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Thread: I love Wales

  1. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by anthonykay View Post
    Yes, I have also grown rather fond of Wales, not least for all the happy fell-running memories that it has given me.

    Unlike Travs, I hadn't been to Wales until I was 12 years old, when I was at a scout camp in Herefordshire and we were taken over the border on one day. I had a cycling holiday in Mid-Wales at age 21, in 1979, but my first fell race there was Llanbedr-Blaenavon in 1981. I became quite a frequent visitor to the long races of South Wales, doing Llanbedr-Blaenavon 8 times, Brecon Beacons 3 times, Black Mountains twice and Trans-Fan once.

    I don't think I had ever been to Snowdonia before the JK (Jan Kjellstrom trophy) orienteering in 1984. My first Snowdonia fell race was the Moel Eilio Ridge in 1987, which I managed to fit in on my way home from Holyhead after a job interview in Ireland! I was back later that year for the Moel Siabod race. After a really good run at the race, I was slowly pedalling up to the Ogwen Pass towards my weekend accommodation near Bethesda, but the monstrous rocky excrescence filling the view to the left of the road was too much to ignore. So at about half past five, I changed back from cycling shoes to Walshes, and headed up the north ridge of Tryfan. Commonsense did return by the time I got to Bwlch Tryfan, where I decided that it would not be a good idea to go up Bristly Ridge as well. That was the last Saturday of July, 1987; by a curious coincidence, it was the last Saturday of July, 30 years later, when I eventually took myself along Crib Goch.

    Another happy experience in North Wales was my two-week cycling holiday in 1989, with a fell race on each of the three weekends: Moel y Parc, Snowdon and Moel Siabod. I still consider the Moel Siabod race that year to be the absolute pinnacle of my rather undistinguished fell-running career. And, like Mr B, I did cycle down to the end of the Llyn peninsula, where an Irish mist was rolling in from the sea, providing relief from the rather un-Welsh heat.
    Just looking at historical posts from before I became a forumite and I saw this reference to the Llanbedr-Blaenavon Fell Race. Anthony, I've been mulling over doing this race on the 31st March but just not sure it is worth a 3-4 hour drive. It is enter on the day so I can leave my decision to last minute. Having done it 8 times can you sell it to me?

  2. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by Llani Boy View Post
    Just looking at historical posts from before I became a forumite and I saw this reference to the Llanbedr-Blaenavon Fell Race. Anthony, I've been mulling over doing this race on the 31st March but just not sure it is worth a 3-4 hour drive. It is enter on the day so I can leave my decision to last minute. Having done it 8 times can you sell it to me?
    Have you seen my article about the race in the Fellrunner mag, Spring 2016 issue, page 74? If not, I can probably dig out the text and send it to you with a PM.

    I should point out that the last time I did the race was in 1995. But I assume it still has the same great atmosphere around it. And it's a great course, with the climbs increasing in steepness from the first to the last hill, but the descents decreasing in steepness.

    I always thought it was worth the long journey, but I usually went down the day before and spent the night in or near Blaenavon. The start time is now a bit earlier than it used to be, and it's worth arriving early enough to do a quick recce of the route off the fell and through the mean streets of Blaenavon to the finish; many people lose valuable time and places in that last mile!
    In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
    Jorge Luis Borges

  3. #43
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    In the same area, the Black Mountains race is also a fine one.

  4. #44
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    Llani boy, it all depends what floats your boat. If fell racing means taking on wild solitude then beware, there is a long road section in the middle with a tiresome tangle with traffic on the usk bridge. The finish is through a bleak council estate in the upper reaches of the town presaged by a knackered trod through old open cast mines.
    But if you like hard then this is the one. Nothing, but nothing can prepare you for the horror of the final climb up the blorenge. It's a unique proposition. A bit like laphroig....too strong for some but nectar for the real nutter!😀

  5. #45
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    Oh, and dig out the Llanbedr-Blaenafon thread on the Races section to review the bleating and whinging from 10 years of suffrage. Some horror photos too!
    Simon Blease
    Monmouth

  6. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wheeze View Post
    Oh, and dig out the Llanbedr-Blaenafon thread on the Races section to review the bleating and whinging from 10 years of suffrage. Some horror photos too!
    Thanks Wheeze. I've dug out and digested the above as suggested by you and have decided its got to be ticked off. Must remember to pack some bonio's for The Blaenafon Alsatian! Any suggestions for Friday night entertainment in Blaenafon?

  7. #47
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    Ummm......
    A Chippie-Crawl?
    Tattoo parlour
    Dog fighting
    Just for starters!!
    Simon Blease
    Monmouth

  8. #48
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    Worked for a brief but memorable period in Blaenafon, at a project at the large aerospace place on the side of 'the big pit'

    Lovely views when driving back and forth between there and Abergavenny. Bit of a nightmare arranging artic lorries to get up there in the winter though...!

  9. #49
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    Happy St David's Day everyone
    Visibility good except in Hill Fog

  10. #50
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    Enjoy your day.
    Get some Max Boyce and Katherine Jenkins on.

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