Fastpacking About the Author Lily is a writer and a runner based in the Brecon Beacons, . Her childhood was spent in Ireland and the northwest of and her love of the outdoors grew from studying geology during a natural sciences degree. She started running in her 20s and since then the sport has taken her from pounding the pavements around Birmingham University to running around Manaslu, Nepal, the world’s eighth highest mountain. She also enjoys cycle touring and has ridden Land’s End to John O’Groats and the loftiest roads of the Himalaya in Ladakh. She still enjoys the buzz of a big-city marathon but is always happiest spending time with friends, beneath open skies and preferably in lumpy places. Lily is passionate about sharing her love of adventure and the natural world with others. A proportion of author royalties from this book will be donated to nature con- servation projects and activity breaks for disadvantaged children.

Fastpacking Multi-day running adventures: tips, stories and route ideas

by Lily Dyu

JUNIPER HOUSE, MURLEY MOSS, OXENHOLME ROAD, KENDAL, LA9 7RL Inset photo credit: David Palmer Main photo: Autumn Fastpacking – www.cicerone.co.uk Loch Hourn on the west coast of (Route 8) (Photo credit: Chris Councell) © Lily Dyu 2018 Updates to this guide Contents First edition 2018 ISBN: 978 1 85284 957 3 While every effort is made by our authors Map key...... 7 to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as Printed by KHL Printing, Singapore they go to print, changes can occur during INTRODUCTION ...... 9 A catalogue record for this book is available the lifetime of an edition. Any updates Welcome to the world of fastpacking ...... 9 from the British Library. that we know of for this guide will be on How fit do I need to be?...... 12 the Cicerone website (www.cicerone. All photographs are by the author unless How do I train for fastpacking?...... 13 otherwise stated. co.uk/957/updates), so please check before planning your trip. We also advise that The different styles of fastpacking...... 13 Route mapping by Lovell Johns you check information about such things Where to stay...... 15 as transport, accommodation and shops Where should I go fastpacking?...... 20 locally. Even rights of way can be altered Key considerations when choosing a route ...... 24 over time. Safety...... 28 www.lovelljohns.com The non-UK route maps in this guide How to get started...... 29 are derived from publicly available data, © Crown copyright 2018 What to take...... 29 databases and crowd-sourced data. As such OS PU100012932. they have not been through the detailed Clothing...... 35 NASA relief data courtesy of ESRI checking procedures that would generally Footwear...... 37 Contains OpenStreetMap.org data be applied to a published map from an Food...... 38 © OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA. official mapping agency, although naturally Tips for staying happy and healthy ...... 41 we have reviewed them closely in the light of local knowledge as part of the preparation INSPIRATION: Stories from the world of multi-day running ...... 43 of this guide. A Pennine passage ...... 46 We are always grateful for information Solo in the Sierras ...... 51 Acknowledgements about any discrepancies between a Fishermen’s friends...... 56 guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent Thanks to Joe at Cicerone for helping to To the lighthouse...... 61 by email to [email protected] or by shape this book; to Verity, Andrea and post to Cicerone, Juniper House, Murley Hut-to-hut on high, wild trails...... 66 Georgia, my fantastic editors; to the very Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal, LA9 7RL. Roman run ...... 73 talented Caroline, for her great design work; The fastpack journals ...... 77 and to my writerly friend, Judy Mills, for all Register your book: to sign up to receive her support. free updates, special offers and GPX files A great British adventure...... 83 where available, register your book at In the Land of the Thunder Dragon ...... 90 It was a privilege to hear the inspiring www.cicerone.co.uk. stories of all my contributors; this book is Following in the footsteps of spring...... 96 dedicated to them, with heartfelt thanks for On the way...... 101 being so generous with their time and input. Seven go running ...... 107 Running has brought so many friends ...... 111 into my life and I’m indebted to all those ROUTE IDEAS: Twelve tried-and-tested fastpacking routes I’ve shared the trails with (you know who United Kingdom...... 113 you are!) Special thanks to Chris for many Route 1 Brecon Beacons...... 113 of the wonderful photographs within Route 2 ...... 119 these pages and precious memories of shared fastpacking adventures. Without Route 3 South Downs Way...... 125 his enthusiasm for crazy capers, this book Front cover: Sea views from Mam Meadail, Route 4 Dartmoor...... 131 would not exist. Knoydart, Scotland (Route 8) Route 5 Cumbria Way ...... 137 (Photo credit: Chris Councell) Route 6 Coast to Coast...... 142 Route 7 West Highland Way...... 149 Route 8 Knoydart ...... 155 Symbols used on route maps Europe...... 163 Route 9 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc...... 163 Route 10 Dolomites Alta Via 1...... 169 Route 11 Alpine Pass Route...... 175 route Himalayan relief European relief in metres in metres Asia ...... 181 start point Route 12 Manaslu Mountain Trail Race...... 181 7600–8000 4600–4800 finish point Appendix A Further information and reading ...... 188 7200–7600 4400–4600 Appendix B Gear list...... 190 start/finish point 6800–7200 4200–4400 6400–6800 4000–4200 route direction 6000–6400 3800–4000 building 5600–6000 3600–3800

