Dinas Cromlech climbs

Crag: Dinas Cromlech
Routes: Dives/Better Things (HS 4a,4b), Sabre Cut (VS 4c,4b)
A splendid few hours on two classic climbs in perfect spring weather yesterday. Probably 17 years or so since my last visit to Dinas Cromlech, so it was especially good to get back on two famous routes. The first pitch of Dives was nice and steady: up a surprisingly steep crack to good sharp holds, before a wet undercut traverse on unusual rock - below a black overhang with plenty of gear - led to the belay on the Forest. Vic then merged the easy middle pitch (the juggy crack on Spiral Stairs) with the surprisingly awkward groove. This is a fine pitch: steep and in an exceptional position, a mixture of relatively easy jamming and bridging. After an awkward descent, Vic then led both pitches of Sabre Cut. The first goes up the steep crack right of Dives, with one enjoyable hardish move up right to gain vegetated slabs and the Forest belay. The final corner crack is excellent - thought provoking and quite sustained but with good, often incut, holds and interesting solutions never far away.

Clwydian run

Ambitious plans for a tripartite day of mountain biking, rock climbing and fell running had to be abandoned due to the weather. So I took the opportunity for a final longish training run, back and forth along the leat for around 5 or 6 miles before joining the normal run up Moel Famau in improving conditions. Around 12-13 hilly miles in total, my final longish run before the Moelwyn race and London.

Chester Spring 5 road race

Race: Chester Spring 5m
Time/Position: 29:28 (30/347)
I was inexplicably slow in my two previous runnings of this race, and wasn't very optimistic for this given that my long recent efforts at Edale and Rhayader were still in my legs. So I was quite pleased to at least put in a respectable performance, albeit 40 seconds or so slower than 'fresh legs' might have achieved. As is often the case for this race, a lovely sunny spring evening and a nice atmosphere. We'd had a family walk across Waun y Llyn in a gale earlier on, but it had dropped to a stiff breeze by evening. Followed up with a run up Hope Mountain in the mist this morning.

Holyhead Mountain

Crag: Holyhead Mountain
Routes: Wally's Folly (VD:led), Pigeon Hole Crack (S4a:sec), Primrose Hill Gutter (M:sol), Plimsole (D:led p.1), New Boots and Panties (S4a:led), Mrs Murdock (S4a:sec), Slab Direct (VD:led)
An enjoyable climbing session at a new venue for me. A very good crag too: with confidence-boosting, easy, well-protected climbs the order of the day. Unfortunately, although we missed the showers all day, a cold wind made life a little uncomfortable and tricky at times. Wally's Folly (VD) was a nice, steady start up a ramp, groove and crack towards the left of the crag. Pigeon Hole Crack (S4a), led by Alwyn, was a little better: slabby and enjoyable. Desperate to get out of the wind, we secreted ourselves in the fun, old-fashioned chimney of Plimsole (D). I led up big blocks and flakes to a mercifully windless niche. Then Alwyn led up the easy quartz crack to the top. New Boots and Panties (S4a) upped the grade a bit, and was a pleasing lead for me. Scrappily up to a pinnacle, then a gently sustained diagonal crack up the sharp, rough quartzite typical of this crag. Mrs Murdock (S4a) takes the corner crack to the right. Finished with a lead of the easy long pitch, Slab Direct (VD), to the right of the crag: a simple slab leads to an enjoyable slabby groove.

