Excellent photos. Very evocative. I've never been that far W on the Welsh hills, despite helping Yiannis with his Arenig race. Must make the effort, once I'm mobile again.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
Ian.
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Excellent photos. Very evocative. I've never been that far W on the Welsh hills, despite helping Yiannis with his Arenig race. Must make the effort, once I'm mobile again.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
Ian.
http://www.runbg.co.uk/Images/Merion...not%20his).jpg
Our very own boy racer!!! Go Go Go - you'll beat that Toffer yet!
Looks like a seriously good day out - very envious
Oh Boy(wonder), are you going to be in big trouble one day soon :o, if that Wheeze doesn't get you first :mad:
Great Photos. Looks a lovely part of Wales.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
I might have got some equally good photos on the Ramsay Round. My camera "looked" fully charged but after a night at -3 in Glen Nevis packed in :o
There were snow covered hills stretching away as far as the eye could see yesterday :rolleyes:
This route now features in the latest batch of routes to be added to www.gofar.org.uk
Impressive coverage - even Nicky's pics from the Nov (Rhinog) recce :)Quote:
Originally Posted by MOUNTAIN MAN
Having got a bit of bagging out of the way, it's time to get back to recceing. I have a couple of weekends pencilled in:
Jan 24-25
Feb 28 - March 1
...but am open to negotiation.
Next sections to be looked at would be
3. Migneint
4. Arenig
1. Cadair Idris
Rob
Main recce dates are now:-Quote:
Originally Posted by RobW
Jan 24-25
Feb 21-22
The Feb 28 weekend may also go ahead.
Rob
Just to say that Fynnon Wen YH have a big group in on Jan 24. I've bagged the last bunk, but there's a studio room with room for 4 @ £12 each. 3 of us currently for that weekend. I'll email interested parties: best to book pronto if wanting to stay over. 01490 420349
Feb21/22 they have a group in but OK room. 3 or 4 of us currently for that weekend.
Plenty of room for Feb28/01 + March 13/14 (which I've also pencilled in 'cos it's my only free March date and probably last recce opportunity).
Just back from 2 excellent days on the route. Saturday we did Migneint & Arenig sections. Due to a late start we had to miss out the Duck Pool (phew!). Spent a fair bit of time between Dduallt and Rhobell Fawr as recent felling and replanting has made the old route slow and unpleasant. Instead - Head S from Dduallt, into the forest at SH804259 and a tricky little dogleg leads to a good ride. Weather dry except for a brief shower just before the finish.Quote:
Originally Posted by RobW
Sunday we did Cadair section + Rhinogs as far N as Rhinog Fach. Cadair had a bit of crusty snow but not particularly slippery. The first little summit out of Barmouth has got a little awkward with gorse growth. May need to return with secateurs ;). Finished the route knackered after trying to keep up with IainR and Tim Werrett all day :eek:.
The group at the YH was some kind of British Cycling Team training camp. Quite entertaining, particularly watching them getting instructed in the niceties of bike-washing.
Now to regain the use of my legs in time for 20 Feb :D
Vague plan that weekend is long day on Rhinogs one day, the other day shorter.
Out of interest what is the plan to get between Morfa Mawddach station and Garn Corllwyn ? As the only map of the area I have shows a railway bridge and I'm guessing swimming would take to long !!
Yep that's the one. Doubles as a footbridge. 60p toll, although no-one was collecting midday Sunday. Lots of folk using it - an easy way to experience the wonderfully scenic Mawddach estuary.Quote:
Originally Posted by mxhornet
Best anyone doing the round has the right money ready lol
Yes, do not under any circumstances forget your 60p's! Snowdon to Penyfan almost foundered because we had sent the minibus(with the money) round to the other side of the estuary(S) as it would be easier to park! We emerged from the Rhinogs section without a penny between us, fortunately the supporting Old Grey Beard had a very old fiver stashed in his bum-bag:eek:
It's now 70p, inflation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Toffer
Anyway a great day, I was feeling it yesterday, hamstrings weren't in good form last night. Sat in the car at 8:00 am being battered by wind and rain I wasn't looking forwards to a long day out, but after the first hour where it was a bit of a blizzard it cleared and was a lovely day.
