As you may or may not be aware a few of our number are taking on the Great Glencoe Challenge 2022 (we might not have mentioned it 🤣)
To get ourselves fit and strong so we can complete the 26.2 miles in the 12 hours we are allotted, three of the team went for a wee dauner roon the Aeshaig Ultra 23 mile loop accompanied for a small section by Oscar (https://www.facebook.com/oscarsbigadventures) and the legend that is Alan Creighton who cycled the full loop with us keeping us motivated to keep going (well apart from when Ali declared it was lunch time that is).
We started off at 7:30am on a cool April morning with the sole aim of completing the 23 mile loop, wrapped up we set off along the trail from Earshaig to Ae
Before long it was time for Oscar to head home, although he was less than happy about it, think he was hoping for a backie on Alan’s bike so he could come along for the full trek.
As the time passed from early morning to mid-morning it started to heat up, so the layers started to come off the sun cream and sun shades started to go on 😎
To help combat the heat, proper hydration was required so plenty of water and raspberry gin was required to keep fuelling and cooling our intrepid trekkers
After some light refreshment and a bite of lunch it was back on trails, blessed with some stunning views across from Ae to Queensberry, we trekked on with time flying by talking about everything from escapee pigs to programs on TV and all sorts of other random nonsense
It wasn’t long until we came across the Ae: The Talking Head Stane. The head stane is made from a glacial granite boulder. It’s 1.5 tons and looks south towards Ae village and the Solway. The stane has a carved mouth, ears and eyes and is inscribed with the translation of a Norwegian poem.
(Information courtesy :
https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/activities/mountain-biking/7stanes/what-are-the-7-stanes)
The stane is inscribed with the translation of a Norwegian poem, Deep in the Forest, by Hans Børli.
“But still it satisfies my soul to hear the spruce and wind. They speak together like sister and brother, and use such beautiful wind-wild words deep in the forest, deep in the forest.”
After a brief stop for pictures at the Head Stane, it was time to get back on the trek for the return leg back to Earshaig, on the return leg we were blessed with some stunning views across to Queensberry
On the return leg you can see Blue Cairn from the forestry trail, after a brief investigation no inscription was found on the cairn, so ye olde google was called upon to shed some light on it’s presence.
It is built on the site of Battle between Wallace and Greystock and where the latter fell. Wallace was encamped on Queensberry, saw the English approach, and hastening to attack them, had met them on the spot where the cairn is built; a bloody battle ensued in which the English were beaten.
With Blue Cairn serving as a marker we only had a few miles back to the trail head, a brief refuel and shoe swap and back on the trek we went.
23 miles in less than 8 hours is a respectable time for the trek, a good bit of training for the big on in July.
Well done Alison Voss, Debbie Semple and Lynsey Hanlon, thanks to Alan Creighton for coming along with us to offer support and advice.
Queensberry Running Club 