REPORT COURTESY OF InvernessParkrun

Some 17 parkrunners (many of whom were also Harriers Joggers) met at Tomnahurich and set off on the New Year’s Day run to the mast. With frequent stops, we followed a well-trodden path along the canal bank, up through Dossers to A82 road crossing and up towards the base of Craig Dunain Hill. But after a couple of hundred metres, we stopped by a side path and “volunteered” Fiona Mackay (who had never done this before – and therefore was a good candidate) to lead us as we plunged through thick woodland, eventually emerging on a parallel track. Then headed up Vomit Brae, at the top of which we paused to debate whether we should contour round the Hill and approach the mast from the North or should go by “Davy Moy’s route”, so-called because of its popularisation by Davy Moy, an Inverness Harrier, last known of about 20 years before, which was more direct. As we chatted, a walker appeared; Davy Moy! There was no further debate and we took “his” route. At the mast, we were met by Lee Ross (whose husband, Iain and son, Niall, were running) and who had driven and walked up. She greeted us with plastic cups and a flask containing French Martini, which not only refreshed us but encouraged us to participate in the next ritual: climbing the trig point and wishing a Happy New Year to the town of Inverness. The return route was also off the beaten track; at a point, about halfway down the zigzags, we branched left, over a stile, through a thicket and onto the former golf course. After admiring the excellent views of the town, we continued diagonally down, eventually meeting the Great Glen Way at its junction with the former Craig Dunain Hospital. We ran down the Way until the General Booth Road flyover, when we ran beside the road for a couple of hundred metres, then went left via the Torvean Golf course on to the final part; a “sprint” of about 150 m, past the hotel to Glenurquhart Road, 100 m from the start.
About 5.75 miles, with 900 feet of climb and excellent company; a great way to start 2013.