Waun Oer-Maesglase ridge

Peaks: Mynydd Ceiswyn, Waun Oer, Cribin Fawr, Craig Portas, Maesglase, Moel Cwm yr Eglwys

Area: Maesglase, Eryri

Classic bank holiday crowd avoidance strategy, always very satisfying. This was particularly the case today in bracing sunshine on Easter Saturday, as I started from the busy car park above Tal y Llyn after dropping my gravel bike off in Dinas Mawddwy. It is years since I have been up on this ridge, almost certainly 1994 en route to Rheidol where I was working at the time. It is obscure, but as a point-to-point it gives a brilliant outing of around 14k. You start high, but tussocks and bog make the going awkward until gaining the path below Ceiswyn. This is a minor summit with great views over Cader. Then the going becomes delightful, not too boggy on a defined little path over to Waun Oer, marked by a large cairn with great views over Rhinog and Aran. I saw a lone walker here, the only person I encountered all day despite the hordes elsewhere in Eryri. A very steep descent and short climb leads up Cribin Fawr after which I think I was breaking new ground, remarkably enough. I certainly have no memory of the rest of the ridge, including Maesglase. It was all excellent, especially the cwms and ridge leading to Maesglase, and from the dominant peak I took the very steep descent down to the minor summit and continuation ridge that leads all the way down to the road and then Dinas Mawddwy. A drink and crisps in the cafe, then it was all the way back to the car on the bike. If anything this was harder than the ridge, as my gravel bike is far too heavy for climbs like Bwlch yr Oerdrws, which leads back to the Cross Foxes. The next climb up Tal y Llyn wasn't much fun either, really hard going, painfully slow, and unpleasantly busy roads too.

Bala parkrun

'Race': Bala parkrun

Time/Position: 18.43 (2nd from 103)

In the spirit of the fallow year, almost exactly a minute down on last September's time, which was a narrow age group course record. Those records have now been erased, of course, but I intended today to be a mild session in advance of a run in the hills on what was a nice, clear Easter Saturday. It was pleasant enough into a gentle headwind and I kept a respectable pace ticking over.

Northern Carneddau

Peaks: Drosgl, Bera Mawr, Yr Aryg, Foel Fras, Llwytmor

Area: Carneddau, Eryri

The instinct is always to go clockwise around the northern Carneddau, but today I reversed it, partly because of a ferocious south-westerly. It went reasonably well but I was very tired, and the wind very strong. From the A55 I headed up towards Moel Wnion, intending to climb to the high traverse path thereby avoiding the unpleasant gorge that drops down from the Drosgl-Wnion col. Annoyingly, I didn't go high enough so had to negotiate the gorge anyway! So lots of wasted effort before I even got to the slog up Drosgl via the ancient Llwybr yr Aryg. The going gets easier here, with a short climb over Bera Mawr and Yr Aryg before I took an unwise shortcut towards Foel Fras: never a good idea. The wind raked the summit, knocking me over, and led to a pretty unpleasant haul across to Llwytmor, where it remained ferocious. I found an old shelter on Llwytmor Bach, which gave temporary respite, before a very steep, very direct descent down to the conifers back to Aber.

Berwyn loop

Peaks: Cadair Bronwen, Cadair Berwyn

Area: Berwyn

You don't go to the Berwyn in winter expecting dry feet, but I tried a few little variants on my standard 10 mile Berwyn route today in a futile attempt to minimise the bog. From Llandrillo I took the familiar steep road and tracks towards Moel Ty Uchaf. Here the sun came out, illuminating the stone circle. I took a steady approach in the spirit of the fallow year, basically fast walking. Higher up, instead of the direct route up Cadair Bronwen, I took the main bridleway contouring (and descending) above a side valley until a short climb gains Bwlch Maen Gwynedd. From here, I ascended the route I normally descend, up to Bronwen's summit (less than five minutes from the bwlch, running most of the way). The rest of the ridge was predictably boggy, hard work all the way to the trig on Cadair Berwyn. Great views, nice and clear now - the best day for a while. Because of all the recent rain, the descent was even boggier than normal - and it is normally very boggy indeed! So much so that I took a different route back to Llandrillo, lovely tracks (dry throughout) which emerged at Cadwst Fawr farmhouse in Cwm Pennant. Then along the Ceidiog back to Llandrillo.

