Well with the school holidays drawing to a close and with it the busiest month of the year, here on Loch Ness it's now the time for runners and cyclists to enjoy the area. It starts this weekend on the 3rd September, with the annual Monster Challenge, a 120km duathlon around Loch Ness. In teams of four each participant tackles two stages out of a total of eight (four running and four cycling). A great event and a great challenge, particularily for those who have the 'pleasure' of cycling up the hill out of Fort Augustus towards Whitebridge!

Then of course on the 2nd October we have the Baxter's Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running. Now in it's 10th year the Marathon is well established as one of the premier marathon's in the UK. It starts just beyond Whitebridge on the south side and makes it's way along the shores of Loch Ness before the last few miles in to Inverness. As many will know who have read my blog over the past couple of years I ran it six years in a row up until 2010 when I finally realised that my knees were no longer up to the pounding on roads but I still have thoughts about doing it again it's such a great event. Instead though I'm just doing the 10km which is also a great event. For many it's fun for me it's serious - last year I did it in 44mins, this year I want 42mins. We shall see . The photo is of me in my last marathon with the backdrop of Loch Ness. It was a lovely day as have most been except 2006 when it rained for 16 miles if I remember right!

Finally launched the South Loch Ness Trail yesterday! Two years in the making and stretching 28 miles down the south side, we (Destination Loch Ness) have created what I think is a superb trail with fantastic scenery, rich in culture and heritage and plenty views of Loch Ness along the route. We received excellent press/media cover of it (including BBC Alba, the Gaelic TV channel) and I spent most of yesterday doing interviews..it was a busy day! So, if you want to know more and perhaps wish to cycle/walk/horse ride it when you visit the area, check it out at http://www.visitlochness.com/south-loch-ness-trail/

Here are a couple of photos including our first users!!