Club - Farmyards Run

A new run for Millies tonight, our first run since the clocks changed and we stretched the boundaries a bit. Jimmy suggested we run over the Carman moor to Cardross and back over the Stonymollan Rd which was a good idea but he wanted to run a good bit on road and I suggested I lead them on a route that I had finally worked out after failing to connect some trails previously, resulting in electrocution (twice) and a fright from a bull. A long story previously related about July last year!
A fair pack left the club and ran along to Renton and turned up the Cardross Rd and along Upper Carman Rd, where the footpath led us round the back of the reservoir and over the moor road picking up the quarry road that leads to the trig point. However we turned left through a farm gate and after following the farm road past three farms and fording the burn, that led us to the west side of Cardross Golf Club and through the top of the village, although some managed to deduce a shortcut. Up Darleith Rd and left along a private road, much used by walkers and horseriders, through Drumhead and linking onto the Red Road. A sharp right immediately took us onto a particularily steep road where Steph and young Peter took off leaving us older guys to plod on to the best of our ability.By this time everyone knew where the road led! Straight uphill, through the final farmyard at Blackthird Farm, over the Stonymollan Road, where most of the pack saw for the first time the extent of the tree harvesting, and back down the hill into Balloch. Those of you who know the A82 will have passed the steep hill off the big roundabout at Balloch,the one with the crazy geese "artwork". That was where we re-appeared, although some would have continued down the footpath to Old Luss Road. Steph had decided to finish the run by following the A82 on the footpath on the town side of the carraigeway and finishing by taking a path into Christie Park and running along Middleton St to finish. A tiny bit short of 12 miles by G-Map the link to the route here. Just short of 2 hours and a well deserved shower to follow.
Thursday night is the club's first hill race, over the Stonymollan 5 miles and 1060 feet of climbing, a veritable sprint. Don't know if I can run it as I'm tied up during the day with my wife's car and may be pushed to get to the club in time. If I'm late I'll maybe climb the hill from Cardross and take a few pics for the website, the views from the top are spectacular.
My new trail shoes came today but they're still pristine as I wore my poor old road shoes tonight, and they are headed for a bath for the third time in a week. Tonight's run was pretty muddy in places, but generally firm. The worst bit being Jimmy's part of the route!