youth hostel 5200–5600 3400–3600 4800–5200 3200–3400 airport 4400–4800 3000–3200 refuge 4000–4400 2800–3000

international border 3600–4000 2600–2800 2400–2600 summit (UK maps) 3200–3600 2800–3200 2200–2400 peak (non-UK maps) 2400–2800 2000–2200 glacier 2000–2400 1800–2000

pass 1600–2000 1600–1800 � Mountain safety 1200–1600 1400–1600 800–1200 1200–1400 Every mountain run has its dangers, and those described in this guidebook 400–800 1000–1200 are no exception. All who fastpack in the mountains should recognise this and 800–1000 take responsibility for themselves and their companions along the way. The author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information 600–800 contained in this guide was correct when it went to press, but, except for any 400–600 liability that cannot be excluded by law, they cannot accept responsibility for 200–400

any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person using this book. 0–200 To call out the Mountain Rescue, ring 999 (in the UK) or the international Scales vary widely. Please refer to map for scale. emergency number 112: this will connect you via any available network. Once connected to the emergency operator, ask for the police. Relief is relevant to non-UK maps only.

Map key 7 Fastpacking is the art of moving fast and light on multi-day trail-running journeys (Wengen, Switzerland, Route 11) (Photo credit: Chris Councell) Introduction Welcome to the world of fastpacking

Fastpacking is a great way for runners to explore and discover new places – Vallone di Vallasco, Italy

Fastpacking is a fast-growing niche in � We were wilderness running. the world of trail running. Put simply, Power hiking. Kind of backpacking, fastpacking is the hybrid of running, but much faster. More fluid. Neat. hiking and backpacking. It’s the art of moving fast and light on multi-day trail Almost surgical. Get in. Get out. running journeys. I call it fastpacking.� To purists, it means being self- sufficient in wild places, experienc- Jim Knight in an article in UltraRunning ing the mountains raw, but there are magazine following his 1988 traverse of the many styles of trip: from running with Wind River Range, USA. He and his running a pack between overnight stops, like companion, Bryce Thatcher, completed the guesthouses and hostels, to bothying 100-mile journey in just 38 hours. in remote wilderness locations. Hut- to-hut running is increasingly popular in places like the Alps where networks of mountain refuges in spectacular