Rock and run

Crag: Pot Hole Quarry
Routes: Selva (VS4a), Selva Variant (VS4c), Cristallo (HS), Cristallo Variant (VS4c), Murren (HS), The Watzmann (VS4b), Tre-Ffynnon (VS4b), Un-aided (VS4b), Grizzly (VS4b), Vetta (HVS5a)
Tired after Edale and Rhayader, so a deliberately quiet week. I'd recovered somewhat by Tuesday, so enjoyed some bouldering on Hope Mountain followed by a brief jog. Ran across the Bryn Alyn hills yesterday, followed by more bouldering at Pot Hole, and followed this up this afternoon with a more extensive cragging trip. Vic and I just worked our way along the crag in warm sunny weather, trying to build up some strength for the forthcoming Provence cragging trip. Just top-roping, with minimal rest between climbs. Started up Selva (VS 4a), then the variant left (VS 4c), followed by the easy Cristallo (HS) and variant (VS 4c). Then the gentler crack line of Murren HS, followed by the relatively unscratched duo of The Watzmann (VS 4b) and Tre-Ffynnon (VS 4b). Couldn't remember doing these two before. Finished with three old favourites, all done many times before: Un-aided (VS 4b), Grizzly (VS 4c), Vetta (HVS 5a). Un-aided was one of my first ever climbs, 20 years ago: now very polished! Felt good to be back on steepish rock. After about 2.5 hours, we left for the run up Moel Famau in warm, hazy conditions. Always tiring to run after climbing, and this was no exception.

Edale Skyline fell race

Race: Edale Skyline fell race (21m/4500ft)
Peaks: Ringing Roger, Win Hill, Lose Hill, Mam Tor, Lord's Seat, Brown Knoll, Grindslow Knoll
Time/Position: 3:37:46 (65/264)
A tremendous day out yesterday - perfect clear, sunny conditions for this classic race. Driving over Mam Nick in the morning sunshine with Vic, the challenge was brutally obvious. It's an irresistably compelling route taking a complete elongated loop of the ridges encircling the Edale valley. I had a reasonable race, starting deliberately slowly on the steep climb up to the rock garden of Ringing Roger. Then fairly easy running with perfect crystal clear views led to the top of Jagger's Clough and fast, grassy descent down to Crookstone Barn. Then came the delightfully gentle climb up Win Hill, entirely runnable. From the summit, though, the rest of the route looks frighteningly distant! A good descent down to Hope, still taking it easy, through the edge of the village to the steep climb up (through trees initially) to Lose Hill. This is probably the toughest climb of the race - but very scenic, now in the limestone of the White Peak (an intriguing contrast with the Dark Peak bogs and grit outcrops along the rest of the route). Walked a bit of this climb, then descended through trees to the easy-angled climb up paving slabs, past hundreds of tourists, to the top of Mam Tor. Feeling OK as I reached the cut-off at Mam Nick in 1:51. Then the race really starts, with a boggy haul over Lord's Seat - and very boggy trudge through the energy-sapping peat hags to Brown Knoll and Jacob's Ladder. Some of this terrain was familiar from a previous trip. My low point came shortly afterwards, for the long slog over the Grindslow Knoll across very awkward peaty terrain. I certainly felt the proximity of last week's Rhayader 20 mile race on this section! I perked up a bit for the rocky path along the edge of the escarpment back to Ringing Roger. Managed a decent final descent, passing at least five runners. A great event, made hard by the boggy terrain and the sheer length of the route - rather than the modest climbs and descents.

Rhayader 'round the lakes' race

Race: Rhayader 'round the lakes' 20 mile
Time/position: 2:22:38 (33/376)
A beautiful spring day for my second consecutive running of this enjoyable race on the 21st. Rather like a fell race on tarmac, it's a nice challenging course in a remote, scenic area. Had no real intention of racing, given Edale's proximity, but did want to maintain a brisk pace throughout. The long (1000ft?) climb from Rhayader to the pass at Penrhiw Wen went quite well, slightly hazy but clear blue skies. Kept it comfortable and found myself in the top 30 as we began the exhilarating descent down to the lakes in a cool wind. Went through 10m in 1:12, enjoying the shade of the trees at this point. A negative split is not hard to achieve on this race, as the second half is merely undulating apart from the nasty hill at mile 19. Slowed dramatically on this, but just managed to keep things going through to the finish and a reasonable position. Recovered quite well, after a fairly good week of training (50 miles). Morgan did his first fell race next day, above Llanarmon yn Ial.

