Quote Originally Posted by Stolly View Post
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.
its not post events, just post wyddfa.. the problem is wyddfa showcases north wales, great race, great organisation, friendly, great local community buy in, involvement as runners, support etc.. but then the visitors also see the fighting.. 4 of the last 5 years have involved a fair degree of fighting on the streets at some point..

So people leave having their view of North Wales tainted, but that's basically the only time you see trouble in llanberis, but that's when the runners visit. We've spoken to pubs about putting on an event afterwards, the heights is now great btw, but basically why would they take the risk..