Early Bird – Loch Leven in the dark

Wednesday 22 January 2025 was looking like a cold, still day according to the forecast although with a good chance of a very misty start across the Tayside and Fife areas. I sat the night before trying to hatch a plan as I find if I don’t have one in advance, the next day can often be one of even greater indecision and procrastination. It is good to head to bed knowing what the next day will hold and hopefully even have all the required kit looked out as well.

I was happy to drive somewhere and I eventually decided that I would head to Loch Leven for the full loch circuit, something I haven’t done in quite some time. Kinross always seems like a bit of a trek from Dundee but actually doesn’t take that long in the car if you pick the right time of day.

I decided to pick a ridiculous time of day.

As the forecast was for early mist, I hit upon the notion of going really early and running in the dark as there would be limited views in the early daylight anyway. It is good to mix things up a bit and a bit of headtorch training is never a bad thing I think. Committed to the cause, I hauled myself out of my nice warm bed at around 0430 and I was in the car less than an hour later. Progress was good and I was in Kinross and ready to go before 0615.

The Loch Leven Heritage Trail (to give it its full title) is a great running route that circumnavigates the Loch and is just over 12 miles long. It has a few very minor undulations but is otherwise flat and the paths are well maintained. Although the trail can be accessed from a number of places along its route, I have always started and finished in Kinross, more specifically Kirkgate Park, where there is ample parking right next to the trail.

It was around zero degrees and with a heavy mist as I set off. Obviously one can go in either direction, but I have always gone around clockwise and this occasion was no different. Visibility with the headtorch was very limited with the thick mist swirling in the light and it took a bit of adjustment of brightness and angle to find the best light, which turned out to be the lowest setting in the circumstances. The ground was hard but no evidence of ice so all good.

I resolved to try and hold something around a 9-minute mile pace which I generally find quite hard as the pace keeps creeping up if I don’t monitor and regulate it continually. I had to do this by reckoning though as I needed my Garmin to be on the mapping screen to keep me on route. There are a number of connecting and side paths off the main trail and the mist and darkness were making everything a little disorientating.

However, a rhythm was soon established and I reached operating temperature after about two miles. In the dark and mist there were very few landmarks other than my Garmin bleeping to count off the early miles. The first visible landmark to the left of the path came after about 6 miles in the form of the Scottish Gliding Centre at Scotlandwell. What I would call the turning point comes less than a mile after that as the trail starts to turn south and then south-west once the halfway point is reached. The road appears up and to the left of the trail, already fairly busy with morning traffic. I took a photo around that point although it was pretty pointless in the persistent mist, as you can see!

The path in the next few miles is a less than direct route as it twists and turns, mainly to provide access to the various birdwatching hides adjacent to the trail. These are part of the RSPB Loch Leven bird reserve, if you are into that kind of thing. I’ll maybe give it a go once I’ve exhausted all the hours of scintillating fun that trainspotting has to offer.

The trail remained solid and ice free for the remaining few miles back to Kinross which eventually appeared out of the mist around the same time that I was finally able to switch off my headtorch. There were a few hardy dog walkers out on the frosty grass of the park when I returned to the car.

 I am happy that I went in the dark. It was a different experience altogether from previous visits. Some runners don’t really like running in the dark with a headtorch. I quite like it as your route and progress only exist within the limited little bubble of your headlight beam and for me that creates a calmness and lack of urgency which is nice, especially when you are in no particular hurry.

I will definitely go back again on a warmer, sunny day as it really is a very enjoyable run at any pace. There are numerous stopping points, benches and viewing points over the loch. I highly recommend it if you live anywhere in the area.