South Wales natives

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06-12-2019, 10:52 AM
Travs

FAO Wheeze/Noel/South Wales natives

Just after a little advice...

Llanbedr, where the Black Mountains race is held... is there any parking space available if I wanted to ditch the car there and go off on a training run?

I've only ever been there for Black Mountains race and obviously we park in the field. But I fancy heading over there a few days before xmas and doing the horseshoe round Waun Fach, PYGF, etc.

Also thinking about having a look at that Transfan route I've seen on here, possibly in the few days after new year.

Also, winter conditions on the Black Mountains/Beacons? Are they usually snowed/iced over in late Dec early Jan? Obviously I'd have loads of kit and would always carry microspikes at that time of year... any advice on typical conditions?

Cheers,
Pete
06-12-2019, 10:59 AM
Travs

Actually it may not have been the TransFan route I was thinking about... I'm sure there's a thread on here with a great race/route which starts somewhere in the vicinity of Hay on Wye, and goes over Lord Hereford's Knob on the way out and the way back...

If anybody can point me in the right direction of that thread it would be a great help...!

edit: found it....

CP1 Hay Bluff
CP2 LHK
CP3 Capel y ffin
CP4 Grwyne Valley road crossing
CP5 Pen y Gadair Fawr
CP6 Waun Fach
CP7 North end of Grwyne Resevoir
CP8 Tywyn talycefn
CP9 Rhos Dirion
CP10 LHK
CP11 Hay Bluff.
06-12-2019, 12:47 PM
Wheeze

Hey Travs, glad you are coming over this way.
Yes, there is plenty of street parking in Llanbedr. Most fruitful spot is to go towards Crickhowell from the Red Lion pub. i.e. in the direction you head off in the race. You can either park in the small housing estate which is on the left or carry on up to the T junction. On your immediate right there is a pull in which takes 3 or 4 cars. Its where I always park when I go for a training run around there.
And of course the other route you refer to is My Steam Bunny Bluff race route. You can miss out the tedious drag up from Hay on Wye by parking on the open moor on the north side of Hay Bluff, just before you get to Gospel Pass. Then head straight up to CP1. I presume you found the race thread? https://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/show...am-Bunny-Bluff. Sadly, the website no longer works due to inactivity!

Weather wise, its generally wet and foggy rather than snowy and icy. The Brecon Beacons to the west tend to soak up the worst of any westerly weather systems. The Blacks are a lot gentler in terms of gradient and the paths are generally wide and well used. I've run up there in snow and ice and found fell shoes perfectly able to cope.
06-12-2019, 01:14 PM
Travs

Thanks...

I had a quick scout round on Google Maps and can't see a parking issue...

Re the Steam Bunny Bluff route... I agree it looks a fantastic race route... however if I'm driving a couple of hours to get to a training run, I may consider covering a wider area on a single run, rather than dropping in and out of the Grwyne Valley a couple of times (especially if I've done the Waun Fach Horseshoe I'd like to cover some different ground... currently throwing the idea of parking at the Stone Circle or Gospel Pass, up onto Hay Bluff and following the border-ridge south towards Llanthony... then crossing the valley and back up the Bal Mawr ridge... or a variation of this.

Trying to pencil in the Horseshoe between the 21st-24th Dec, and the 2nd run sometime between 2nd-6th Jan, although quite a hectic race schedule over xmas/new year means it might be a struggle to fit both in!

in the meantime I'm hoping to be up at Skirrid a week on Saturday...
06-12-2019, 09:16 PM
anthonykay

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travs

Thanks...

I had a quick scout round on Google Maps and can't see a parking issue...

Re the Steam Bunny Bluff route... I agree it looks a fantastic race route... however if I'm driving a couple of hours to get to a training run, I may consider covering a wider area on a single run, rather than dropping in and out of the Grwyne Valley a couple of times (especially if I've done the Waun Fach Horseshoe I'd like to cover some different ground... currently throwing the idea of parking at the Stone Circle or Gospel Pass, up onto Hay Bluff and following the border-ridge south towards Llanthony... then crossing the valley and back up the Bal Mawr ridge... or a variation of this.

Trying to pencil in the Horseshoe between the 21st-24th Dec, and the 2nd run sometime between 2nd-6th Jan, although quite a hectic race schedule over xmas/new year means it might be a struggle to fit both in!

in the meantime I'm hoping to be up at Skirrid a week on Saturday...

Sounds like a lot a faffing around. Why don't you just do a South Wales traverse? It's only 73 miles, and you could do the first Winter completion. :)
06-12-2019, 11:01 PM
Travs

;) Anthony I admire your input and enthusiasm to my cause... however knocking out 70 odd miles at two weeks notice, having not done an ultra since April, might be stretching it a little far...

However on the subject of winter completions in Wales, I might be looking at something for this time next year... although I’m sure I said similar this time last year so not making any promises!
07-12-2019, 10:33 PM
Corniceman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travs

Just after a little advice...

Llanbedr, where the Black Mountains race is held... is there any parking space available if I wanted to ditch the car there and go off on a training run?

I've only ever been there for Black Mountains race and obviously we park in the field. But I fancy heading over there a few days before xmas and doing the horseshoe round Waun Fach, PYGF, etc.

Also thinking about having a look at that Transfan route I've seen on here, possibly in the few days after new year.

Also, winter conditions on the Black Mountains/Beacons? Are they usually snowed/iced over in late Dec early Jan? Obviously I'd have loads of kit and would always carry microspikes at that time of year... any advice on typical conditions?

Cheers,
Pete

Hi Pete,I’ve done a very similar circuit from all Llanthony priory where there is ample parking.
07-12-2019, 11:41 PM
molehill

Winter conditions in S. Wales are much like other hill regions of the UK, unpredictable. Certainly the extra elevation of tops knocks a few degrees temperature off, so snow and ice linger, but it could be anything through the winter months.
10-12-2019, 11:10 AM
Dave_Mole

there's always this (although it's one-way!)

http://runmdc.org.uk/runs/transfan/