Boy Wonders posting on the preserved status of Tryfan got me thinking and dreaming and, with the demise of the Steam Bunny Summer Extravaganza this year, a bad thought grew in my head....yup, time to have a crack at the 3000's. Probably have a go in early August. If anyone is around who can meet me with some chow at Ogwen and or Nant Peris, please let me know. Also, if anyone wants to come along, let me know too. I shall be aiming for 9-10 hours.
Simon Blease
Monmouth
so i take it that this is a walk then and not a run?Originally Posted by Wheeze
I shall be employing Ruddles Rule. If Donnelly took 4 hours 15 mins, I shall double that and add 1 hour contingency. But would be chuffed to get in around the 8 hour mark. 20 years ago I was doing Welsh 1000 in 4.20.
Simon Blease
Monmouth
i think Donnelly did it in 4;19.
A fellrunner should do it quite easily in 8 hours or under,dont put yourself down (leave that to me) be confident.
good luck
Sure, I think that is achievable but over the years I have learnt not to be overoptimistic...that way you are always pleasantly surprised. I know that, using Ruddles Rule I can cover mountainous terrain at 3.3 mph all day....our average for the 160 mile Dragons Back. So I should get across the 26 mile 3000's route in just under 8 hours. But I know how things can slow you up, like navigating a dense cloud or having to trash along all day in the rain. So thats why I plumped for 9-10 hours.
Simon Blease
Monmouth
OK. So. Date set. Sat 7th August. If anyone else fancies coming along I shall be at the summit of Snowdon at 8 am. Who's playing?!
Simon Blease
Monmouth
Hope the Wheeze is going ok. Very damp and claggy day up there, will have been fairly slow over the wet rocks and descants. We didn't see him and went through a little earlier than expected, dropping off Llyn Y Cwn about 12.30. Was still murky then but signs of the weather just starting to clear, so he might enjoy a better afternoon.
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.
Sadly no, Mr Mole. The clag and the dampness played a major outcome in a bittersweet day. Bitter because I made a decision to bale out at Ogwen, sweet because the beauty of the internet delivered me a guardian angel just when I needed one.
Setting off from a bitterly cold Yr Wyddfa, things became 'exciting' coming off Ugain and rounding the Pinnacles. Pretty much zero viz and water streaming off the rocks made for slow progress. Hoping for better things coming back to Bwlch Goch, I took a nasty tumble half way down, smashing my watch and slicing open my thumb on the razor sharp rocks. Thank goodness for the cycling mitts as they prevented my hand being ripped open too. Top tip there from Mr Rod the Rally.
Anyway, I trotted into Nant Peris in a worsening mood, 10 mins down on schedule, sore hand and NO SIGN of the weather picking up. Was picking my way up the first bit of Elidir Fawr when I came upon a fellow in fell running attire leaning nonchalently on a gate. 'Are you Wheeze?' he asked and 'Do you mind if I tag along?'. Thus it came to pass that my guardian angel was delivered to me. An angel who lurks on these forums and knew I would be coming through. All I can say is that met a true gentleman of the fells, a Clwydian runner who is the genuine article and I am eternally grateful to him for his help and company over the next trying and vexing 3.5 hours. To say I could not have done it without him may be stretching the truth....but only just! And even he had some trouble with the nav on some parts.
So, to cut a long story short, I got to Ogwen in 5.20, pretty much on schedule but with no sign of the weather improving, very poor light and the prospect of doing the Carneddau, solo, tired, and in poor conditions. Knowing how tough the going had been as a pair, it did not take me long to make my mind up that discretion was the better part of valour and the challenge would have to wait for another time.
Now back in Llandudno, enjoying a beer in the late evening sunshine!!!!
Simon Blease
Monmouth
:closed:Wait for me......too late. Umm. No. Have Snowdon 7's race following weekend but chance I may be up there that weekend for 'recce' thingy. Far too disorganised to plan that far ahead!
Need to do this, tried 2 years ago with Caz (Happyonthehills) and had 'wheelscomeoff' day and aborted with serious dehydration on Glyders, but flying the next day on Hebog - bloody typical. Caz carried on of course, he would have been all day waiting for me.
Not that I've done anything yet, simply hoping that no bodily parts break or fall off in next 3 weeks. If all goes well on 7's would have had a go, maybe. Keep in touch for backup, see if I'm about.
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.
Tried this last year, got the service train up Snowdon on a day that was forecast to be dry but cloudy, but on the way up at Clogwyn realised that it was going to be a wet day. By the time I got to Nant I was wet through, but went up Elidir in stormy conditions and once at the summit decided to call it a day and went back home. I was both gutted and p****d off to waste a day off work only for the weather to beat me! Good luck Wheeze, hope you get better weather than I got, don't believe the Met Office web site before you set off!
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