Could anybody give me an idea of the route for the Hotfoot Up Famau Race. Not done it before.
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Could anybody give me an idea of the route for the Hotfoot Up Famau Race. Not done it before.
This is a tougher race than The Druid & my favourite of the series. For those of you who felt frustrated running the Llangynhafal Loop at not being able to run all the way up The Gully (due to the pedestrians around you :rolleyes: ) this is your chance to salvage some pride.
It starts from the top car park on the opposite side of the road from Foel Fenlli. You head up Offa's Dyke Path to MF, after 300 or so yds you'll see a signpost pointing left off the main path, take this. Don't follow the path over the fence, follow the fence line all the way round to the very bottom of the valley. After you've followed the fence line down once you'll have an idea where the route goes & you'll be able to cut the corners next time ;) . Follow the wee stream down the valley on either side of the bank until you reach the bottom of Moel y Gaer which you climb up :D . When at the top of MyG you make your way round CW or ACW, it will be marked on the night, until you find a stile on the opposite side. You climb over this & scream down the field aiming for the bloody great rock/standing stone at the bottom. turn left at the stone & follow a path through the bracken/gorse until you reach a gate/stile which you cross & then make your way up The Gully. When you meet Offas Dyke again, in the shadow of Moel Famau, you hang a right & hammer your way down to the carpark.
Job done!
Great description Fellrunner, cheers.
Cheers for the description fellrunner. Tracey and I took a nice Sunday stroll around Moel Famau today with our little one. Cracking views along the way, if we got it right it looks a good route for the race. By god the heavens opened though as we got to the bottom, it looked like the monssons had arrived. Thankfully we had anticipated the weather.
Nice route description Fellrunner, but unfortunately I can't get to this one.
I did, however, do a training run round a fair portion of the course today. Anybody thinking of doing this one might be advised to pack a machete, as the vegetation in places has gone berserk. My shins are still tingling from thrashing through all the man-eating bracken that has sprung up.
Did this last night - it wasn't the bracken that was the problem but the nettles hidden in the bracken!
Enjoyable race apart from that - I'm still running terribly though and was very slow on the big climb, then got cramp at the top and could only jog down :-(
I also did this race and didn't do myself justice. still struggling on the uphill climbs found it much tougher than the Druid. got up some good momentum on the downhill sections but need to improve a lot. The bracken and nettles posed a big problem in places tonight.
I managed to survive the slippery descent down into the valley only to go over on my ankle on a flat bit..the same ankle as I did on the Carneddau a couple of weeks ago. Called it a day there as I've another race on Sunday so had to limp back up the way I'd come :mad:
Results are at www.wfra.org.uk
Nice one, Fellrunner - well done.
And Joe, surely that doesn't count as 'running terribly' - I'd have been pleased with that result, I'm sure.
Don't despair Pinno, if you're good at & enjoy descending you can always work on your climbing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinno
Jimbob, were you the despondent looking Wrecsam Tri runner at the finish? I don't envy the trudge you would've had to make back up to the start. Wrecsam Tri are a top club btw, I've just joined them for the roads & XC.
Thoroughly enjoyed my run out & I was impressed to spy Swiss Toni break into a jog while I was doing my warm-down.
BTW Joe makes amusing noises when descending at pace :D .
Yep, that was me :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Fellrunner
You call that pace?? Actually I think I managed to recover just sufficiently to be sort-of-running by the bottom.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fellrunner
Geoff says I make funny noises too!
The "running terribly" was only the second half where I bonked, got cramp, and hobbled down, dropping 5 places!Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffB
Don't worry, I walked when you went out of sight :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Fellrunner
Bit short on marshals for this one! Any volunteers to stand at the top of the gully:rolleyes::rolleyes:?
Can always ask Mario or Joe at the club tomorrow, will let you know
Hi Martin
Joe and Mario from Helsby said they'll gladly help out next wednesday as marshalls. Have let them know the details.
cheers
Hotfoot up Famau - Race 2 of the Summer Trots
Wednesday 2 July
7.30pm £3.00 on day only.
3.5Miles 1200ft
from the Car Park near Moel Famau, Denbighshire.
I will be along with the Camera and hopefully take far better photos than I managed last time at The Druid.:)
Go for it Pinno - top of the Stony Gully is a good vantage point! Possibly even more vantageous is the top Moel Gaer - it's more of a slog to get to but it's one of the oldest hillforts in Wales!!
Thanks Welsh Harrier for the info will bear it in mind. Had thought about the gully as a vantage point.Quote:
Originally Posted by Welsh Harrier
hopefully i'll have recovered from Glasto for this one.
Mario and Joe will be getting there 6.45ish to Marshall
Great stuff - see you all there!:)Quote:
Originally Posted by harrymoon
Too steep for me, but I suppose I'll have to ;-)
Not racing Pinno?
Morning idler. Not racing this one going to be along taking photos.:)Quote:
Originally Posted by idler
Are the bracken/nettles/brambles/ticks as bad as last year?
I'm thinking of wearing leggings tonight!