Inspiration Welcome to the world of fastpacking 9 8 locations provide hot meals and a bed, covered the length of New Zealand in or personal bests. The reward is the planning, there are many companies allowing you to live well and travel light. 148 days, stopping to speak at schools journey itself and the thrill of moving who will take all of that off your hands, Over recent years there has been and inspire children to get outside. fast and light in the wild. Quite simply, if including moving your bags and book- a boom in trail and ultra-running and But you don’t need to go far. It could you love running, fastpacking is a won- ing your accommodation, allowing you stage races. This has evolved into off- be an out-and-back running trip from derful way to travel and discover new to just run with a day pack. shoots such as Fastest Known Times, your doorstep or following a local places. This book provides practical tips and or FKTs, where runners try to set speed long-distance path at a leisurely pace. Humans were born to run. Our advice on organising your own multi- records on established routes, such as Fastpacking is for everyone. ancient ancestors were hunter-gath- day running trips, including: styles of Damian Hall completing the UK’s 630- Underpinning the activity is the prin- erers, spending days on foot, roaming fastpacking, from supported to unsup- mile South West Coast Path in less than ciple of ‘fast and light’ – taking only through the landscape. On a psycho- ported; how to choose a route; where 11 days and Kilian Jornet running and what you need to stay safe and happy logical level many of the people who to stay; what to what to take; and eating climbing over Mont Blanc, starting in and nothing more. This allows you to shared their stories for this book spoke on multi-day runs. Courmayeur and finishing in Chamonix travel further and faster in a day com- of the heightened sense of awareness A question that often comes up nine hours later. pared to hiking, by running whenever they experienced in ultra and multi-day when picking a route is, ‘How runnable Multi-day running is not all about the terrain allows it. You could see it running. Such peak experiences and is it?’ While a person’s ability to run up times, though. More and more people as adventure racing without the race. ‘flow’ may be a huge part of the appeal big climbs and tackle technical terrain are pursuing solo running adventures It’s about exploring and enjoying your for those who seek solitude in the natu- is largely a matter of experience, this as a way to experience and explore the surroundings at your own pace. It’s the ral world through fastpacking. book also gives overviews and travel outdoors. Elise Downing ran the coast excitement and fun of ultras and stage Perhaps the phenomenal growth tales from 12 tried-and-tested fastpack- of Britain in 301 days, camping and races but without the entry fee and cut- of fastpacking is a backlash against ing routes, including: a wild camping staying with friends, and Anna McNuff off times. There are no medals, t-shirts our increasingly screen-based, sed- micro-adventure on Dartmoor; running entary lives and the constant pressure some of the UK’s national trails; and a A great way to travel. Ridge running in the Black Mountains of Wales to record and post every run or ride bothy-run in the Highlands. Overseas, online. It’s a fantastic way to disconnect there’s hut-hopping in the Alps and from our digital lives and reconnect Dolomites, plus a stage race in Nepal with nature and ourselves. Spending on a tea-house trekking route, along days immersed in the landscape and with other fastpacking opportunities in natural world through fastpacking is, the country. for many runners, a much richer and In addition there are a dozen stories deeper experience than a trail or ultra from the world of multi-day running race. There is a special satisfaction in enthusiasts and ultra-distance ath- making a running journey powered by letes. In the UK these tales range from your own two feet and seeing your sur- bothying in the Black Mountains with roundings change as you go. And by Anna McNuff to running from Land’s carrying no more than you need, fast- End to John O’Groats with Aly Wren. packing provides a beautiful sense of Iain Harper tackles the in simplicity and freedom. one push, competing in the legendary You don’t need to be an ultra ath- Spine Race, while Jasmin Paris and her lete or an extreme adventurer to go husband, Konrad Rawlik, take a more fastpacking. It’s a lot easier than you’d leisurely approach along the same imagine. And for those who hate trails to celebrate her birthday. Further