Hoylake BL

Race: Hoylake 7.5k (Borders League race 6)

Time/Position: 27.44 (53rd from 363 [2nd V50])

The final fixture marking a memorable league 'grand slam' (or triple crown?) season, with Buckley winning the overall team championship plus the veteran's league, and me winning the V50 category. There were several other factors today: Hoylake was where I ran my first ever border league race in 2006. And I also maintained my record of counting for the team overall in every fixture. Also, I think this was my 90th ever borders race, so getting quite close to the century. It is only my third season category win though, following the V45 prize in 15-16, and the V50 prize in 21-22. Having said all that, this was not a great race for me, certainly the least enjoyable of the season. I went off too fast, unusual for me, then really struggled on the incoming leg despite just a mild crosswind blowing along this exposed section of prom. From the lifeboat station, this new route headed east along the prom before taking the inland gravel path up to Leasowe lighthouse, reversing the summer seaside 5k route temporarily. Then it was back to the prom for the long run-in: the wind was light, but as I was tiring it was enough to really slow the pace from 3.25 to 3.45. I was passed by at 8-10 on this section, which was a shame on the last race of the season.

Eilio CW

Peaks: Foel Goch, Foel Gron, Moel Eilio

Area: Moel Eilio, Eryri

Various circumstances dictated a quickish 90 minute outing this morning. So I opted to run the Eilio ridge clockwise from Padarn, removing some of the silly extra bits from the Maesgwm Muddle race (which I ran in 2017). I jogged through town before turning off for the YHA and repeating our bike climb from Thursday, all the way up the gravel to the bwlch at the top of Maesgwm. Considerably easier on foot than on wheels! Unlike Thursday, almost no wind and high cloud, with mist just covering the top of Eilio. I kept a steady pace going up the valley, where the Muddle race descends from its unpleasant side-trip to Cynghorion! After a brief stop at the col, I slogged up to Foel Goch - a repeat of last Thursday - then the always enjoyable trip along the ridge via Foel Gron to a misty Moel Eilio. It is considerably harder this way round, but then comes the superb 10 minute descent to Bwlch y Groes. After this, I ignored the Muddle extension to Cefn Du, instead taking the logical Snowdonia Marathon descent down the track and tarmac to Llanberis in just under 10 minutes: 20 minutes from Eilio to town. A little hobble down to Electric Mountain then alongside Padarn back to the free parking.

Chester parkrun

'Race': Chester parkrun (B course)

Time/Position: 18.54 (5th from 294)

A pre-open day plod round the Chester B course in surprisingly dry conditions. After a longish session on the climbing wall yesterday, I was a little tired so just aimed for sub-19 minimum standard. The off-road section was probably the driest I have ever seen it, and has possibly had some chipping laid on to it.

Foel Goch gravel bike/run

Peaks: Foel Goch (Eilio)

Area: Moel Eilio, Eryri

A bitterly cold easterly wind this morning, although it was clear and sunny. My head said it was perfect hill running weather, but after another convivial hut evening the plan was for a group bike ride so I set off with Vic and Emma - them on mountain bikes, me on the gravel bike. This was a great help initially, into Llanberis and up to the youth hostel with a tailwind. But then life got tough. It was really the first time I have ever taken the gravel bike properly off-road and I almost immediately regretted not having my mountain bike. It was just too heavy, and the gearing unforgiving. The road from the hostel is very steep in places and then joins the familiar (now quite manicured) track that curves up into Maesgwm. The weather was very clear and bracing throughout, but the easterly remained bitter. After a painfully slow ascent, far slower than I can run it (or even walk it), we arrived at the col of Maesgwm. Vic and Emma continued on their route but I locked the bike and scampered up to the top of Foel Goch in an icy, strong wind. I needed to get back for work reasons and descended quickly back to Llanberis before tackling the headwind back to the hut.

Pedol Marchlyn

Peaks: Elidir Fawr, Mynydd Perfedd, Carnedd y Filiast

Area: Glyderau, Eryri

A long time away from the mountains, for various reasons, but another night in the Nant Peris hut was scheduled after a contrasting weekend in Madrid. I was too late leaving work to join the rest of the group in the quarries, but on a rare good day this quick outing seemed an obvious choice. I parked in Deiniolen and headed up the straight, narrow road to Pen y Bwlch (I think). From here, somewhat easier gradients lead up to the Marchlyn closed road. All fairly easy progress, all on tarmac, until I took the direct short-cut up to the top lake. From here, I took a minor path that provides an excellent way to the summit of Elidir. I'd never done it before - it is far better than the hellish slog from Nant Peris. It is a little vague, and some snow was lying in places covering the path, along with a little verglas on these north-western slopes. Superb views from the top with mist peeling away from all peaks to the north. Then came the familiar descent down to the Perfedd bwlch, but I cut upwards up a little gully to gain an excellent short-cut up Perfedd. From here, a rapid traverse to Carnedd y Filiast in less than five minutes, then the awkward bouldery descent until the excellent curving path which leads back towards Marchlyn. A quick and civilised descent, 1.28 for the round. I arrived at the hut in Nant Peris just as the rest of them emerged from the quarries.