The FRA and the Media

[Dynamo Dan]

Anyone feeling adventurous could check out Cleator Moor in Cumbria.. I can't promise pitched battles but I have heard (a few years back) that a lot of West Cumbria seems incredibly rough (and very deprived).

I always wondered what's supposed to happen when gentrification reaches everywhere. Where would the troublemakers/homeless/jobless end up, if not Morecambe?

I've got a load of mates from Mary Port (don't ask me why) and they don't speak very highly of the place at all.

[Dynamo Dan]

Anyone feeling adventurous could check out Cleator Moor in Cumbria.. I can't promise pitched battles but I have heard (a few years back) that a lot of West Cumbria seems incredibly rough (and very deprived).

I always wondered what's supposed to happen when gentrification reaches everywhere. Where would the troublemakers/homeless/jobless end up, if not Morecambe?

I've got a load of mates from Mary Port (don't ask me why) and they don't speak very highly of the place at all.

[Graeme78]

Pretty much my take on it. About 4 years ago, we were down supporting a Bowland lad on a PBR and were staying at a climbing club hut right at the top of Deiniolen. Heading back to the hut to re-stock the van, approaching midnight, we could not get along the main street of Deiniolen for a pitched battle between the regulars of the 2 pubs that were right across the street from one another and it appeared to be inspired / egged-on by some dubious looking women that were screaming encouragement at the protagonists; as time was tight, we ended up swinging down some back alleys to by-pass the hold-up.
Last summer, again on PBR support, we noticed that one of those pubs had been boarded-up.
That's the only actual violence that I've witnessed in many years of heading down to Snowdonia. Aside from that I really rate Croesor and Llanfachreth as my two all-time favourite villages.

Ian.

Is it the Northampton mountaineering club hut or something at the top of Deiniolen, that's were we stayed, and I thought the pubs were on the same of the road. I also remember going in one of the pubs, can't remember which one, although I do remember that the pub we didn't go in had the Welsh flag draped over the pub sign outside. It's a while back now (well over ten years ago). The whole place seemed a bit run down really.
I also remember when my mate was getting threatened quite heavily that was in the Heights in Llanberis, which we used to frequent quite a lot when we were in Snowdonia, it seemed to get worse for the next few years and we stopped going.

[Stolly]

Although I'm struggling to see how this thread became a Welsh bashathon (IanR started it by mentioning that fell running wasn't thriving in Wales right?), I think that the problem with Snowdonia, as far as I'm concerned, is that its just too far away for me to be bothered to attend fell races. And thats it really. Full stop. I do travel about a bit but with the Dales outside my backdoor, the Lakes an hour's drive west, the Peak District 90 minutes or so south and the North York Moors 90 minutes to the north east, the thought of spending 3.5 hours driving to Snowdonia just for a race is barmy.

Every now and then I have to see a work client in Llandudno and, afterwards I've hacked up the Watkin Path to the top of Snowdon and returned by the ridge to the west (Clogwyn somethingorother) and I just love everything about that route. I do hate the concept of a railway up Snowdon though and dislike meeting people in suits and ties and mackintoshes at the summit. Equally when I ran the three national peaks I felt like I was on a tourist conveyor belt trotting up the Pig Track.

I've had a few camping holidays, usually based in Beddgelert, with my two kids, and as a place Snowdonia is hard to beat with its fantastic hills but close proximity to the sea, especially the completely brilliant Llyn Peninsula. I have never witnessed any trouble with any north waleseners but, there again, I've never been to any of the dodgy areas. I'm surprised though that IanR is talking about post event (are we actually talking fell races here?) pub fights.

[rocksteady]

Deiniolen,thats were i`m from i`ve have to agree that the place is a bit run down but the people there a very genuine.

Is it the Northampton mountaineering club hut or something at the top of Deiniolen, that's were we stayed, and I thought the pubs were on the same of the road. I also remember going in one of the pubs, can't remember which one, although I do remember that the pub we didn't go in had the Welsh flag draped over the pub sign outside. It's a while back now (well over ten years ago). The whole place seemed a bit run down really.
I also remember when my mate was getting threatened quite heavily that was in the Heights in Llanberis, which we used to frequent quite a lot when we were in Snowdonia, it seemed to get worse for the next few years and we stopped going.

[LissaJous]

Although I'm struggling to see how this thread became a Welsh bashathon ..

Which is why I was trying to add a bit of balance. However, in 2010 I did think Llanberis after Snowdon was appalling. A week later I was at an 'International' race in Austria where it was possible to have a very enjoyable and civilized evening out in the bars/restaurants. If you were looking to travel far for a race then it would be an easy decision.

But to come bizarrely almost back to topic, if you did combine Cleator Moor with an 'International' event and a film crew from Cumbria TV, you might get similar scenes. So let's blame S4C if anyone!

[Wheeze]

Deiniolen,thats were i`m from i`ve have to agree that the place is a bit run down but the people there a very genuine.

Some of the stories trotted out here must have made you raise your eyebrows a bit. I only went to Deiniolen once, and that was for lunch with work colleagues at the Bull....I think that was the name of the main pub. But this was back in '77 when I worked as a cleaner for the Dinorwig power scheme. Our Bangor accents immediately identified us as outsiders and we were subject to some worrying glares. It was a wild west town then and still seems to be so today! Have'nt been back there since. Would love to see what Machlyn Mawr looks like now. It was a hell of a mess back then!

[stevers]

I've seen the Italians loving the karaoke .

I can cope with the fighting, and I did indeed spend time in Bosnia in the 90's, but the thought of Italians doing karaoke frankly terrifies me and I may not set foot in Wales again.

(Ah - checked the diary - back in Capel in July....)

[L.F.F.]

heard that Dolgellau is OK, no?

I thought it was nice there. The lady at the campsite did look at me askance when I asked if the eggs she was selling were free-range, but other than that, no trouble.

[wheezing donkey]

Is it the Northampton mountaineering club hut or something at the top of Deiniolen, that's were we stayed, and I thought the pubs were on the same of the road. I also remember going in one of the pubs, can't remember which one, although I do remember that the pub we didn't go in had the Welsh flag draped over the pub sign outside. It's a while back now (well over ten years ago). The whole place seemed a bit run down really.
I also remember when my mate was getting threatened quite heavily that was in the Heights in Llanberis, which we used to frequent quite a lot when we were in Snowdonia, it seemed to get worse for the next few years and we stopped going.

The Bowland FR member who organised the hut, studied at Herriott Watt University, did so through his Edinburgh contacts. I think that it might actually belong to a private individual who is a member of an Edinburgh based club .... just what I picked up from conversations .... seemingly when he was re-building the derelict cottage, he was approached by a posse of locals who asked him what his intentions were. When it became clear that it was intended to be a 'club asset' as opposed to a private, up-market holiday pad ( with a hefty rental tag ), they were happy enough and unanimously gave him the "thumbs up".
I think that we have used the Northampton hut, back in 2007. It is more over towards Bethesda, IIRC.

PS. I would state that I am NOT in any way anti-Welsh, I love the place; it is my roots, going back 3 or 4 generations ( Corris & Llanymawddy ). And as stated previously, I rate Croesor and Llanfachreth as my two all time favourite villages.