A self-indulgent journal of pointless adventures in mountain sports and all forms of distance running and racing.
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Wirral Seaside 5k
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Fan Frynych
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Pen y Fan
Friday, June 20, 2025
Tattenhall Tough Team
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Warrington 10k
Monday, June 16, 2025
Glyder Fach
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Colshaw Hall 10k
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Trafford 3k
Sunday, June 08, 2025
Meerbrook 15k
Thursday, June 05, 2025
Dunham Massey 5k
Sunday, June 01, 2025
Jubilee Bridge half marathon
Friday, May 30, 2025
Deganwy Dash
Sunday, May 25, 2025
Mynydd Myfyr
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Hope parkrun
Thursday, May 22, 2025
Crib Goch
Monday, May 19, 2025
Y Garn (Rhinogydd)
Sunday, May 18, 2025
Rhinogydd loop from Cwm Mynach
Friday, May 16, 2025
Christleton 5k
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Pandy Quarry climbing
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Berwyn loop
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Hope parkrun
Tuesday, May 06, 2025
White Coomb loop
Monday, May 05, 2025
Glen Spean peaks
Sunday, May 04, 2025
Loch Arkaig peaks
Saturday, May 03, 2025
Fraoch Beinn
Fort William parkrun
Friday, May 02, 2025
Gulvain
Thursday, May 01, 2025
Beinn Achaladair, Beainn a'Chreachain
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Beinn Chabhair
Sunday, April 27, 2025
Manchester Marathon
Thursday, April 24, 2025
Tryfan
Monday, April 07, 2025
Zarnesti Gorge
Even deeper into the heart of Transylvania, via the tiny branch line that allows Zarnesti to be reached from Brasov. Zarnesti is the end of the line, but also the start of the high mountain ridge of the Piatra Crailului. I emerged from the train into subzero conditions and a freezing wind: the forested high ridge caked in snow with all the trees draped in white. My guesthouse was just a room in a house and it was right at the far end of the fairly sizeable village/town (because it housed a secret weapons plant in the Communist era). After a quick chat with the owner, I settled in to the front bedroom and pondered my options. The high ridge looked unfeasible, partly for weather reasons and partly because I was conscious of the high bear population, by far the highest in Europe! Solo, at this time of year, it seemed wise to take precautions despite the extremely unlikely scenario (and in many ways I would have loved to have seen one). I also thought about running to Bran castle, which was entirely feasible. But in the end, the location of the house very close to the entrance of the Piatra Crailului National Park swung it, and I set off in a heavy snow flurry up a little road leading towards a valley splitting the high main ridge on the right, and a range of lower hills left. It was very atmospheric, the epitome of what you might expect the Transylvanian mountains to look and feel like. Native woodland on all sides, wild silence, icy blasts from the high peaks. The road became a track and it became quite eerie in the heavy snow for a short while, although higher up two or three cars were parked. Looking at the park map, I wasn't too far from Zarnesti gorge so after poking around a bit higher up I decided and out-and-back would be a sensible objective, so did this, through deep dark woods to the entrance to the gorge - a thin but decent covering of snow throughout, which continued a I rounded the corner in to the tight limestone walls of the gorge. This twisted and turned and was pretty wonderful, with wild mountain sides higher up and dark threatening skies above: memorable. I had walked up to this point, but ran all the way back down (between 5 and 6k back to the village) as the snow stopped and a tiny hint of sunshine peeked through. The rest of the trip was more urban and 'train based', up to Sighisoara via Brasov, and then back to Bucharest on the slow train from Vienna.
Sunday, April 06, 2025
Tampa
Saturday, April 05, 2025
Sinaia hills
Thursday, April 03, 2025
Glyder Fach direct
Monday, March 31, 2025
Round the Bays 30k
Friday, March 28, 2025
Cadair Bronwen
Friday, March 21, 2025
Green Man 'race'
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Snowdon Horseshoe
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Capenhurst 5m
Friday, March 14, 2025
Heswall-Penyffordd
Sunday, March 09, 2025
Moel Fferna-Dee Valley run
Saturday, March 01, 2025
Pendle Round
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Eglwyseg round
One of those long runs that I have filed in the recesses of my mind but never got round to before. With Manchester looming, there is a need to start upping the distances. I've pushed a few 'canal runs' up to around 15 miles over the last few weeks but put this old plan in action this morning, which was almost spring-like at times. I parked at Minera lead mines, interesting in itself, then ran along the lanes to the streets of Rhosllanerchrugog, definitely one of the most fascinating towns in Wales. Through the streets to Pen y Cae and other outliers before negotiating the lanes down towards Garth. At this point the landscape decisively changes from semi-industrial to properly rural, and then when you round the corner you get to the Panorama road. This is always fabulous, and was today, with Dinas Bran glinting in the sunshine - even more springlike. Then came the very long but very enjoyable lanes below the crags of Eglwyseg all the way up to World's End, and then the sharp climb up to the top of Ruabon Moor. Then the lane finally descends to Minera. Hard to know what the best description for this is: a loop or 'round' of Ruabon Moor, or Esclusham, or Eglwyseg, whatever you choose to call the upland area west of Wrexham!