Criffel, I thought, is an unusual name – so I looked it up
on Wikipedia to see if its origins were defined.
A fruitless task - but it does say, amongst other things, that it
is the eight most prominent hill in southern Scotland and, get this….
‘The slopes of Criffel feature the upland vegetation of heather, bog cotton and blueberry and are inhabited by skylarks.’ Lovely, idyllic image……….
 |
A syklark – looking happy with its quarry – somewhere on sunny Criffel |
The reality is that the Wiki writer has undoubtedly never
been to the top of Criffel (about 1900 feet) - never
endured its filthy quags of viscid peat, as you slog your way to the top of
Knockendoch. Or the great black foaming morasses, gouged into the side of the hill en route to
the top of Criffel itself.
Some believe running through this terrain, for enjoyment, is a sport.
(Both Alan and Andy insane enough to believe it for a second
time.)
Each had different reasons for undertaking the challenge –
Andy – wasn’t 100% race fit but wanted to test himself on a
known course.
Pete – never done before and wanted to give it a go.
Alan – had been to a Bad Company/Free tribute band in the
Eastgate the night before and should have known better.
It was a race led by Ricky Lightfoot, from start to finish. A
good band of strong runners chased him out and back but never really got close
enough to threaten his lead. Bonnington Road resident, Kate Jenkins coming home
as first lady.
Andy had a good run with some tussles along the way and came
home in 1:03 for a respectable 5th place.
Alan and Pete had their own ding-dong on the descent. Pete chased
Alan after the turn at the cairn on Criffel – catching him around the drop from
Knockendoch, and then, taking off (in a very composed, balanced display of
downhilling) Alan noticed this and followed. This continued.
By the time they reached
the edge Glen Craig Forest (which features 4 foot drops, and equally deep pits,
hidden fence wires, posts and all sorts of tussock-like obstacles) The grace
had ebbed and the hilarity began – one would fall and half drown and then the
other. Laughter - followed grunt - followed laughter.
Final outcome.... Alan finished less than a minute in
front of Pete. Alan relinquished a few red cells in his efforts and was wearing
a substantial quantity of the hillside by the end.
Recuperation in the form of fish suppers in Moffat...
Results Here
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