Who is the weekend aimed at?

This is aimed at runners who are comfortable on their feet for 4-5 hours, and able to run around 10-15km on road and / or trails. We won’t be running fast, and there will be lots of stops included. The routes take us to some of the most beautiful parts of the National Park.

The weekend comprised of three guided runs. You will gain confidence in moving over different types of terrain. 

Aim

This is pitched as an introduction to mountain running so complete beginners and seasoned mountain runners are welcome. The pace will be social and, as the secret to mountain running is to walk the uphills, we will do the same. There will be some technical scrambling at Grade 1. Any interesting parts are short lived. You will leave the weekend with the confidence to go alone into the mountains as well as connecting with like-minded people.

Route planning and navigation tips will be included as well as what equipment to take.

The weekend is ideal for people aiming to enter races such as the Always Aim High Snowdonia Marathon or Maverick’s Lake District.

Itinerary

All distances and details are approximate and subject to change due to group experience and weather conditions. The pace is social, with each run taking around 5-6 hours.

• Friday 6-10km shake out evening run in the forests surrounding Betws y Coed

• Saturday 18-20km, 1200m run across various mountain terrain. Including short sections of Grade 1 scrambling, rocky mountain plateaus and fast grassy descents. We will summit three of the Welsh 3000'ers, including the nd and 3rd highest peaks in the park.

• Sunday 20km, 1200m on graded trails, summiting Snowdon. 

What is included?

• 3 fully guided runs by a qualified and insured Mountain Leader

• Instruction and running tips to meet your needs.

What is not included?

• Travel, accommodation and food. 

• Equipment

Board and Accommodation

Participants need to arrange their own accommodation. We recommend using the Betws y Coed area as a base as it has a range of food / drinking / cafe / kit shop options, although any base within the northern reaches of the park will work well. David is able to provide some recommendations if you need.

Kit

This is the minimum for the Saturday and Sunday Runs. The Friday run we recommend a hydration vest and some spare layers. We will run regardless of the weather, although high level routes may be swapped for something more sheltered. The exact routes will be decided based upon the experience of those attending, so examples are given for illustration purposes only. 

Essential:

• Trail shoes with good grip, minimum 3mm lugs, 6mm+ are recommended for the Saturday.

• Waterproof jacket and trousers with taped seams

• Spare base layer 

• Mobile phone 

• Enough food and drink to last the day. Aim for 200-300 calories an hour plus at least 1 litre of water. It may be possible to top up using mountain streams enroute.

• Foil Blanket or Bivy Bag

• Basic First Aid Kit

• Head torch and spare batteries

• Hat / Buff and gloves

Recommended / optional / weather dependent

• An insulated layer / jacket

• Leggings / full leg cover

• Poles

Once purchased, a questionnaire will be sent to you.