Peris Horseshoe Recce

17 miles, 7000 feet, ish.

With the Peris Horseshoe Mountain Race coming up in a few weeks and the disappointment of being timed out at Borrowdale I thought I'd better get some miles and some climbing in my legs. What better way than give the race route a recce.

I did the Half Peris last year (9 miles 4500 feet) so I was familiar with the first section. But, as most of it was in mist last year and I ended up tagging along with some local fellas, I didn't think it would do me any harm to find myself round.
zigzaggin through the quarry
It starts as it means to carry on. Brutally ! From Llanberis a 2700 ft climb through the disused quarry then continue up to Elidir Fawr. Scramble over a load of rocks then some contouring and another climb up to Foel goch. A nice fast descent than another climb up Y garn. Another fast descent before a real slog up to Glyder Fawr. After that try and find a good line of Glyder down the Pen Y pass car park and the finish (of the half that is). That is a mammoth race on it's own.
After that the real battle starts. A gradual climb up the miners Track with all the ill equipped tourists asking stupid questions then some relief from the tourist as you cut off the main path and head up the trail towards Y Lliwedd.

looking back towards the miners track

With tired legs this is really difficult and towards the top it's so steep you're using hands and legs to pull yourself up.

hand and leg stuff

Next is a series of ups and downs (mainly ups) up to the summit of Snowdon. Snowdon behind the cloud

Again, the last couple of hundred feet is hands and leg stuff.

view across to Y-Lliwedd taken on another occasion

Once at the top you are reunited with the masses. A lot of whom have gone up on the train and get in the way even more than the walkers. Start going down the Llamberis path for a few hundred metres and look out for a left turn taking you down the Snowdon Ranger Path. I missed this turn and continued down the Llamberis path. By the time I'd realised I couldn't muster the energy to drag myself back up to take the correct route so continued the 4.5 mile down to where I started. I should have gone down to the foot of Moel Cynghorion for the last climb and then down the very steep grassy section which takes you to a path leading back into Llamberis.

I am now aware of the enormity of the task ahead. This must be one of the hardest most technical races on the calender. I can't wait.