Introduction Welcome to the world of fastpacking 11 10 How do I train for fastpacking? The different styles of fastpacking If you are already a trail runner, then Broadly speaking, there are four types training for fastpacking has the same of fastpacking – unsupported, where principles as preparing for stage races. you carry your own food and shelter; You need to get your legs and body running between existing accommo- used to sustained effort over multiple dation, such as huts, guesthouses and days and to be able to recover quickly. hostels; self-supported trips, where Back-to-back runs – for example, a you might cache food and equipment long run on a Saturday and another on along the way; and finally, fully sup- a Sunday – are a key component. The ported trips. length of these runs would depend on the distances you are aiming to cover in Unsupported fastpacking your trip. Although not necessary, you This is considered by many to be the could also squeeze in a brisk run on the purest form of the sport because you Friday so you enter the back-to-back carry everything you need to be self- Fastpacking can take you to remote and inaccessible weekend fatigued, to get used to run- sufficient. Your pack will contain a shel- places – Barrisdale Bay, Scotland (Route 8) ning on tired legs. ter in the form of tent, tarp or bivvy, To get used to running with a pack plus food and sleeping gear. This style afield, Olly Stephenson takes on the about three miles an hour on hilly or you should try a couple of long runs is particularly popular in the US where iconic John Muir Trail in the States; Jez mountainous routes over several days. beforehand with a pack slightly lighter more reliable, dry weather in national Bragg goes hut-to-hut running around That’s not fast; it’s the pace of an aver- than the one you’ll be carrying on your parks, such as Yosemite, makes it possi- Monte Rosa, in Italy and Switzerland; age walk. trip, perhaps about 5kg. ble to use a lightweight tent or tarp and and Anna Frost takes us on a sky-high If you are planning to follow a moun- carry less clothing, compared to, say, a running journey in Bhutan, the Land of tainous or hilly route, you should European or British trip. In the UK, two- the Thunder Dragon. include hills in your training, to give day mountain marathon events follow By sharing our fastpacking experi- � A word about walking you leg strength for climbing. Any time this approach, with runners carrying ences and what we love about multi- Fastpacking is just like ultra- spent hiking in the mountains is also food and equipment for an overnight day running, we hope that our stories running in that you will do a lot great training, because rough trails camp. Examples of unsupported trips will spark ideas and inspire you to try more walking than you would and big climbs mean you will often be would be two days of running and wild fastpacking too. on a typical long run. This is power-walking. Cycling and indoor camping in Dartmoor National Park, or due to the extra weight on your bike training, such as spinning, are also taking on the entire Cape Wrath Trail. How fit do I need to be? back and the fact that you’re excellent for building leg strength for Fastpacking is for all trail runners. It’s doing it for several days. When hilly terrain. Running between existing not a race and it’s up to you how far you fastpacking, most people will Strength training of the upper body accommodation go each day. Slowing down is the secret usually walk the hills, and run will prepare your back and shoulder The second variant is running with a to multi-day running. Compared to a the flats and downhills, unless muscles for the effort of running with small pack between overnight stops, typical run, you can expect to be much the terrain is very technical. A a pack, while exercises to build core such as mountain huts, guesthouses slower, mixing running – probably at leisurely pace also gives you strength will benefit your running pos- and hostels. In continental Europe, hut- the pace of a slow training run – with more time to enjoy the views! ture and speed. to-hut running is growing in popularity plenty of power-walking. Few people since there are excellent trail networks have the fitness to average more than coupled with perfectly spaced huts,

12 Introduction The different styles of fastpacking 13 providing runners with a warm place to two pre-planned campsites en route. sleep and get a hot meal. A lighter pack They then ran back, sleeping at the allows you to enjoy your running more campsites and eating in pubs in the comfortably and to travel further, and evenings. They had to recover their car by staying in huts you can enjoy the from the start and collect the camping local food and culture, and meet like- gear on their drive home, but it was a minded travellers in the evenings. fun, self-styled adventure.

Self-supported trips Supported fastpacking On these trips, you cache supplies and These are trips where a crew will equipment along the way. An example tend to runners at checkpoints along would be a three-day trip that two run- the route, offering backup in case ners made across Wales, from Borth of an emergency. They are generally on the coast, to Hay-on-Wye on the the fastest and lightest fastpacking English border. They doubled up their style and also fun and social trips. camping gear by borrowing an extra Every year since 2003, for example, tent and pair of sleeping bags, and on a group of runners from Edinburgh their drive to the start of the run they and Aberdeen Hash House Harriers dropped off their equipment, along take on an Easter Challenge – a four- Wild camping means you can stop with food for breakfasts and snacks, at day run along a long-distance path or wherever you find your perfect spot (Photo credit: Chris Councell)