From memory, plus Ian's route description last year (http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showp...59&postcount=2), I plotted the route on GMap to remind me -
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2040602
There's a couple of points I can't recall - I don't mind if it's cw or acw round the fort, but the line of descent I can't recall. I also seem to remember there was a faster way back than sticking to the track... Anyone know? Or is this all secret local knowledge ;-)
About 3/4 mile from the finish, where the track becomes steep downhill there is a grassy path that contours left and then drops down to the track near the finish. It is better running and could save you half a minute.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe
Yiannis
Thanks Yiannis. That's the path I show the route following in my online map. I was thinking about higher up where the route joins the track. I dimly recall someone running along the left by the fence, but perhaps my memories playing tricks with me.Quote:
Originally Posted by ydt
Disappointed to have mssed this race tonight but last minute work commitments had to take priority unfortunately.:(
Nevermind Pinno, these things happen.
Was a brilliant night, good to see idler and welsh harrier and fellrunner....well the list goes on..
let us know if you want a race report martin!
so which routes were taken!!
Splendid. What an ace race. Great set of prizes and a really good atmosphere. Did anyone else find that stone chute reasonably hard work? Don't answer that.
let us know if you want a race report martin!
Yay, more of the purple prose! You'll need to change your sig to "I'll risk it for a claret"
Can't guarantee the plonk but if you'd like to do another write up please feel free! Did you get the red last night? I'd be interested to know what you think of it - it's supposed to be pretty good!Quote:
Originally Posted by harrymoon
Results as follows:
Hotfoot up Famau - 3th July 2008
1 Stan Charles Clwydian RR 35.49
2 Neil Ashcroft V40 Ambleside 37.20
3 Scott Butterworth Eryri Harriers 38.02
4 Anna Frost L Wrexham AC 39.49
5 Simon Ellis V40 Tattenhall Runners 39.50
6 Jez Brown Buckley 40.08
7 Vincent van Woerkom Epsom Oddballs 40.28
8 Joseph Nuttall Cheshire HR 40.46
9 Neil Parry Unattached 41.12
10 Neil Shepherd V40 Bowland FR 41.15
11 Peter Taylor Tattenhall Runners 42.03
12 Sam Davies Unattached 42.13
13 Simon Roberts Buckley 43.06
14 Rhys Findlay-Robinson Dark Peak 43.37
15 Charles Ashley V50 Wrexham AC 43.58
16 Mary Gillie L Clwydian RR 44.25
17 Mark Smith Tattenhall Runners 44.28
18 Adair Broughton Helsby 44.31
19 John Morris V60 Buckley 46.01
20 Steve Riley V40 FRA 46.11
21 William Helliwell V60 FRA 46.21
22 Alan Heath WFRA 46.31
23 Dave Boothroyd V40 Buckley 46.44
24 Kagiso Mokgosi Unattached 47.20
25 Kean Rowlands V50 Clwydian RR 47.31
26 Chris Jones Clwydian RR 48.20
27 Desmond Davies V40 Prestatyn RC 48.52
28 John Selby V40 Unattached 48.53
29 Paul Stinton Clwydian RR 49.07
30 Nigel Crompton V40 Pensby 50.01
31 John Keyworth V50 Pensby 50.11
32 Duncan Jones V40 Denbigh Harriers 50.13
33 Paul Donoghue Buckley 50.37
34 Ellie Salisbury L40 Eryri Harriers 50.54
35 Phil Gillard V40 Pensby 51.14
36 Paddy Farrelly V50 Salford Mets 51.38
37 Andy Todd V60 Helsby 52.29
38 Steve Hatfield V60 Prestatyn RC 53.08
39 Trevor Pears V40 Unattached 53.12
40 Nigel Pratten V60 Wirral AC 53.20
41 Amanda Davies L Tattenhall Runners 53.41
42 Phil Walker V50 Wrexham AC 53.47
43 Martin Potter V60 Clwydian RR 54.19
44 Peter Norman V70 Wrexham AC 54.45
45 Robin Frost V60 Wrexham AC 55.16
46 Andy Allen V40 Denbigh Harriers 55.21
47 Tony Benton V40 Denbigh Harriers 56.37
48 Michael Edwards V60 Wrexham AC 57.27
49 Dave Peers V40 Pensby 58.41
50 Jennifer Taylor L Tattenhall Runners 59.01
51 Alexandra Duncan L Unattached 59.15
52 Tracy Colligan L Prestatyn RC 59.24
53 Robert Mackey V60 Buckley 59.30
54 Susan Ridings L40 Buckley 59.37
55 Martin Kirkman V50 Achille Ratti 60.14
56 Andrew Evans Unattached 67.03
Thanks for all you last minute helpers last night. Duncan and Vicky at registration, Ian, Sue, Dave, Mario and Joe for marshalling and Steve at the finish.
Hope everyone enjoyed thrashing about in the gorse and bracken. Garden gnomes seem to be a very popular prize so I'll be getting more of those!!!
Thanks Martin for another cracker. Gutted to have missed the Druid thru work and nearly missed this one but glad to have screeched up directly from the office and reminded myself that evening fellraces ar ethe perfect tonic to a stressful day at work.
Looking forward to the green green greass, which is a Tatt championship race so the blue and gold will be out in numbers!
ST
I updated the route for my own amusement - this is where we went:Quote:
Originally Posted by harrymoon
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2046740
Comes out as 3.9 miles. Only real difference was going over Moel y Gaer rather than round. The knee-length leggings I wore worked extremely well protecting me from the nettles and gorse :-)
Excellent gmap!
Harry's too modest to mention, but fans of this race and the adjective should also check out the excellent race report over at http://wfra.org.uk/
Got to agree with idler the report Harrymoon has produced for the Moel Famau race is terrific and well worth reading.Quote:
Originally Posted by idler