Callander Highland Games Route

I have run the planned route for the 2012 Callander Highland Games Hill Race, below are details of the route and pictures to inform and entice you to run the route/race!   The race will be held at Sunday 29th July, start at 1:30pm, according to my phone's GPS record will be roughly 8 3/4 miles long with 1500ft ascent/descent.  For entry to the race head over to the Skidaddle website.

I recorded the route on my HTC One S phone using the SportyPal application, this provided distance and approximate ascent/descent, as well as GPX for route which have imported into GoogleMaps page, to see the route click on:

     Callander Highland Games Hill Race Route.

The start of the race will be from the Highland Games Ring which you'll exit and head to the south to exit the field and turn left at the track which leads up to  Geisher Road passing the Fire Station and Medical centre that will be on your right.  Note, if you click on any of the images below you'll get full screen high rest version that you can step through, slideshow style.

At the end of Geisher Road cross straight over the A84 at the pedestrian traffic lights and head uphill along the track.

At end of track turn right and head along the tarmaced cycle path

The cycle path will go through a shorted wooded avenue and then to open farmland where you'll get an excellent view of Tom Duh - the first open hill you'll climb, pictured below at the left hand side.  On the right hand side of the picture you'll see a farmhouse amongst a trees, you'll follow the cycle track up around to the left of the farm house, then keep on the track and pass a caravan park which will be your right.

Follow the track out in the open farmland and then follow it round to the left where you'll head gently and through the forest.  After a third of mile you'll come to the junction below, just head straight on and continue uphill.

Follow the track uphill, ignore small paths off the right and downhill, stay within the track/forest break until you emerge from the woodland

Keep following the track for 50m till you each a junction, take the right hand path

Head downhill

You emerge from the woodland with the new Bracklin bridge infront of you, cross it

From the bridge spectecular views of the Bracklin Falls can be seen to left

And the right

After the bridge follow the track up around to the left and then down to run along the stony track along the right hand side of the river

Follow the track as it narrows and heads uphill via a couple of switch backs, at the top you'll meet a fence, cross over the fence and head right

 

After negotiating a few bushy obstacles you'll emerge on the hill side and vista will open up providing views of the the Ochills, Stirling and Edinburgh to the east, the Gargunnock hills to the south and the Menith hills, Ben Guilipen to the right

After a 1/2 mile along the track you'll reach a junction, follow left hand track uphill and begin your ascent of Tom Duh.

The track will quickly peter out to grass and heather slope, head uphill toward the left hand side of the prominent rock up Tom Duh

Then go straight uphill to the top of Tom Duh, you'll now have 360 degrees of wonderful views to enjoy

Head down of Tom Duh towards the forest, cross the fence at the style/gate and then follow open hillside up keeping to the right of the woodland.  At the summit you'll get great views of the Munros Stuc a'Chron and Ben Vorlich to the north. Straight ahead there is a track, continue downhill to where the track meets the forest.

Once you get to the track turn left and across/through the gate and then downhill following the track for 1/4 mile to a junction, take the right hand track downhill.  As you descent downhill to the left will be the Scout Pool - a great place to cool after a run!

At the bottom of the track cross the flat concrete bridge that goes across the river Teith, through the gate and then follow the track uphill, then turn left along the tarmac road for half a mile

The road goes through a lightly wooded section, then near the end of this wood the road heads left, to the right there is a muddy entrance to a track that heads up through the woods towards Crags summit.  After the short wooded ascent you'll emerge to a great view of the moors and mountains to the north

Follow the path left and uphill

As you near the summit you'll see the Queen Elizabeth Monument, Loch Venachar will be straight ahead to the wst with Ben Ledi looking down from the north west

Follow the path past the Monument and start descending along the path, a glance to the left will provide a great view of Calander, the Highland Games Field is right in the middle of the shot below, 5 1/2 miles down, 3 1/4 miles all downhill to go!

After a short scramble down rocks follow the steeped path that head straight down a gully 

At the bottom of the steps dance like a merry sailor through the meadow following the path down into the woodland

After some steep and very fast downhill running you'll come to a sharp right turn in the path, but here go left along a much smaller path into the woods

You will pass a concrete covered water works building which will be on your right and then soon after emerge onto Bracklin Road, turn left uphill and then after 50m turn right along the path towards Bracklin Falls.  After half a mile you will come to junction, take the track to the right

And head downhill for 100m, ducking under fallen trees, then follow the track around the left. The track will underlater for a third of mile then rise gently to a junction, go right downhill - you are now back on the route you came up at the start of the race

Follow the track downhill, then as you leave the woodland the track goes right and rewards you with a great view looking west towards Ben Ledi

Go past the farm and join the cycle path going right and westwards, go the past new house estate on left, after quarter of mile further take the left track downhill back to the A84, cross straight over at the lights and into Geiser Road. Opposite the Fire Station on the left you will see the main entrace to the Highland Games, follow this track back to the Highland Games Ring and soak up the applause!