The forerunner worked it out as 24.5 miles and 2500m of ascent, after downloading through sporttracks, Memory map also provided a similar figure.
There seems to be a plan afoot for a group of us (including the forum's very own Dominion) to be out on the Rhinogydd on Friday... but I suspect it may be a bit shorter / slower than you guys managed - sounds like an epic time was had by all
If heading for Carn Gorllwyn, how about a spot of secateur work on that pesky gorse that's taking over the approach to the boulderfield (SH619161) :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Boy Wonder
Have a great run :)
Judging by the calibre of the runners who are going to be there this weekend (Mike Hager - 58!!! FFS ran 32.31 for 10k this year, Seb Shepley, a youth of 41, ran 34.20, Steve Rose ran 34.21) I shall need to find them a considerable amount of gardening to do en route, just to keep them vaguely in sight :eek::eek::eek::eek:
Have a good day out, I'm envious - not at that bloody speed though:eek:
Just drag them over some of the Rhinog rough stuff, that can slow a few of the racing snakes up ;)
Have a great day you lucky beggars.
Hamstrings? Don't talk to me about hamstrings :eek:.Quote:
Originally Posted by IainR
Coming off Diffwys I was kicking myself for leaving the camera behind. It's a gorgeous stretch, especially all aglow in that winter light.
Looking at our times, and allowing for stoppages, we were going slightly faster than YDT did on the Day, but only by 5mins or so on each section - even on the Arenig section which was his 4th. I reckon this thing is 3 hours longer than the BG - could even be a bit more.
Stats for the whole route based on a fairly precise mostly-reccied track currently stand at 73mi, 7964m (26,000 ft) using Anquet. NB this includes Maen Du in the Dyfi Forest section, although having time for extras (or even the "standard route") is still a bit of a distant dream. 3 months hard work ahead :eek:.Quote:
The forerunner worked it out as 24.5 miles and 2500m of ascent, after downloading through sporttracks, Memory map also provided a similar figure.
I am using Anquet v1 which doesn't do .gpx files, so a bit of fiddling (with GPS Utility) is required to get tracks from GPS onto desktop mapping. Don't suppose SportTracks deals with .arf format? Any tips welcome - I'm new to this GPS lark.
Well that was a fun weekend - Friday was grey, lots of clag so we abandonned ideas of the Rhinogs and ran from the north side of Llyn Celyn onto Carnedd Filiast and then off for miles on a fence (Moley would have been at home - just like Pumlumon!!) to Arennig Fach and back down to the cars. Dominion and the other speedsters left me for dead on the first two-mile steady uphill drag, but I came back into contention in the rough stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
Saturday was a circuit on Cadair coming up from the south, incredibly windy so we ended up cutting a bit short but still a two and a half hour run - life in the old boy yet.
Pruning on the Rhinogs now put on hold!
Shame :(. Must have been seriously chilly last weekend?Quote:
Originally Posted by Boy Wonder
OK, I'm onto it. Will spend a bit of time there this weekend with the secateurs :).Quote:
Originally Posted by Boy Wonder
Next proper recce is Feb 21-22. Plan is to look at Rhinog one day (full length or at least north from Rhinog Fawr). The other day either Aran/Dyfi Forest, or maybe Arenig again to run the new Dduallt - Rhobell route we sussed out last time.
Then Mar 13-14 for a final look :eek:.
I'll email the folk I know about; if anyone else fancies a run, let me know.
Rob
Will be in Wales that weekend but with a bunch of walkers - I was vaguely thinking about a day on the Rhinogs, so we'll wave as you run past:D
We probably wouldn't have kept up with you anyway given your abovementioned exploits :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Boy Wonder
Oh ho ho ho..... maybe if I'd handicapped you all with 50kg sacs I might have kept up :D:eek:
Recceing in thick mist - perfect :eek:.