Deeside border league

Race: Deeside 4.5m (border league round 6)
Time/Position: 26:10 (36/256)
Needed a decent outing at the penultimate BL race on Sunday, given the fact that the final fixture is a few days after London. Sadly, it was a very short course, and a pretty strong field, so I struggled slightly and remain in 11th place (despite being around 40 points better off than last year, when I finished 9th!). Went well up the steep Kelsterton hill after a circuit of Deeside College, but then inevitably lost places to faster runners on the descent back to the College and a final sprint around the running track. Jogged round the circuit again to warm down, to bring the weekly mileage up to 45m (after a run up Famau from Cadole on Friday night). Trying to push the mileage slightly now, and last night joined Jez for an excellent run up and around Hope Mountain - in springlike conditions as the sun set - via a really good new route from the church.

Brenig/Alwen giant loop

An excellent hard training session yesterday, and a valuable long run in preparation for forthcoming events. Neil and I had been planning to do a double loop of both lakes for a while, and conditions were ideal yesterday: mild, overcast, light winds. We began with an exact copy of the Brenig race route, a comfortable largely off-road clockwise circuit, which we pleasingly completed in 65 mins. This was only 4 or 5 mins slower than my race time (2007?). We then continued up the hill, over the road and through the newly laid out forest path down to the Alwen dam. Still felt quite comfortable, and really enjoyed the path - new territory for me - out towards the wild NW end of the lake in the heart of Hiraethog. Over the bridge and a cruel climb up to a miniature windy ridge. Started to suffer slightly, but recovered to maintain the pace as the route gradually descends back to the dam. A hilly slog back along the track and road back to the Brenig car park. Exactly 2:30 for the round, perhaps a tad over 20 miles. Eased tired limbs with a lunchtime jog up to Frodsham crags today, a brief but good bouldering session - one route, along with some harder low-level traverses.

Dash in the dark, race 3

Race: Dash in the Dark, race 3 (4m/750ft)
Time/position: 28:20 (4/18)
Rather tired after a fairly tough training week, including a longish outing on Thursday from HK to Hope Mountain, Caergwrle and Caer Estyn, followed by a Friday night jog up Ffrith Mountain from Cadole - so I struggled a bit in the third and final Dash from the Llandegla MTB centre. Almost a minute down on my time in the first race. Went off quite fast in light rain, then slowed on the descents and slog round the lake (boggier than last time). Couldn't catch the third placed runner, so settled for my 4th position and virtually jogged in.

Anglesey runs

A very enjoyable weekend on Anglesey, with a nice hilly road running circuit today. From Beaumaris across to Llanddona, then very nice running on small coastal roads above the sea back to Llangoed and Beaumaris. A blend of sunshine and coastal mist.

Long hybrid run

Beginning to panic mildly about the recent lack of long runs, so myself and Neil got a decent early morning 18 miler done. This was a repeat of a run I did for marathon preparation last year and is a really good work-out, all on minor roads but with a great deal of climbing: bit of a hybrid road/fell route. From HK over the shoulder of Waun y Llyn to Coed Talon, then a long, steep haul up to Treuddyn and Cae Hic. Then a superb descent, with the wind at our backs, down to Llanfynydd - some respite before the brutal final climb back to the summit of Waun y Llyn and trudge back to HK.

Capenhurst border league

Race: Capenhurst 5.5m (border league round 5)
Time/position: 32:05 (32/251)
A distinctly average race in the fifth round of the border league, 6 or 7 places down on the last two races. But, after the disaster in the Wrexham half last week, it was a relief just to feel OK during the race. I was nearly a minute quicker than the last time I raced this route (2006?). It's a fast, rural two-lap affair around the village. Rather breezy conditions: felt OK until the last few hundred metres, then lost a couple of places. This was last season's pattern, so it was a bit annoying for it to happen again. Buckley lengthened their lead at the top of division one: I'm currently 11th SM. A reasonable training week preceded this - with a decent intervals session, a run up Famau on Friday night, and a longish circuit on Thursday.

