Llantisilio mountain run

An excellent run in the hills with Neil and Jez. After six races in August alone, it was very pleasant to be able to enjoy a relaxing long social run for once. We'd come up with the idea of combining the Ponderosa fell race with the Moel y Gamelin fell race into one longish (15 mile, 8 peak) outing, and this seemed a good day for it. The weather was grim as we set off up Cyrn y Brain: low cloud, driving cold wind, light rain. Still, it improved slightly as we contoured the hillside above Eglwyseg, with the occasional hint of a view, before ploughing through the bogs that are so energy sapping on the race. The climb from the bottom of this valley up Moel y Faen via the Ponderosa is obviously pretty long, but reasonably gentle. From here, it stayed windy as we traversed the ridge over Gamelin, Moel y Gaer, and Morfydd to emerge near Bwlch y Groes. The long moorland section overlooking Berwyn allowed for more relaxed conversation before we began the tiring haul back to the ridge and back over the summits of Gamelin and Faen (2:25 for the round at conversational pace).