Saturday started with Carn Gorllwyn above Barmouth. A few iterations sorted out the little area of gorsy ridges above the houses. Then a bit of de-gorsing and de-brambling at the wall crossing. Then a few iterations established the best line to and from the summit itself. Finally the next mile thru the little walled fields as far as the open hill at Bwlch y Llan.
Most of the day was spent on a circuit from Trawsfynydd NPS to Arenig Fach and back. Over Foel Fawr - Craig Wen I was able to refine my GPS track over the unmemorable undulating route. By the B4391 my feet were frozen so I had to give the duck pool a miss again :D, ran the road to the A4212 junction then went up and sorted out a decent line off Arenig Fach. SSE off the summit along a quad track towards Y Foel, steep descent then drop down SSW into a tussocky area; pick up a sheep trod which curves L following a stream. 100m before the wall cut half-R, across a deep-heather shoulder, pick up another trod, cross the wall, descend on decent grass keeping L of a spur then R of a fence corner. At the bottom, pass R of sheepfolds, 1 fence and you're at the road. Just as I arrived at the fence a farmer went past on a quad, didn't stop or seem bothered. I then returned over a half dozen 400m and 300m tops.
Overnight at Fynnon Wen YH which was fairly quiet: a few kayakers (interested to note they don't go kayaking but paddling)
Sunday a few oddments including some Meiri bits:-
Sec 5 start: from Pont Fronwydd, once above the tree band I was pleased to find several new stiles :-) so it's now more or less a beeline to the 455m top.
Sec 5 end / Sec 6 start: detailed look at the descent & ascent for the version which includes the impressive Maen Du (just in case I have time for this variation). The direct ascent to the 509m top (SH827158) is quite interesting :)
Next weekend the Duck Pool, maybe ? :eek:
Photo here: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1166020Quote:
Originally Posted by RobW
And Yiannis's line:
Attachment 1845
BTW that green stuff (brown in my pic) is bracken - hence May 9th ;)
This Saturday looking like Arenig to run the new improved Dduallt - Rhobell line, preceded by Duck Pool probably :eek:
Sunday Northern Rhinog, with ydt Himself :D
Good luck, I'm envious of your days out there. Will soon be back to play, but may have to lose a bit of weight (booze belly :o) to get up those big hills again.
Very happy to assist with your rehab, Moley. Bet you can't wait to get back to misty boggy Cymru :D. Next (probably last) reccies 14 & 15 March.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
Spent a bit of time with the camera; accordingly the cloud was low !
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8589216...7614316201747/
Sat a.m. met Alan and Lawrie at Pont Fronwydd; sunny drive up to Bala but that was the end of the sunshine for the day. Picked up Sec 3 at the B4391, over Carnedd Iago, down by the fence, passing just L of the Duck Pool (looking very green and deep). Quad track most of the way. Hop over the fence, heather not too bad (burnt a few years ago) to base of little Arenig where there's a beautifully built little stone shelter. Tried out a few route variations on the descent, then crossed pasture at the bottom to cut out a few hundred m of tarmac. Lawrie having retrieved his car ambushed us here with a pack of sausage rolls :-)
Arenig Fawr summit in cloud, we met a lone walker. Descending to the Llyfnant col I stayed high to make the best of the running. Moel Llyfnant summit 2 more walkers. We descended the SE ridge, probably better than the direct scree descent. Long leg to Dduallt went nicely (can be seriously bad if you get the worng line!), contouring at about 450m on the W side of the valley. This time we stayed high, above the ruined farmstead. Usual crossing point for the infant R Mawddach - the gravel bank. Highly unusually we saw some walkers along this wild remote valley. Dduallt we descended the S ridge - path all the way and nice running, found the cut thru the forest and the ride to the foot of Rhobell. Looking back we couldn't help thinking it's a long way round though.