a bespoke route – with a driver and for you too, using taxis, and there are minibus. The end point of each day is now companies that offer self-guided the next day’s starting point. By night, trail-running holidays where all of this instead of camping, the friends return is taken care of. to a hotel for food, drink and a com- fortable bed. Where to stay On a multi-day route there may be Baggage transfer guesthouses, hostels, bunkhouses and Although marketed largely to walk- hotels to stay at, but when fastpacking ers, it is easy to use baggage transfer there are additional options that allow services (available on many long-dis- you to explore wilder, remote or moun- tance routes in the UK) for multi-day tainous areas. These are covered below. runs. For a small cost, your gear will be moved between your overnight Wild camping stops, allowing you to run with just a For the purist, fastpacking is about day pack carrying essentials. Some being totally self-sufficient through companies even deliver bags to camp- wild camping and carrying all your own sites. Often hotels can organise this gear and food. This has the advantage Mountain huts are usually in spectacular locations. (Rifugio14 MorelliIntroduction – Buzzi, Italy) Where to stay 15 That evening they ran two extra miles from Keld to their eventual bed for the night. ‘It was a really nice family-run B&B,’ recalls Jasmin. ‘They weren’t expecting anyone and their boiler was being repaired, so they put the kettle on and gave us bowls of water to wash our muddy legs. We’d expected to eat in the pub so we asked if we could have our cooked breakfast for tea instead. We had a fry-up in the evening and cereal and toast the next morning!’ Their journey so far had been a joy, taking them over hills floating on a sea of cloud, where they had met a herd of wild goats – a highlight for Konrad as a fan of those much-maligned creatures, and for Jasmin a trigger for an unexpected Ready to go at craving for goat’s cheese. Kirk Yetholm ‘We loved the first day,’ says Konrad. ‘The Cheviots were the wildest section, with (Photo credit: Jasmin Paris and the most running. On the second day Hadrian’s Wall was really special – running Konrad Rawlik alongside it towards an amazing sunset. Everything was orange and pink. There was collection) a lovely autumn light. It was spectacular.’ On , the highest point of the route, they were chased along a ridge by wind, rain and hail before dropping to . This was followed by a perfect day above the rift of High Cup Nick and passing High Force. A PENNINE PASSAGE ‘Each day had its own special moment,’ says Konrad, ‘like getting to the Tan Hill Inn, having a hot chocolate and then running in the dark down to Keld. The sky was A birthday run along the backbone of England clear and all the stars were out. It was beautiful.’ with Jasmin Paris and Konrad Rawlik Knowing few people would be walking the route at that time of year, they had decided against pre-booking accommodation. ‘Planning a 270-odd-mile run in Keld appeared to be abandoned for winter. This was the intersection of the Coast- Britain during November is no easy task,’ Konrad jokes, ‘so I decided to largely avoid to-Coast and Pennine Way, where the guidebook had painted a picture of a bustling any planning!’ village – but this was a ghost town. They were starting to feel cold, walking beneath moonlight through dark, silent lanes. Turning a corner, they saw a house with lights on. Konrad knocked on the door and explained to the owner that they needed some- where to stay. She invited the pair in and made calls to friends, further and further away before a guesthouse was eventually found. It was November 2015 and Jasmin Paris and her husband, Konrad Rawlik, were at the end of their fourth day of running the Pennine Way. Both are well known for their running achievements: Jasmin has been national fell running champion; she’s the fastest woman over the Bob Graham and Paddy Buckley rounds and holds the overall record for the Charlie Ramsay – all achieved in an astonishing six months in 2016. Konrad has won the Fellsman race and also placed third in the Dragon’s Back. The couple have twice raced the multi-day Transalpine together. For both, this was simply to be a week’s holiday to celebrate Jasmin’s birthday, following the route that starts at Kirk Yetholm, close to their home in Scotland, and finishes at Edale near her parents’ place in Derbyshire. ‘When she first suggested it,’ laughs Konrad, ‘I said that taking the TransPennine Express to her parents for her Typical terrain on the northern sections of the Pennine Way birthday was a great idea!’ (Photo credit: Jasmin Paris and Konrad Rawlik collection)

