A classic A to B 'grassroots' fell race taking in three major peaks in the South Wales Black Mountains.
15.8 miles / 4500 feet ascent
25.4 km / 1372 metres ascent
AL (category "A" Long).
Classifications: ER (experience required) / LK (local knowledge advantageous) / NS (navigational skills required)
Full Kit Requirements as per FRA ruling: waterproof whole body cover (with taped seams and integrated attached hood), hat, gloves, map of the route, compass, whistle and emergency food. Any changes to this will be announced at registration. Otherwise please assume full kit. The end of March can be a very changeable time of year for weather - spring sunshine or snow - and often both on the same day!
Date and time
Start 12 noon, Saturday 30th March 2019
Start Location and registration: Llanbedr Village, Crickhowell. NP8 1SR
Venue
Please note - this is an 'A to B' race.
Pre-entry here via Fabian4: http://www.fabian4.co.uk/default.aspx?EventID=2105
On the day registration is at the START.
If you leave your vehicle at the start it's about 25 minutes from the finish to collect it.
The start, registration and collection of pre-registered numbers and chip for timing is at Llanbedr Village Hall NP8 1SR; the finish is at the Rugby Club in Blaenavon NP4 9HR.
Llanbedr village is tiny and the start which is on the road in the centre of the village is obvious.
Please use these postcodes to locate the start and registration/finish. The google map on this site isn't quite accurate.
Either leave your car at the finish and buddy up for a lift to the start or we will try to group people for lifts after the prize giving to collect cars.
Prize giving will be at 3.30 pm sharp. Please don't leave before the prize giving unless you really have to - it's part of the event!
Championship status
How to enter
Pre entries £14.00 Fabian4: http://www.fabian4.co.uk/default.aspx?EventID=2105
Entries on the day £18.00 (includes shower and refreshments and Fabian4 timing).
Contact
For more information contact Ruth Pickvance, preferably by email: ruth@element-active.co.uk
Tel: 07507 189904
Registration
If you enter on the day, registration is at Llanbedr Village Hall and opens at 10.00 am (closes at 11.45 am).
There are toilets at the start.
Parking
Facilities
After the race, there are showers and refreshments (homemade soup, cake, tea) at Blaenavon Rugby Club.
Course
15.8 miles / 4500 feet ascent
25.4 km / 1372 metres ascent
AL (category "A" Long).
Classifications: ER (experience required) / LK (local knowledge advantageous) / NS (navigational skills required)
Please note - there will be a cut-off time of 3.00 (three hours) hours in Llanfoist.
If you are not through in three hours here you will be asked to retire as the final section of this race is probably the most demanding.
Checkpoints
Start: 240203 - Llanbedr Village (start)
1: 262227 - Crug Mawr
2: 257213 - Stile off open fell
3: 253189 - Path junction
4: 273188 - Summit Sugar Loaf
5: 286133 - Llanfoist drink station
6: 270119 - Summit of Blorenge
7: 257088 - Finish. Blaenavon Rugby Club
Use of GPS is not permitted on this race.
Please note - when crossing the valley between Crug Mawr Stile off Open Fell (CP2) and The Sugar Loaf path junction (CP3) you must follow the indicated route - see map below. You are welcome to choose your route other than on this section of the race.
Records
James McQueen (1999) 1:59:01
Menna Angharad (1996) 2:19:03
Results
See this post for results from previous years (up to 2017). Results from 2018 are here.
Prizes
1/2/3 Male & Female.
1st 040/1st 050/1st 060/1st 070 Male & Female.
Teams of three. 1st Male & Female.
Please note - if you win a prize in more than one category - you get both prizes.
Prize giving
3:30 pm
What's in a name?
"Blaenavon" or "Blaenafon"!? Race registration and the finish are in the town named "Blaenavon" on Ordnance Survey maps, at the club that calls itself the "Blaenavon Rugby & Social Club", so we have used that spelling in directions and route details. But the Welsh language spelling of the name is "Blaenafon", and this race has (so far as we can tell) always been named the "Llanbedr to Blaenafon Fell Race", so we have used this spelling for the race name on this website. Another reason for including both spellings on this page is to help people find the race details in search engines.
Accommodation
Airbnb: Search: Abergavenny; Crickhowell; Fforest Coal Pit; Bwlch; Blaenavon [All close to the race area].
Abergavenny Tourist Information: http://www.visitabergavenny.co.uk/places-to-stay/
Star Bunkhouse: http://www.starbunkhouse.com
Brecon Beacons Tourism
Stay somewhere green
Please Note: Please look carefully at this map which shows a part of the race route in RED and an illegal shortcut route in green. It is illegal because it passes over private land which has neither a PRoW nor is it Open Access land. Any runner taking this tempting shortcut will be disqualified.
