Great Orme

I've often looked at the North Wales Joe Brown Midweek fell race series but never really been able to justify the car journey given the distance of the events. There's 12 races in total with each race averaging about 4 miles 1200ft and most are scattered in and around Snowdonia. Series organiser is Welsh fellrunning stalwart Mike Blake...if Mike's involved they must be decent races is my way of thinking.

With the continued run of nice weather I'd decided it was time to sample a Welsh midweeker and so I asked my wife if she fancied a day out by the seaside.

"Oh that would be lovely, a nice day out that doesn't involve fell racing".

Do I tell her before with leave home or do I drop the bombshell when we get there and act all surprised that there's a race on?. I can't lie not even little white ones, anyhow she can read me like a book so I took the plunge...."well actually if we go to Llandudno there just happens to be a fell race in the evening".

To be fair Alison's reaction didn't surprise me as she's the most easy going person I've ever met...."yeah let's go to Llandudno, it beats gardening". Llandudno tourists board could use that as a slogan, get it plastered in a Shearings brochure.

Llandudno always brings back childhood memories as my parents loved the place, they still do, they're Shearings devotees.

Even back then as a child I was fascinated by the big limestone headland: Great Orme. Admittedly the thought back then of walking or god forbid running up it was never on the cards. But going up 'The Orme' on the Tram or Cable car was always a highlight for me of any Llandudno day out.

Jump forward to present day and I'm relishing the thought of running up the big limestone lump....who said we get wiser with age?

Registratation is at the bar/cafe that serves the Dry ski-slope and Toboggan ride....blimey it's like being in the Alps! Whilst I was registering Alison witnessed a car roll down the car park unaccompanied for about 100ft and miraculously come to a sudden halt when hitting a grass verge. Unbelievably no damage was done to the car and it didn't hit another vehicle on the busy car park. The owner was more than surprised when seeing where her car had ended up....and ultimately revealed.

The race starts down from the Ski centre in the Happy Valley gardens. Llandudno has some association with Alice in Wonderland and countless wooden carvings can be spotted throughout the gardens depicting characters from within the book. At first I thought I was hallucinating when I saw a 2ft white rabbit hiding in the bushes....on blimey the days of magic mushrooms came flashing back.

From the start there's no easing in.....it's steep, very steep, up a short road section. Then we're on the undulating paths that weave this way and that, up, down and around the Great Orme. Some good fast descending is encountered but nothing is technically challenging given the relatively smooth nature of the paths. The climbs are short but sharp and the summit trig point is visited twice from different directions.

If you're feeling confident enough to take your eyes away from foot placement for a moment or two you're rewarded with fantastic views in all directions.

At the finish we could've stayed hanging around for ages taking it all in and enjoying the moment....but the chippy was a calling. We'd promised ourselves a bag of chips whilst sat on the prom and we couldn't wait any longer.

Many thanks to Craig, Mike and all involved.

I proposed to Mrs Clough on top of the Great Orme!

Llandudno is a great place and always head there after races such as Peris or 1000's for a walk up and down the pier and a bag of chips. Not usually in a fit state to run up the Orme though!