Sunday I met ydt opposite Trawsfynydd NPS, the usual layby. Drove to Graigddu-Isaf, ascended Rhinog Fach then ran the remainder of Sec 2 N back to the A470. ydt has quite a neat route between the 2 big Rhinogydd these days: about 50 mins without pushing it. Good descent line to Llyn Du. Spent a while nailing the descent to Roman Steps (a micro-cairn - don't tell the BG cairn-kickers!). After Craig Wion I tried keeping well R of the wall - surprisingly I got a fair bit ahead of Yiannis who followed the rocky path by the wall, so I guess it's a goer.
Immediately after Craig Ddrwg we tried L and R of the lower summit. L seems best after all. After the .594 summit we sussed out the route which keeps L of Llyn Du - much better than R. Then did ydt's "compulsory scramble" which manages to look harder than it is - a little gem. Foel Penolau - E summit is higher on the 25k map and the most convenient, but W summit looks as high (albeit in mist with no horizon behind). Nice line across (the other) Diffwys; spent a while on the fiddly first bit of the Gyrafolen descent. Off Craig y Gwynt we headed ENE, crossing the wall just N of the wall junction. All very neat, Mr T :)
Took another look at the Maen Du ascent on the way home. Various playful lines up thru the crags, but a fair bit of bilberry slows things down: I'm left thinking the longer grassy line is probably best after all.
Anything happening here - I'm back :).
Weclome home stranger!
RobW's been busy:D
I haven't:(
Welcome back Moley :) Thought I emailed you?Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
Sunday I have arranged to meet Chris Armour 9.a.m. at the A487 layby E of Cadair (SH752135) then run Sec 5 (Arans) and 6 (Dyfi Forest including
Maen Du)
Saturday I am open to suggestions but would happily do Rhinogs (south
or all). Cadair is the other section I wouldn't mind another look at.
So Cadair to Rhinog Fach would be a possibility. If anyone wants to come out and play...
I polished the flush bracket..........:D
And i hope you didn't tresspass!!
Playing at marshalling the Bath Half on Sunday:(:(
Had a great day out (walking) on the southern Rhinogs a couple of weeks ago - fantastic weather, hope its as good for you this weekend.
http://picasaweb.google.com/AndyMull...76360419816834
Looks like Paul and I are up for something on the Saturday. I am feeling totally wrecked and Paul hasn't done much, but we'll give it a go, be gentle with us. Spirit willing even if flesh weak :(. Will e-mail you.
Nice work :cool:; just don't go painting it ...Quote:
Originally Posted by wynn
Seems we have a plan :)Quote:
Looks like Paul and I are up for something on the Saturday. I am feeling totally wrecked and Paul hasn't done much, but we'll give it a go, be gentle with us. Spirit willing even if flesh weak :(. Will e-mail you.
Ouch, that hurt, and I only did 1/2 a day :o. Rob still out there somewhere:eek:.
Think yourself lucky - I've been inside from 11 till 5.30 helping an organisation I've just got involved with (Bath Fringe Festival) draw up a three year strategy / business plan - interesting, needs to be done - but on a beautiful spring Saturday :(:(
Then tomorrow on the start / finish of the Bath Half from 8 until 2 :( - and then joining running friends for lasgne and wine from 2 onwards:D
Phew - finally escaped - drat that Sitka spruce :D. Moel Heulen above Corris - SH776081 - one of the most unpleasant and pointless hills I've bagged for ages :D.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
Great Cadair recce though; likewise yesterday on Aran and Dyfi Forest sections. More later - Glyn was wanting to know stats ...
Moel Heulen looks a bundle of fun on the OS :rolleyes:. You baggers have to take the rough with the smooth ....... :D.
Will pass any stats onto Glyn, when you have them, may encourage him to come out again. In the meantime my legs need to recover and return to their old selves.