46 Inspiration A Pennine passage 47 Finding rooms wasn’t to be easy, though. On their second night they ran an extra three miles, from Greenhead to Gilsland, for somewhere to stay, and the following night they trudged through Dufton until they stumbled across a farmhouse B&B on the outskirts of the village. Here, however, the local pub wasn’t serving meals and Jasmin’s pleas to buy some bread and cheese didn’t yield any success. Thankfully, their B&B host came to the rescue, with the drive to collect her daughter from bad- minton being diverted to the nearest fish and chip shop. Jasmin and Konrad weren’t carrying much food apart from some flapjack, along with essentials, in their 15-litre packs. Instead of taking extra shoes they’d opted for the mountain marathon trick of plastic bags on their feet to keep their socks dry in the evening. Each had only one set of running gear. ‘Go light,’ is Jasmin’s advice to anyone contemplating fastpacking. ‘You really don’t need much. It was enjoyable because we had such light packs. If you carry too much, it’s not much fun because you have to walk. All our evening gear was hill clothes you could put on in an emergency.’ Day five was Jasmin’s birthday, so to avoid the hassle of previous days they phoned ahead to book a room for the night. Sunshine and iconic terrain, familiar from the Fellsman and Three Peaks races, led them to Horton-in-Ribblesdale, their agreed second tea-stop of the day. Regular tea breaks were a crucial ingredient of the High Force in on day four, holiday. one of many sights along the way (Photo credit: Jasmin Paris and Konrad Rawlik collection)

Spectacular autumn sunset at Hadrian’s wall on day two (Photo credit: Jasmin Paris and Konrad Rawlik collection) ‘We both love a cuppa,’ says Jasmin, ‘but Konrad lives for cake. The more tea-stops we could have, the better! Even when we raced the Transalpine, that was our ethos. Just having fun together. We were running hard, but every day we’d finished by mid- day so we still went for ice cream sundaes and went swimming. Other competitors were more serious – some would only have gels – but we’d try the local food in the aid stations. So although we weren’t exactly sightseeing, it was still a very enjoyable week away.’ Disappointingly, the café in Horton-in-Ribblesdale was shut, so bowls of soup from the pub fuelled them over Pen-y-Ghent. From here they crossed limestone pavement in the gathering dusk before descending past the cove to the twinkling lights of Malham, where a three-course dinner and bottle of wine awaited them. ‘It was an award-winning B&B,’ recalls Jasmin. ‘The morning after my birthday, we ate so much breakfast it was bouncing around in our stomachs. Luckily it was a downhill section, so we could just roll along!’ Achilles pain then saw Jasmin experimenting with barefoot running through farm- land to the foot of Haworth Moor before reverting to shoes for the climb, post-tea-stop, over Stoodley Pike and then the descent to Mankinholes. Here, they were staying at the youth hostel where a sign warned about the pub: ‘Don’t go if you want good service!’

