Back to North Wales again this weekend, running around all over the place.

On Saturday we visited Beddgelert for Becs’ first proper fell run. The loop over Cwm Bychan and then back through Aberglaslyn to Llyn Dinas is around six miles with 300m of ascent. Both sporting shiny new shoes, we despatched the first lap in just over an hour. The novelty of having to think about foot placement didn’t phase Becs at all, and we made good time around to the top of Aberglaslyn where the path meets the railway. Unfortunately it’s almost all tarmac from there, which made for a boring second half, but nice to get out nonetheless.

I heroically set off for a second lap, confidently brushing off Becs’ query as to whether I should take some food. I raced up the steep section and started back down in the direction of the coast. This bit was truly lovely to run –  a great mix of rock-hopping and flat-out grass sections. Alas, my second arrival at the tarmac heralded a dramatic drop in blood-sugar level. I crashed quite comprehensively and only ran about half of the remaining distance, in fits and starts as I found the energy.

I returned to the lake to find Becs waiting with lunch, and was soon fully restored. We then retired back to the Kinmel Arms, where we had a room booked for the night. Fortunately it turns out that the owners are runners too, so they didn’t give us funny looks when we turned up still in our gear. We checked in, and then managed to squeeze in a drink in the bar with my brother and his girlfriend, and a trip back up the coast to visit family before heading to a friend’s 30th birthday party. After eating too much party food we eventually retired back to the room, tired and content. On Sunday we found our way home via the top of the Denbigh moors, where the SLK I was lucky enough to borrow for the weekend proved a lot of fun. The final pit-stop of the return leg was, as always, Rhug.