounding, no time to ease off, the effort here could mean success or failure to make the 2hr cut off to CP4. 

Once Beinn Each has been summitted, a nice fast, but in parts technical descent to the cross-over point (640m). If you beat the cut-off time you can pat yourself on the back. If not, you're heading back to the car-park for early soup and a chance to re-think next year’s training programme.

A nice run along the ridge following a good path, a chance to take in the views if the weather allows and gain composure prior to the accent up to the Stuc a’ Chroin that starts once out of Bealach Glas.

if it's a good day, (and if you've made it this far, it IS a good day!) at the top of the Stuc (975m), don't forget to take a few seconds to look around and appreciate the sheer beauty of where you are in this world. Get your number taken, do a swift 180 and get descending, 2-way traffic to contend with and some extremely technical sections, descend with caution.  Repeat the route along the ridge back to the cross-over point, you will then head back into the Glen Ample following a fast grassy sheep track.

Once at CP7 (CP 2 on the route out), a quick drink and then time to start the last, but very demanding real climb of the day, it's short, steep and requires grit and determination to stay on track to maintain a good time or beat a PB.  Once on the ridge, change gear, last 4Ks of effort to the finish following the same route.