Foel Goch winter climbs

Peaks: Foel Goch, Y Garn
Area: Glyderau, Eryri
Routes: Esgair Gully (wI/II), Easy Gully (wI)
The best winter conditions for 20 years in Snowdonia. Probably more relevant for the technical ice climbs, less so for easy snow gullies, but Alwyn and I had another splendid 'mountaineering' day nonetheless. Low cloud made it difficult to make an assessment of which routes were in, but took the gamble of heading up into a murky Cwm Bual, hoping that Esgair Gully had a decent covering (this is the route I'd descended most of last winter). The steep slog up was made rather depressing by falling sleet and melting snow, but on arrival at the cwm base our luck was clearly in. Esgair gully had decent cover, and huge blue ice crystals draped the walls. We headed up deep drifting snow into the lower section, which was good water ice. The rest of this very atmospheric gully was a tad marginal - some good snow ice, some wet moss, some splendid neve, but always simple. It twists round to the right, then up a short pitch to a narrow squeeze through a cleft before twisting again past some ice crystals to an easy finale, topping out at an alpine-style breche below Yr Esgair. A lovely easy snow gully with a great atmosphere. We then dropped into upper Cwm Coch (a first for me), a gently descending traverse on unconsolidated snow, rather more enjoyable than expected, to the base of Easy Gully. This really is a simple route up a very shallow gully, more a mountaineering access route than a climb. However, the snow was perfect: crusty and reassuring, to the extent that we probably should have chosen the better-defined Red Gully to its right. Quite hard physically, getting on for 150m of calf-busting ascent, to a broad col between Creigiau Gleision and the main face. Quite a fierce wind as we traversed above the cornices up Y Garn, very icy and hostile (no sign of the predicted sunshine). After a quick bite, we headed down Banana (NE) Ridge in a near white-out, excellent snow with a real Alpine feel. Then took a sporting descent down into Cwm Cywion, taking the shallow (wI) gully line next to Summit Gully. This gave a steepish but absorbing descent on good snow down to some perfect ice falls. We had a splendid time climbing these little pitches for an hour or so before descending snow and scree to the old road at Blaen y Nant. Heavy sleet and hail gave us a good soaking as we trudged back to the car.

Hope-Pen Llan y Gwr

A wet night in HK, but guessed there must be snow higher up, so went for a superb early morning run from Hope up to Waun y Llyn under perfect blue skies. Then ran over Hope Mountain to the Ffrith bridleway and the long climb up Pen Llan y Gwr above Bwlchgwyn. As expected, this had a lot of fresh (and old) snow on it, and gave superb running. Ran up the gentle slopes via Pentre farm to the open hillside and the track through snow-draped trees and knee deep snow to the summit. Down on perfect virgin snow in bright sunshine and back over Waun y Llyn to Hope, complete with glissade down the 'sledging hill'. Felt almost Alpine in places today: deep virgin snow, warm sunshine, completely windless.

Frodsham bouldering

Rather tired after yesterday, but took the opportunity to jog up to Frodsham crags in the fading light. Sleet falling, and a dank feel to the crag, but it's so steep that precipitation hardly matters. After a few overhanging but juggy traverses, my feeble forearms protested and I finished off with a little more jogging across Woodhouse Hill by way of recovery from Long Mynd.

