Conwy mountain race

Race: Conwy fell race (5.5m/2000ft)
Time/Position: 50.09 (7th from 46 [2nd V40])
Knowing Conwy as intimately as I do, I have often pondered the feasibility of a notional mountain race along the three peaks that rise above the town. This inaugural race (the first over Conwy Mountain) was originally scheduled to take in the neat ridge that I have always known as Penmaen Ridge or Pen Pyra, a short 150m grade 2 scramble that is visible from the A55. As such, it was a novel and exciting race prospect, but having done the ridge before I wasn't particularly surprised to find that it had been ditched for safety reasons. That seemed a shame, but the alternative route still gave a challenging race. Quite mild and mainly dry as we set off up the long bridleway which climbs the shoulder over to Allt Wen above the Sychnant Pass. The first three runners went clear during this section and continued to pull away throughout. From Allt Wen, we descended steeply towards the coast, right down to the edge of the caravan site before starting the long reascent. Steve and myself were together for this section, and ploughed foolishly through a mixture of thick gorse and boulders to fashion a direct route up to the middle peak. From here, the main ridge gives superb running along to Conwy Mountain, a very familiar route indeed! I lost two places here, and couldn't make them up as a final section of arbitrary punishment saw us head back down to the road near the Old White House then very steeply back over the ridge near the little slabby crag. A short but intense start to the hill running season.