Yes, map and compass in hand all the way round, especially as it was first time doing this for me. Very slippy rocks in places and a howling wind, especially on the approach to CP5. Still a very enjoyable run out over some proper fell running terrain. Many thanks to Yiannis and his team, especially the marshals out on the course. Hope everyone made it back safely.
Race date: Sunday 5th August at 1pm. Website
This is the last time I organise this "proper" fell race. Anyone interested in taking it on??
Great race. Unfortunately I'm already signed up for Brecon Beacons. Hope this race continues.
I went for a slow wander over Arenig Fawr and Moel Llyfnant in rather warm weather on Thursday. I concluded that the only sort of person with any legitimate business on the slopes of Arenig Fawr would be a botanist specialising in the flora of very wet upland environments. There weren't any botanists around, so I saw no-one at all in over 5 hours that I was on the mountains.
I didn't see any entrance to the quarry, but there was a stile over the roadside fence just to the west of it, so I parked my bike and squelched my way up the mountain from there. Strangely, there is a decent trod down the back of Arenig Fawr to the bwlch on the way to Llyfnant, but no path that I could find on the way up, except for the last section along the summit ridge.
After getting home, I looked up the race route; quite tempting for next year, but the marshalls might not be amused by having to wait for me. Finding Knoll 712 (CP2) must be a severe test of orienteering skill if it's claggy: I would be tempted to go over the top, just to have the fence to guide me, and with slightly easier terrain than the contouring route.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
It's a great race and very much a "proper" fell race. Tough and unforgiving. It has traditionally clashed with Borrowdale and Brecon Beacons weekends though.
It's such a mind-bender, even in good weather, that immediately upon getting home afterwards, i wrote a page worth of route notes on the back of my map...
Without giving too many of my secrets away(!!!).... My notes suggest that Cp1-Cp2 is generally contouring, but if in doubt, aim low.... lower is grass/tussock, higher is rock/scree. But agreed, a nightmare in poor visibility.
Cp2-Cp3-Cp4 i didn't make many notes, other than to "stay high if in doubt" and not get sucked into the valley on your right, on the way to Cp3. So i must have found that section of the race fairly straight-forward. I do recall the path between Arenig and Llyfnant.
You're right, there wasn't a path between Arenig and the road... certainly not on the direct route anyway.
Last edited by Travs; 16-08-2020 at 03:16 PM.
Lovely hills if you are competent. Had some great walking around there, Try Arenig Fach if you want a tricky hill. There are many fine paintings of them by a school of artists that stayed locally in the early part of the 20th centuary. see https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/arenig-school/
Po on art up there with Breeze on rock shocker!
Poacher turned game-keeper
I think this one needs bumping up. Only a week to go, and only 20 entries so far for Arenig Fawr; the Four Fans organisers are worried that their record as worst-attended fell race is in danger. There's a limit of 50 for Arenig Fawr, but I don't think that will be a problem.
Pre-entries only, here: https://www.fabian4.co.uk . Race details here: https://yiannistridimas.webs.com . I would particularly appreciate more entries from slow runners, to keep me company on the way round.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges