{"id":88295849,"date":"2025-06-28T04:54:01","date_gmt":"2025-06-28T04:54:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mikehedman.com\/blog\/?p=88295849"},"modified":"2025-06-28T04:55:23","modified_gmt":"2025-06-28T04:55:23","slug":"a-run-in-the-scottish-highlands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mikehedman.com\/blog\/a-run-in-the-scottish-highlands\/","title":{"rendered":"A run in the Scottish Highlands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

During a family vacation to the UK, I slipped away for a day and went “Munro bagging.” A Munro is a mountain in Scotland that is higher than 3000 ft tall – and a popular pastime is to try to summit them all. I set out to climb 4 Munros in a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Map<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first big logistical challenge was getting to my starting point. We were staying in Edinburgh, which is pretty far south of the Highlands. Fortunately, there’s a train station in the little village of Dalwhinnie (famous for its Scotch distillery). So I got up early and took a two hours, forty-five minutes train ride to Dalwhinnie. I had pre-arranged with The Apiary coffee house to drop a small backpack with my dry clothes – and I snuck in a quick (delicious!) snack before heading out on the run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

10am – Time to go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Picture<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The run started with a 4 mile warmup along a bike path – this helped after the early morning long trip sitting on the train. Then a quick right turn, and you’re into the Highlands:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The weather was forecast to be cloudy and very windy. The cloudy part happened, and then some – there was a pretty steady rain for about 3-4 hours during the middle of the run. And the 30+ mph wind forcast turned out to be accurate, if not a little understated. The temperatures were in the low 50s, but the wind chill made it feel like it was in the high 30’s.
It. Was. Brutal.
Out on the trail I chatted with a guy hiking one of the Munros, and when he heard that I was planning on running four he laughed, and said: “Scotland’s going to make you earn it today!” Here’s a video from the summit of Geal-charn, the first Munro of the day (sound on!):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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