I hadn't ran many races last year because I was injured and so missed Devil's Burden 2016. So on Saturday 21st January this year I was feeling very excited and also a little apprehensive. We all met at 7.30 am in Alloa and it was very foggy and dreich. Gordon had us all organised in our teams and we were to drive up in the cars of the teams we were running in. My team was Susan Westland first leg, Sue Woods and Robert Davidson second leg, myself and Elke Braun third leg and Ally McNair fourth and final leg.
Devil's Burden is a 31k hill relay run over the Lomond Hills in Fife. The first and last legs are run solo and the middle two legs are run in pairs. All legs need a little navigation but the middle two legs need a little more and as I was leg three this year, I was armed and prepared with my compass and by the look of the misty weather was pretty sure I would be needing it! The race starts and finishes in Falkland. There were four teams so twenty four Wee County Harriers this year. The teams are mixed gender and abilty. The main object for Wee County Harriers is to get around the legs without getting lost and without injury. And to have a lot of fun at the same time.
All our first leg runners set off at 9.30am and it was still misty. I have run the first leg for the past two or three years and it is a nice off road trail run with only one checkpoint to mark off on the card. The advantage of running the first leg is that once you have run, you can relax, encourage the other runners in your team and enjoy the team spirit.
Car parking is always at problem at the changeover points but it was good to wait to see the first runners off. The camaraderie is what I absolutely love about Devil's Burden. Ally had met us up in Falkland and he was happy to drive, plus it was his wife's car! So we all bundled in and set off for the second leg start at Strathmiglo and we were in plenty time to see Susan, our first runner, coming in.
Robert and Sue then set off on the second leg and it was still very misty. The second leg over West Lomond Hill and Bishop Hill is not the longest but is traditionally the hardest leg to navigate so we wished them well and decided to wait out our time until the third leg in Loch Leven Larder. Second leg were going to be at least an hour and a half. Other Wee County teams had the same idea and it was great to meet up with new members for the first time as well as catch up with others. Ava Parker, Ellie Gray and Karen Williams were all first time Devil's Burdeners and the chat and tea over maps were great.
Third leg starts at Kinnesswood and the parking there is even worse than second leg start. By this time the faster runners who set off at 10.30 are catching up so traffic congestion is inevitable. Elke and I rushed to the third leg start with only minutes to spare. Word was coming in that the mist was clearing but we could see no signs of that.
The first climb out of Kinnesswood is brutal and Elke and I could only pick our way up through steep tufts and crags.
However once on top of that first hill - wow!! - cloud inversion and glorious day. Jackets off, compass away and off we went on what was to be an amazing run. We took photos, we looked around and, to be frank, I could have stayed up there all day. Had to give a thought to the ones waiting to start leg four though so we continued on. Leg three, Kinnesswood to Maspie Den and back to Falkland, stays high for quite a few miles so I can imagine on a bad weather day, this would be quite exposed. It goes back along and by Bishop Hill and towards West Lomond again. This is by no means a technical description. For that you can check the maps.
Once it started to cut down towards Falkland through the woods, we were back in the mist and it was really cold. But I have to say that the last few miles are all downhill and this is a great finish. I was so enthusiastic about nearly finishing however (and keeping up with Elke) that I tripped on a stone and went flying with dramatic flair. So two skinned knees and a pair of ripped leggings later, Elke and I crossed the finish line and Ally started off on the last leg back up through the woods and over East Lomond Hill before heading back to Falkland again.
Devil's Burden is a 31k hill relay run over the Lomond Hills in Fife. The first and last legs are run solo and the middle two legs are run in pairs. All legs need a little navigation but the middle two legs need a little more and as I was leg three this year, I was armed and prepared with my compass and by the look of the misty weather was pretty sure I would be needing it! The race starts and finishes in Falkland. There were four teams so twenty four Wee County Harriers this year. The teams are mixed gender and abilty. The main object for Wee County Harriers is to get around the legs without getting lost and without injury. And to have a lot of fun at the same time.
All our first leg runners set off at 9.30am and it was still misty. I have run the first leg for the past two or three years and it is a nice off road trail run with only one checkpoint to mark off on the card. The advantage of running the first leg is that once you have run, you can relax, encourage the other runners in your team and enjoy the team spirit.
First leg team members - Iona Mackay, Stephen Beveridge, George Furmage (running with Ava), Ava Parker and Susan Westland
Car parking is always at problem at the changeover points but it was good to wait to see the first runners off. The camaraderie is what I absolutely love about Devil's Burden. Ally had met us up in Falkland and he was happy to drive, plus it was his wife's car! So we all bundled in and set off for the second leg start at Strathmiglo and we were in plenty time to see Susan, our first runner, coming in.
Robert and Sue then set off on the second leg and it was still very misty. The second leg over West Lomond Hill and Bishop Hill is not the longest but is traditionally the hardest leg to navigate so we wished them well and decided to wait out our time until the third leg in Loch Leven Larder. Second leg were going to be at least an hour and a half. Other Wee County teams had the same idea and it was great to meet up with new members for the first time as well as catch up with others. Ava Parker, Ellie Gray and Karen Williams were all first time Devil's Burdeners and the chat and tea over maps were great.
Third leg starts at Kinnesswood and the parking there is even worse than second leg start. By this time the faster runners who set off at 10.30 are catching up so traffic congestion is inevitable. Elke and I rushed to the third leg start with only minutes to spare. Word was coming in that the mist was clearing but we could see no signs of that.
Elke and I waiting to start Leg 3
Donna and Nicky on same Leg 3 as us coming up through the first crags
However once on top of that first hill - wow!! - cloud inversion and glorious day. Jackets off, compass away and off we went on what was to be an amazing run. We took photos, we looked around and, to be frank, I could have stayed up there all day. Had to give a thought to the ones waiting to start leg four though so we continued on. Leg three, Kinnesswood to Maspie Den and back to Falkland, stays high for quite a few miles so I can imagine on a bad weather day, this would be quite exposed. It goes back along and by Bishop Hill and towards West Lomond again. This is by no means a technical description. For that you can check the maps.
Looking back towards East Lomond Hill
Running towards West Lomond Hill
Once it started to cut down towards Falkland through the woods, we were back in the mist and it was really cold. But I have to say that the last few miles are all downhill and this is a great finish. I was so enthusiastic about nearly finishing however (and keeping up with Elke) that I tripped on a stone and went flying with dramatic flair. So two skinned knees and a pair of ripped leggings later, Elke and I crossed the finish line and Ally started off on the last leg back up through the woods and over East Lomond Hill before heading back to Falkland again.
Finish of leg 3 with Elke and start of leg 4
I would definitely do leg three again. I absolutely loved that run, although I doubt if we will see those conditions again, it was such a delight to witness and made for a perfect day.
We waited for all the leg three runners to come in and then walked back into Falkland and the finish to greet the leg four runners in. Ally enjoyed his run too and headed home straight after his leg because it was his and Emma's wedding anniversary and he was making up for being away all day and filling her car with smelly, muddy runners by taking her out for a nice meal. The rest of us were content with the abundance of home made soup and rolls always available after the Devil's Burden race thanks to Fife Athletic Club.
I would urge all Wee County members who love off road trail runs to try Devil's Burden. Since joining the club, I think I have only missed a couple and although it seems like a long day, it passes so quickly and is so much fun.
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