Retail optimism

The touristy places around here have thriving high streets: Beaumaris, Llanberis, Betws y Coed. The other towns around here follow the general UK (or even global) trend, and have rather sad high streets. And last year, the Bethesda high street got worse. We had a big charity shop at the beginning of the town, but it wasn't viable anymore, and it closed. Yet another empty shopfront!

Soon I heard rumours that it wasn't going to stay empty for very long, though. I heard that one half was going to be a beauty salon, and the other half a florist. That surprised me a bit. I could imagine the beauty salon; if you walk around town you see lots of women who clearly have things done to them, such as fancy nails. But a florist? How often do you see people around here with flowers? I thought that sounded tricky. But I wish them the best.

The new shops

While work on these two new shops was ongoing here in Bethesda, something else washappening in the neighbouring town of Tregarth, that I come through on my commute. Suddenly, a house was festooned with a form that said there was a planning application for turning it into an off-licence. And then, predictably, it turned into an off-licence. While the work was going on I wasn't biking there much, so basically, I suddenly saw it finished and open. Tregarth now has a shop! And it being the only shop in town, I think it has a good future ahead of it.

Siop Tregarth

I know I have been hopeful about new ventures before. Five years ago, there were two changes: one retail unit became residential, and I think that will last, and another one was taken up by a new deli, but unfortunately that didn't live long. That's the risk with new initiatives on high streets.

I really wish our beauty salon and florist all the best! But I don't think I will offer much financial support. I have no intention at all to let people fiddle with me in the name of beauty. And I am quite aware of the environmental impact of cut flowers. And I have too many indoor plants already. So I will offer no more than just wishes. Let's hope it is enough…

Bailed out of another Welsh class

On the night of the start of my new Welsh class I was all keen, sitting in my home office with pen and paper ready. I was hoping it would be a good course. Three years earlier I had bailed out of a course that didn't teach me anything. Two years ago, I had accidentally landed on a course that was perfect for me. Last year the course was OK but not anywhere as good as that one. I knew any of these options was possible for this year! 

I had tried to engineer the situation: I had sent an email to the very good Welsh tutor to ask if she would teach any courses this year. She said that at the time of writing, these decision hadn't been made. She didn't say, though, that by the time she would know, she would let me know, which sounded to me as a hint that she wasn't going to facilitate me making a beeline straight to her, and landing in her class again. So I picked a course on the basis of the limited information they give. And then you have to just wait and see how it pans out. 

From the title of this post, it is quite obvious: I'm afraid it was the first option of the class not being worth my time. After two nights I bailed! A bit soon, but it just wasn't for me. So many people that it slows the course down. And the homework he gave was so basic I wasn't learning anything. I decided to just pull the plug. Two and a half hours of being bored and frustrated is too much!

I did gather my courage and sent another email to that very good Welsh tutor. Just on the off-chance that she teaches a course on the Monday evening and it isn't full yet. I had little to lose! But she wasn't doing a course like that this year, so I might have to just go through her old course material to keep my Welsh levels up...

 

 

Sbrint ‘Stiniog 2026

I had really enjoyed the 2025 Sbrint Stiniog! And I was hoping there would be a 2026 edition. I didn’t see any announcements. Until I did. And by then I saw it was on a date i already was double booked. So no Sbrint for me then. Until I saw it had been cancelled for reasons of bad weather. That matched with the rubbish weather I heard about that runners of the Anglesey 10k/HM had to put up with. I had been comfortable in sunny Birkenhead. 

I hoped it would get rescheduled. And then it was: on September 20. Again, on a day with more going on. Not only was the RNLI 5k on in Llandudno; it was also the day after Neil’s Welsh 3000s. But I figured he would be asleep at thd time of the race, as I expected him to finish in the early morning. I told him I had registered, but if he wanted me around that morning, I would just not show up.

He was happy with me racing so I got my kit ready. I was feeling a bit under the weather but I couldn’t resist the race. And in sunny weather I drove to Tanygrisiau.  I was cutting it quite sharp! I got to registration only a few minutes before it would officially close. I didn't think they really would close at that time, but still. I pinned my number on, did a little warmup, and had a last sip of drink. I was ready! And I spotted some people I knew: Alice, a former colleague, and Russell, the Tuesday Track trainer. He wasn’t running it himself; he was there to support his children who were.

Then we started. Like last year, I was at the front. A lot of people came past, but most of them were male. There was one young lady coming past, but my gut feeling was that she wouldn't manage to keep that up. I was right; after 200 m I had overtaken her.

I was quite happily trundling along. I had the feeling I had found a good balance between keeping a good speed up but not wearing myself out too soon. And quite soon I came past Nina, Russell’s wife; she cheered me on with all her might. And later, our former student Amy, who had been there last year too, did the same. 