48 Inspiration A Pennine passage 49 – but in fact they enjoyed a surprisingly tasty dinner there. The hostel itself wasn’t offer- ing meals, but the warden sold them tins of Tesco Value custard and rice pudding for breakfast. The following day would be their last, with 43 miles to cover. By mid-morning the next day the two runners, in shorts and brightly coloured waterproofs, were sitting on plastic chairs by a catering van, next to the M62. Sheltering from drizzle and the roar of traffic, they drank tea and ate flapjack whilst being stared at by the lorry drivers on neighbouring tables who had opted for dou- ble bacon sandwiches. After a morning of crossing moorland in rain and howling wind, the couple were glad to warm up. This was home turf for Jasmin and she knew it didn’t offer many options for refreshments; however, as her parents were meeting them later with a picnic, happily the day’s cake supply was guaranteed. After an autumn of mostly benign weather, the Pennine Way seemed intent on a proper blast of winter. Complacency in familiar terrain led to a wrong turn and a boggy climb to the summit of Black Hill. Following a family lunch, they resisted the temptation to steal Jasmin’s parents’ bikes and instead headed into the rain and bit- ing wind to climb Bleaklow. After easy navigation for most of the trip, it was on the hills of Jasmin’s youth that they made another error, missing Jacob’s Ladder on the way to Edale Cross, resulting in a long afternoon being pelted by rain before finally arriving at the Old Nag’s Head in Edale – 6 days, 8 hours and 19 minutes after leaving Kirk Yetholm. Day one, ascending Mt Whitney Afterwards, they both agreed that multi-day runs give a sense of achievement you through the sunrise, with spectacular don’t get from other running. ‘You get such satisfaction moving from one end of the colours and views in every direction (Photo credit: Olly Stephenson) country to another without using public transport,’ says Konrad, ‘just getting there on your own, seeing the landscape changing as you go.’ SOLO IN THE SIERRAS ‘We love the simplicity,’ says Jasmin. ‘It reduces you to the essentials of what you need. All you do is run, find somewhere to sleep, eat and then run again. You can just Fastpacking the John Muir Trail with Olly Stephenson enjoy being – in nature, in the surroundings and just with each other. And it’s great to feel tired at the end of the day. You’re hungry. Food tastes good. Bed is good. The hills After another hot day, the evening air was cool and dry as Olly Stephenson hiked are good. And you just go out and enjoy it all again the next day. the Upper Basin of Kings Canyon National Park, California. He was at 3350m, 44km ‘And the wonderful thing is how many trails and routes there are out there to from the nearest trailhead, and hadn’t seen another person all day. A crimson sunset explore,’ she adds. ‘There are too many to actually do! We’ve got a lifetime ahead of streaked the horizon, daubing the surrounding peaks orange-pink. Overhead, stars us, lots of years. Maybe when we retire, we can do one a month!’ began to twinkle in the inky-blue. He’d covered 50km through wonderful scenery That evening, dripping in a corner of the pub, next to a glowing fire and having and was ready to stop for the night. phoned the ‘Dad-taxi’, they had 30 minutes to wait. Plenty of time to celebrate their In that moment, he felt deeply connected to the landscape and blessed to be birthday run down the spine of England – which they did in style, with hot chocolate there. The exertions of the previous day and doubt-filled night seemed a lifetime and, of course, slices of cake. ago. Then, he had been demoralised after a demanding 65km that included climbing Mount Whitney at 4421m and Forester Pass at 4009m, carrying a full pack. If there’d Further information been a trailhead at the first night’s camp he’d have been tempted to abandon his trip, §§ Jasmin’s blog: jasminfellrunner.blogspot.co.uk but the next morning, after a good night’s sleep, he made a conscious decision to §§ The Pennine Way by Paddy Dillon (Cicerone Press) reduce his daily distances and simply enjoy the journey.

50 Inspiration Solo in the Sierras 51

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4 long escarpment above Gwaun Taf. above the forested slopes overlook- A

734 Fan Fawr

400 400 The route then drops between the ing Talybont Reservoir. It’s a stiff

112 Route ideas Route 1 – Brecon Beacons 113 m Cribyn 1000 Pen y Fan Tor y Foel 800 600 Pentwyn and Pontsticill reservoirs Talybont-on-Usk 400 200 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50km climb over Tor y Foel and then a lovely Highlights descent through successive pas- §§ Pen y Fan and Corn Du, the two tures takes you onto the canal path to highest peaks in South Wales, plus Talybont village. On the second day their neighbour, Cribyn Just a couple more summits to go – Corn Du and Pen y Fan the route climbs back into the moun- §§ Superb running on escarpments, tains and past the giant cairn of Carn ridges and open moorland Pica to join a wonderful escarpment §§ Quiet reservoirs and forests, hidden §§ Fantastic views of the whole area, Top tips path to the summits of Fan y Big, in the mountains from the Carmarthen Fans in the §§ Carry sufficient water for each day as Cribyn, Pen y Fan and Corn Du before §§ The beautiful and peaceful west to the Black Mountains in the there is nowhere to fill up en route returning to the start through a quiet Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal – east. §§ Watch out for deep bogs on the hidden valley. the most popular visitor attraction in ridges and upland sections the national park §§ Pick shoes with good grip on wet � Did you know? rock because of the steep paved paths between summits It’s perhaps not as well known §§ Running poles are helpful but not as the other classic ‘rounds’, like essential the Bob Graham, but the Brecon §§ Pen y Fan is very popular with Beacons Traverse is a long- walkers, especially at the weekends, distance fell-running challenge so an early start is recommended to across the national park. It’s a ensure a parking space. linear route of 118km taking in 31 summits over 610m, with 5000m Where to find out more of ascent. The goal is to complete For more on this route, see: https:// the route within 24 hours and the www.cicerone.co.uk/957 fastest known crossing was by Mark Hartell in 1993 in 14 hours 42 minutes.

