I did a recce of the Ras y Moelwyn route (10.5 miles, 2800ft ascent) five years ago, when I’d just started fell running. It took me almost three and half hours and I walked quite a lot of it. Thankfully, Saturday’s performance was a bit better. I knew it wasn’t going to be a fast one because I was very tired after some late nights with work. Combined with this was the fact that this year’s race counted towards the British Championships, and so the crème de la crème of British fell running were there.

The route is really lovely though, and my slow potter up through the mines while getting gradually more sunburned was moderately enjoyable (yes, only moderately – I was still pushing quite hard!). The scenery around this whole route is some of the best in Snowdonia, and was helped by a handful of sweets from the drink station at the end of the Stwlan dam (the UK’s first pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme).

Anyway, I eventually finished up 217th out of 362 starters. I was definitely slow, but I expected it and know why so I don’t mind too much. Somebody has put up a video of the section between Moelwyn Mawr and Moelwyn Bach, and from Moelwyn Bach down towards the dam:

With the race complete my plan was to head around to Ogwen and camp near Llyn Bochlwyd, the aim being to get some more ascent in the following day. When I pulled into the car park at Ogwen Cottage, Tryfan was smiling down at me and fluttering her eyelashes (north ridge) seductively.

I’m a complete sucker with no self control, so instantly gave in and wandered up the ridge to the summit.

The rock was dry, the sun was warm, and I was out of the wind for most of it; a great first scramble of the summer. I didn’t see a single other person either.

So, hooray for Snowdonia! Roll on the rest of the summer.