Looking uncharacteristically worried on the way up

After a while I came to the turnaround point and could start making my way back down. That was an opportunity to see how far behind me the next woman was. And the answer was: quite far. I was confident I was going to win this. I know I am relatively slow on the downhill, but this just looked like a gap that was too big to close. 

On the steep bits I just went as fast as I dared, and on the not so steep bits I tried to keep my speed up, to not let anyone behind me come close too easily. Even if it is downhill, you can still push it! And I was sort of using a young lad in black as a pacer. And I came past Amy and Nina again, which was great fun.

Storming down behind the bloke in black

Then I got to the finish. I had done it! Second gold medal of the year! I was proud. And I went to get my bag, as I wanted a drink and my phone. A lady from the organisation congratulated me, and gave me a medal and my prize: a lovely water bottle. I went back to the finish the cheer on the next women. And whoever else was finishing.

The charming finish

I didn't stay long. I wanted to get Neil, and hear all about his adventures. He had told me about them the night before, but he had come in quite close to bedtime, and now there would be a bit more time. So I scarpered. I did notice Garmin said my heart rate had been unusually high: up to 207 bpm. I hadn't pushed it unusually hard. Maybe that was the being a bit under the weather? I had felt totally healthy while running but maybe I had fooled myself... 

When I left I didn't know my official time (I don't think it's far off last year's time) and I still don't know it at the time of writing this. There had been no updates from the organisation. I hope that will come soon but even if not; it has been a cracking race!

Neil’s Welsh 3000s

The day was finally there! The day Neil would attempt to summit all Welsh peaks over 300 ft within 24 hours. With a small group, lead by the mountain guide I had done Crib Lem with. He would do it after spending months training, and wondering how it would go. He could control himself, but he could not control the other people in the group. Would they be so slow he would get frustrated? Would they be so fast he wouldn't be able to keep up? Impossible to know, until they would be on their way!

He would set off Fron Pen y Pass at 7 in the morning. And it was a wet morning. That must have been a trying start! But he knows North Welsh weather. He would have been both mentally and physically prepared. 

At 8 I got my first update. They weren’t doing Crib Goch! Too dangerous in that wind. Disappointing in a way, but it is clearly more important to survive than to do the original route. Even though the Crib is one of the over-3000 peaks. 

While he was out there, I could see the weather improve during my marshalling duties. I was glad! That must've made a big difference.

The next time I heard something it was lunchtime. They had reached Nant Peris. They had done the first mountain ridge! Now they would go to the Glyderau ridge. And at about 3, they were at y Garn; about halfway along that ridge. That meant they had done that in 1.5 hours. Maybe only 1.5 hours to polish off the whole ridge? But no. It was over four hours later, and therefore evening, when I got the next message that they had to come down that second ridge as well.

I figured they would do it. If they wanted to do the whole route in 24 hours, they still had almost half that time for the Carneddau. And you have done most of the climbing by then. When it comes to horizontal walking you are only about halfway, but the sting is probably more in the climbs.

I was just having a cup of tea on my sofa when I heard a car pull up, and then a knock on the door. It was Neil! That must mean they had abandoned the attempt. But he looked quite happy. I was confused.

It turned out that the whole rest of the group wasn't up for continuing. Neil still felt he had the energy, even though of course by that time he was a bit worn down. But he figured that going on with only Jacob the mountain guide wasn't quite the same as doing it with the group. He said he would've pushed on if they would have done Crib Goch, but they hadn't. It wouldn't have been a full Welsh 3000s anyway! So he figured he might as well bail as well. But he said he did have an amazing day. And that is important! 

Armed with the experience of this day, he could try again next year, hoping to catch a day when Crib Goch would be possible. There were several things he said he would do differently if he had another chance. So he might be more comfortable next time.

He had also had some strong coffee to get himself ready for the last push, before the decision was made to not make that push. He was a bit hyper! And the day after he told me it had affected his sleep. Oh dear.

I was glad he had had a lovely day, and that he was fine with how it had panned out. And I was proud that he had been the last one to hold out. All the others were about 20 years younger than him! And they seem to have been suitably impressed. 

Hearing all his stories confirmed me in my decision to not consider that sort of shenanigans myself. My feet would have been killing me. And it would've been difficult to drink enough. You can't bring too much water on a hike like that as it would tire you out, and there is little water on the ridges. Filling up your bottles takes time they don't want to lose. Next time I will be just keeping an eye on my WhatsApp again!

Ad hoc marshal

The Pedol Peris race would coincide with Neil’s Welsh 3000s, and I wanted to be standby, so not stand on a mountain all day. But the night before, a call came for more volunteers. And I figured there wouldn’t be much need for me in the morning. The chances of anything happening that would improve from my input in the first hours of his hike would be vanishingly small. So I said I could do some early stage volunteering. And Suzie, the race organiser, put me on marshalling duties in Dinorwic. 

