Bit short notice, I realise, but I'm planning to have a very preliminary (and hence very gently paced) look at the PBR this coming Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - joining the dots between the YHAs at Capel Curig (Sunday night), Snowdon Ranger (Monday night) and Llanberis (Tuesday night).
If anyone's interested in joining me along the way - part or all - do give me a shout.
I thought you were going on Hols, Wait for me and I'll come round in a few weeks.Originally Posted by GreenFlash
Contact details are here, I'm back in the UK this weekend so was going for a good few days out. Maybe up for joining you for a few sections on Tuesday and Wednesday.
http://www.runsnowdonia.co.uk/contact_us.html
This is holiday ... camping with the fambly later in the week, then chaperoning at the Leeds Festival over the bank holiday w/e ...
I've sent you a PM, Iain R.
Last edited by GreenFlash; 13-08-2010 at 11:24 PM.
Now I see why they say it's tougher than the BG ...
Many thanks to Iain, Sarah and the hounds for leading me through the clag on Tuesday and this morning. Rest of the time it was brilliant sunshine; lucky me.
Just got to work out now how I'm ever going to get myself down to, up and over Tryfan in anything like a credible time ...
Green Flash, what's the main reason you considered the PB harder than the BG - the terrain? Having looked at the route, it seems to me there are some big initial climbs on each "leg". The Tryfan bit, I sympathise with....that's where I'm going to struggle.
Looking to start heading over for some reccies in the next few months...it'll make a nice change from zooming up to the Lakes!!
Good to get out, I enjoyed that, spent 3 weeks on the flat so a few hills was great.
I think most who come from the BG to the PB find the lack of trods harder. Green Flash was unlucky in that he went for the Moelwyns section first, and that boundary ridge is just tough going. once you know where the small trods are, know all the short cuts, know which peak is which it gets much easier. But that and the first bit of the Hebog section are about the hardest bits until you hit the rock of the Glyders. There are a few route choices there but you can't really avoid the rock.
The Snowdon and Carneddau legs are the easiest, mainly good paths, easy route choices.
Thanks for that Iain. Your name was mentioned at the weekend actually! Picked up the Harveys Snowdonia map in Joe Browns in Llanberis and, when I told the guy serving what I was planning to do, he said you were the "local expert" on the Paddy! High praise indeed!
I guessed it was the lack of trods and rougher ground over the Moelwyns and Hebog. I know that area a wee bit, but looking forward to getting to know it a lot better!
The terrain - yep - though not necessarily for the reasons I'd imagined before going up there.
The climbs are no more challenging than for the BG, but the Moelwyns are very tough, in a strangely Dark Peak kind of a way, which I hadn't been expecting ... plenty of strength-sapping bogs, heather bashing, and intermittent trods, so am looking forward to plenty more DP club races and bog hopping to prepare me for these; then the Glyders lull you into a false sense of security - no real problems til you hit the summit of Glyder Fach, then plenty of tricky (and in my case inelegant) rock hopping and scrambling up and down; not my favourite past-time, so may need to plan a schedule that gets me through this section whilst still fresh.
As Iain R notes however, the Snowdon section is straightforward enough. I gave the Carneddau (and Moel Hebog section) a miss this time, but understand they're also OK. Really looking forward to some long days out now getting to know the ins and outs of Snowdonia (a nice break from the Lakes indeed) - I suspect knowing the route very well indeed may be my only real chance of getting around in under 24 hours.
From the top of Hebog that section is fine, apart from a very rough km over Gyrn, never enjoyed that bit, but its short and is getting a good trod so its getting easier each year.
Nantlle Ridge is fine, a bit rocky which gets lethal in the wet, but the sections are much shorter than those on the Glyders.
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