Below in quotes is Scobos' post on last year's Dunvegan race - the trophy he mentions is on display at the castle restaurant just now. There'll be plenty to do for the family at Dunvegan while you run. If you like roughish trails consider running through Glen Sligachan to Loch Coruisk - this is a famous walk (about 15miles there and back) amid spectacular scenery and I do know trail runners who have done this as a run rather than a walk.. If you do the Glen Brittle forest trail study a map first - it's about 10-11 miles but I got really lost there once and took a wrong turn which meant I was out for hours. If you're staying near Dunvegan, Greshornish is a good forest trail (on road from Dunvegan to Portree) and there are atmospheric old clearance ruins along the route - my wife walked part of it it while I ran it last time I was there. Hope weather holds for you - on Skye it makes all the difference.
''Headed over to Skye on Saturday for the Dunvegan Castle 10k. Arrived early to enter and was given a route map which rather ominously stated "wet bog area" between 1k and 2k! Had a wander round the kids fun run route which also passed through said area, to be confronted with about an 800 metre climb through a forest, made up of ankle deep mud, puddles and cow shit...so glad I'd brought my shiny white DS Trainers to race in! The muddy trail gave way to a climbing forest track for the following 2k, before a sharp climb to the road and 5.5k of tarmac to the finish. So not quite the advertised "road race".
Anyway, off we set from in front of the castle, with 2 local guys tearing off at the front. I sat in behind them and tried to stay with the pace. Turning onto the muddy section, it got really difficult to see where to place my feet, following closely behind the others with the mud flying, and I took a few Micksta-style slides (those damn Asics!). Had to work hard to stay with the 2 other guys who obviously knew the route pretty well and were piling the pace on. We finally emerged from the mud and the 3 of us had broken well clear from the rest of the field. Settled into a steadier rhythm on the forest track, though the gradient was still making things tough. Reached the road and knew I was feeling in control and my breathing seemed steadier than theirs. Passing 5k I nosed to the front, realised one of the guys was beginning to struggle, and forced the pace for a couple of minutes. Suddenly I had a 30 metre gap behind me, so I just put the hammer down and wound the pace up. Had another glance over my shoulder just before 9k and saw that my lead was decisive, but continued to pile the pace on. Crossed the line in 36.10, winning by 42secs in a new course record, and chuffed to bits! Realised afterwards that I ran a 19.32/16.38 negative split, which just about sums up the course!!! Got presented with a huge trophy (which was swiftly taken from me for engraving and display in the castle restaurant, after I'd had some photos taken with it!), with an engraved quaich to follow. And to cap a fine day, Mrs S was 3rd lady and also got a nice mini-quaich!''
