Just before the famous Salomon Glen Coe Skyline last year, I climbed the two scrambles in this epic Scottish race with Salomon athlete Donnie Campbell from Get Active Running.

Curved Ridge is the first technical section on the race route, a steep, airy Grade 3 scramble that heads up Buachaille Etive Mor and tops out at its highest summit, the 1022m Stob Dearg. Watch the film here.

The second technical section is across Aonach Eagach and this will follow in a couple of weeks. Remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel Wild Ginger films to make sure you don’t miss out.

Curved Ridge was an awesome climb up high over Glencoe, a huge green expanse of valley edged with grey mountains and moorland. Fluffs of white cloud whisped in and out, making the whole experience almost ethereal. I would have loved to have seen the tops athletes, like Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg, powering their way up this route on race day. However, I was busy enjoying doing Facebook Live at the race start, so they were well gone by the time I reached Curved Ridge for my coverage of the mid-pack. I did talk to a lot of people on the scramble later on and everyone was very much enjoying themselves – “It’s easier than actually having to run!” many of them said!

Grade 3 scrambling requires a good head for heights, solid mountain sense and basic climbing skills. This video gives more info on how to get those skills if you don’t already have them.

Many thanks to Salomon endurance athlete and winner of the Ben Nevis Ultra 2017 Donnie Campbell for the essential guidance and information on this epic route. For Donnie’s coaching and trail running camps visit his website.

Transparency: I liaised with Ourea Events (who organise the Glen Coe Skyline and the rest of the Skyline Scotland races, check them out they’re brilliant) and Salomon to secure Donnie’s time for this film. This film is not funded by any publisher, brand or shop. My views are my own.

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Salomon Men’s Speedcross 4 Trail Running Shoes, Black (Black/Everglade/Sulphur Spring), 9 UK

 
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