Long Mynd valleys fell race

Race: Long Mynd Valleys fell race (11.5m/4500ft)
Peaks: Callow, Yearlet
Area: Long Mynd, Shropshire
Time/Position: 2:11:18 (28/185)
A splendid race in a new area for me. Conditions were wonderful today: quite deep snow throughout, superb sunshine for the first half of the race, with heavy snow and low cloud adding some drama to the already fairly dramatic finale. Started up a steep spur leading NE out of Carding Mill valley, then deep snow contouring the hillside before a fast descent down an obvious spur lead down to Long Batch and the side valley of Jonathan's Hollow. I'd started very conservatively, so began to pick up places as we climbed out of this little valley to gain the easy running round the plateau heading SW. Splendid views of snow covered peaks like Caer Caradoc under blue skies, with fast, flat exhilerating running before a superb descent - steep at first - down the beautiful Ashes Hollow. A steep climb led from checkpoint 2 up the hillside south to an awkward flat section with drifts then a very steep descent on ice and snow. I thought I'd ripped my right buttock to shreds as I indulged in a controlled fall down this face - but the wound wasn't too bad on later inspection. The route goes down Barrister's Batch and Callow Hollow before another very narrow, very steep valley. A lung-busting climb led out of this before the descent to Minton Batch. This is the section which gives the race its reputation - a relentless series of steep climbs and descents over a series of very pretty, but remarkably narrow valleys. I made a small navigational error at the bottom of this descent (a full glissade) but righted myself, without losing too many places, for the desperate climb up what I presume was Windy Batch. It started snowing quite heavily at this point, but I was feeling quite good for the climb up to the top of Callow, then the descent through drifts to a track over the side of Grindle to a final very steep climb up Yearlet where I met up with Jez. The weather really closed in at this point, and I lost the feeling in my feet for the long descent to the finish. Quite frustrating, as I had plenty in my legs, but numb stumps for feet doesn't lend much confidence. So I couldn't quite catch the group in front. Finished a long way down the field, but enjoyed the race throughout.

Famau run

After a snowy run round Buckley on Thursday, snow draped trees and lots falling, it was good to get out for the Famau run in excellent winter conditions this evening. Quite deep snow all the way, some late sunshine at first, starting to drift above Ffrith mountain with beautiful snow-laden trees higher up. A snow shower moved in as it got dark, before an atmospheric descent through a snowy landscape with headtorches.

Glyder Fach winter climbs

Peaks: Glyder Fach
Area: Glyderau, Eryri
Routes: Gribin gully (wI), False Gribin (wI), Gribin (wII)
A good spell of winter weather saw a decent dump of snow over NE Wales. Seemed considerably more localised over Snowdonia, but met Alwyn under superb blue skies and the prospect of a little more daylight. Snow level was down to the road, but conditions were very variable. Some cwms packed with a mixture of neve and unconsolidated snow, some with just soft new snow. Some ridges heavily rimed and in full condition, others stripped by the wind. We opted to slog up into Cwm Bochlwyd, and make a further assessment. The lake was iced up, although the snow was mainly unconsolidated as we approached the face. Central gully (II/III) looked to be in good condition and seemed a good choice, lots of little steps, not remotely serious. We roped up and I led most of the first pitch before sadly coming to the conclusion that it just wasn't in condition: just new snow over verglas. So I downclimbed awkwardly and we spied another option on the east face of the Gribin ridge. In these conditions, this is an excellent remote feeling face with loads of mild mountaineering options. We took a shallow, easy-angled wI gully on the right-hand side. Luckily, the snow here was perfect, in direct contrast to Central Gully, and led elegantly up to a narrowing and a little pitch to gain False Gribin (wI) just below the steeper part. More good snow led interestingly up to a long snowfield, excellent cramponing, and lunch in the sunshine (at last). The rest of the Gribin was splendid. Probably the 3rd time I've done it in winter conditions, but the fullest and best. Thick consolidated snow, iced rock, gave simple but absorbing mountaineering-style ascent up to a sunny ridge with beautiful windslab formations in the snow. Kept crampons on for the crossing of Glyder Fach and the steep descent down to Bwlch Tryfan. Iron hard snow throughout this section.

Carneddau run

Peaks: Pen y Castell
Area: Carneddau, Eryri
Lunch in Deganwy, so we headed over to the Carneddau first thing in the morning. Weather was not as clear as forecast, but was as bitterly cold as expected. Despite this, Eve still joined me - with rucsac - for the little hike up Pen y Gaer. Very cold, good wild views into the Carneddau. Old snow fields and low cloud. I then ran up Pen y Castell in 17 minutes via the track and steep final slopes. Descended SW to the valley and ran back to the car via a second trip up Pen y Gaer.