114 Route ideas Route 1 – Brecon Beacons 115 A delicious descent on the slopes of Tor y Foel with superb views of Sugar Loaf mountain Brecon Beacons Brecon A tale the from trail sky, withthesunilluminatingyellow The hazecleared toreveal shards ofblue where Icouldfinallybreak intoarun. onto thelongridgeofGraig GwaunTaf, of SouthWales’ highestmountainand I turnedawayfrom thedistinctive top in mist,andleavingthewalkers behind the carparkwasfull.Ireached thecol start soIwasclimbingPen yFan before days of fine weather forecast and an early fab day,’ Igrinned. and wasgivingoff adelicatescentofbog. bloodied knees,wascaked inpeaty mud been in a fight in a farmyard and lost. I had was unsurprisingsinceIlooked like I’d receptionist gavemeaquizzical look.This As hechecked mein,theyouthhostel The weekend hadstarted well – two ‘Yes, acoupleofminormishaps,but ‘Good dayonthehills?’helaughed. splashed andpulledmyselfout.MidWales I could,ofcourse,doggypaddle,so way tomeetmymaker. Ithenrealised this seemedanembarrassingly stupid quicksand? Alone,alongwayfrom home, Beacons. Couldbogsuckmeinlike and Dartmoor, butnothere intheBrecon of thenotoriousbogsinPeak District green moss quivering on the top. I knew lighter-coloured ‘ground’ withsuspicious my thoughts,Ihadn’t seenthepoolof chest-deep inacold,smellybog.Lost in Carmarthen Fans. dry, peatyfootpath,takinginviewsofthe running inthesunshineonaseemingly mountains tomyleft. Iwassoonhappily at thefootofridge–andtomorrow’s glinting reservoir –mynextdestination gorse onred sandstone.Icould seethe Suddenly, asplitsecondlater, Iwas in need of a shower. Over dinner, I chatted before heading to the hostel, never more in timeforwell-deservedteaandcake shady canal path to Talybont. I arrived y Foel, thendropping ontoadeliciously Talybont reservoir andforest, climbingTor and thankfullyuneventful,passing the out bog.Notagoodlook. scraped kneesaswellacoatingofdried- damage asfarIcouldtell,butnowhad I wasabitsore buthadsuffered nomajor and landed on myfront, winding myself. the views,thatItrippedonstonytrack Gleision. Itwashere, runningandadmiring open moorlandontheslopesofBryniau Pontsticill reservoir andthenclimbed mistake sosoonintomytrip. the ground and cursing myself for a silly continued onmyway, carefully watching their parents. Covered instinkingmud,I I’ll probably frightenany children outwith warm andsunny. I’lldryoff, Ithoughtbut onto drierground. Luckilyit was now forest andcrossed intotheenclosure and shouldn’t havecomeassuchasurprise. championships, soperhapsmywildswim is hometothefamousbogsnorkelling The rest ofthatday’s runwasajoy The trail dropped downtothe I spotted astileintotheedgeofsome the terrain alsodemandsyourattention! always stop to lookattheviewswhenever that weekend Iwaspainfullyreminded to enjoying beautifulsurroundings, but my waterbottle. that I’d cracked aribwhenI’d landedon sneeze orcough?’heasked. Itturnedout from myfallintheBeacons.‘Does ithurtto cautiously becausemysidewasstillsore mentioned toafriendthatI’d runtherace Horse Marathon thefollowingweekend, I valley andreturning toStorey Arms. Du –before dropping downintoahidden y Fan anditstable-topneighbour, Corn the summits–Fan yBig,Cribyn,busyPen petrified wave. Passing walkers, Itookin rolling across thelandscapelike agreen, over muchofthenationalpark,itspeaks cheery skylarkssangasIenjoyedviews of thecentral Beacons.Aboveme,the handwashing, Iran alongtheescarpments still streaked brown despitevigorous in Monmouthshire. Georgian WilderhopeManorand acastle and Wales andhadjust‘bagged’the through alltheyouthhostelsin England to awomanwhowas working herway Trail runningformeismostly about Travelling backfrom theManVersus The nextmorning,withmyt-shirt

From Pen y Fan the peaks of Cribyn and Fan y Big look like a petrified wave