JM's three hour challenge

The latest in a line of point score challenges from Mr Morris, although unlike a conventional mountain marathon he didn't reveal how much the checkpoints were actually worth. So after a very early start, I selected an obvious long looping approach which took in some obscure terrain to get to his CPs with his map as guide. After a very early start and a poor night's sleep, I felt tired for the jog over Penbarras to the Vale of Clwyd side (flushing a black grouse), then picked up a series of checkpoints all along the lower slopes on this side (some familiar from the 2019 Sheeptracks route) before eventually rising to the pass below Moel Arthur. From here, I headed back to the start via the normal OD path and a few detours down to checkpoints on the Friday night 'voie normale'. I had a little time left before the three hours was up, so bagged more checkpoints up Foel Fenlli. Around 21k, just over 1000m of ascent, but slowed by the awkward terrain and route-finding - in that sense, it felt like a real score class mountain marathon! It's been a few years since I've done one in anger, although I used to do the Rab every year - as well as the OMM and Saunders on occasion.