| Course Details:The lower part of the course is controlled by a pair of Buzzards who have a liking for runners, especially those with little hair. To this end we have to plan two alternative routes for the first few hundred meters of the course. Ideally Buzzards permitting the race starts at the front of the Cricket Pavilion, and straight out of the Academy grounds, turning right onto a quiet road, then first left for the start of the climbing up a gravely track beside Dollar Golf Course. Leaving the track at the end of the course to enter a small wood, where the Buzzards live. Exit the top of the wood through the first boggy bit of the course, following a rough track to the east of Bank Hill, dropping down to cross the Burn of Sorrow via a small bridge. (If the Buzzards are too aggressive this year, an alternative route through Dollar Glen is used, but the first time we used this route there was a problem with Bees with several runners getting stung � Its tough getting out of Dollar) From here is the first steep climb of the race onto Saddle Hill to the first Checkpoint (NN 955005). From Saddle Hill the route goes along the saddle and climbs up to the second Checkpoint on the top of the broad topped Whitewisp Hill (NN 955014). From here for a while the running gets easy, but if the cloud is down the navigation gets harder. A gentle down and up gets you to the third Checkpoint Tarmangie Hill (NN 943014). From here to the next Checkpoint Andrew Gannel Hill (NN 919005) the shortest route is a bit steep and boggy. For speed everyone follows the fence line of Tarmangie, and turning left at the fence junction to follow a faint tract (not so faint for those at the back) around Skythorn Hill and up the side of Andrew Gannel. Follow the land rover track up the hill where the will be a martial directing you to the summit. Should you miss this the hills beyond are very runnable, but visiting them will do nothing for your race time. The next tricky part of the course is on the Summit of Andrew Gannel, the route turns through about 300 degrees from South to almost North East, but this being the checkpoint, as long as you listen to the martial you wont end up in Tillicoultry. Next is a fast down hill, and just when you need it the most a fairly steep 400ft climb onto Kings Seat the next checkpoint (NS 936998). You�re almost home now, if it's clear you�ll soon be able to see Dollar and the Finish soon, almost 2000ft below you. Follow the track off Kings Seat, turning left after you cross the gate at the bottom, then follow the track east to Bank Hill and the final checkpoint (NS 954992). From here its straight down to the woods where the Buzzards live, but unless you have a liking for gorse it my be worth keeping east a bit (Not an issue if the Dollar glen route is used). Then back down the track, right along the road and in through the gate to finish at the Cricket Pavilion. |