I drove south on the rain, and walked to my station in the mist. Then the sun came out. And Dinorwic is so beautiful! I also bumped into Helen, who works for the power station there, but now was in function as another marshal. She had brought her dog.

Dinorwic when I walked up

Soon after Helen had left to go to her own station, I could see the first runner in the far distance. And then two more. They would get to me soon!

There is a runner in this picture, honest

Not much later the first runner indeed appeared. I could see him for quite a while. For a distance, he looked like Rhys from Hebog. When he came closer, it turned out that he was. But I had a bit of a brain fart, and I shouted something along the lines of “Great running, Siôn!” Oh dear. At least I could show him where he should go, as I was standing somewhere where the route onwards was a bit ambiguous. And he would go on to win the race. 

Soon afterwards, a lady and a gentleman ran up together. I know it was only about half an hour into many hours worth of race, but still; a lady in shared second position is quite something!

I shouted at everyone! As usual. Even though I was wearing glasses, I only noticed I actually knew runners (if I did) if they were really close to me. There were quite some Eryri Harriers running. Great! But this is a race our own club organises, and it is right up its street, so that was not unexpected.

There were a few more runners who were not certain where to go. I actually had use! Helen had been worried about runners going places that were sensitive to the power plant, but nobody seemed that way inclined. They just might have gone the wrong way. 

When I saw a guy who had nobody in sight behind him I asked if there was anyone else; he said he was the last. So I let Suzie know that was the case, and took off my hi viz and cowbell. I decided to walk a different way down. I like Dinorwic! 

When I got to the mill, the goats were there in force. I could get quite close and take some nice pictures. And then I was off home, for lunch. It had been nice, and I had made a small difference to the club. And I still had the rest of the day. So all good. A LOT better than last year! And on another note: how would Neil be doing? 

Handsome billy

Are they flirting? 

Last day of the field trip: coring

We got to do the coring at the end of the field trip this year. The previous few years, we had done it early on. I quite like doing it last. And we always do it at the same time as the geophysics. We were scheduled to pick up the students on the Friday quite late: 11 o’clock, and then be out in the field until quite late to have all students do both activities. 

On Thursday I bumped into Dei and Katrien, who run the geophysical exercise. Since we have moved the field location to Anglesey, they are working with electrical resistance. The problem with that is that it is weather-dependent. If you soak everything in rainwater, everything has the electrical resistivity of rainwater! And they had looked at the weather forecast; on the Friday afternoon, everything really would get soaked in rainwater. What to do?

It wouldn't be raining in the morning, but they figured they couldn't fit all the students in in that short time. So their suggestion was: just don't do the geophysics, and just all team up so all students could do the coring before the rain would hit. That sounded fine to me. It would mean an earlier start, but earlier than 11 o'clock is perfectly acceptable. We barged into Jaco's office to suggest the change, and he was fine with it as well. We would pick up the students at 8:30. And then all go coring, and get it done by noon.

With the entire cohort of students coring at the same time, we would need a bit more equipment, but Dei and Katrien could magic something out of their obscure lab. Success!

The next morning the forecast had changed a bit; it would now start raining at about 10. Oh dear! We had better get our skates on. We drove to the field, dragged all our materials to the field site, and had a go at it. We had augers and gouges. Gouges are difficult to use in sand, but they provide a beautiful continuous record. Augers are totally fine in sand but provide a much messier record. We tried both. And we had a spade too; two students just dug a trench. You can’t get very deep that way, but the view on the sediments is unsurpassed. 

Throwing the kitchen sink at it like that made things a bit chaotic, but I think in the end, we got what we came for. All students had a core log, and I had taken samples from the trench. Jaco took some more from a gouge. And then we felt droplets. Time to scarper! 

I never even took a picture; that’s how busy it all felt. But that’s ok! And it was an abrupt end of the field trip, but so be it. Soon we will get to mark the students’ field notebooks, and then we will get an additional source of information on how well it all went! 

Last Thursday Night Hill session off-road of the season

It had felt like autumn for a while already. Pretty much since I came back from the Netherlands. And when we entered September it meteorologically became official. And now there is something else to mark it. On the online invitation to the weekly Thursday Night Hill run, it was specified that this would be the last time this year we would be in the hills before we would get back to our winter route on asphalt. That made me slightly sad! Even though I also like our winter runs. 

We ended the season with subtlety. No crazy ascents of Moel Eilio or Elidir Fawr or any of that. Just a bit of running around in a general vicinity of Llanberis. Only some 400 m of ascent. But it was a gorgeous evening for it! Even though I, and several other people, got cold arms, as we were in short sleeves, and that might not have been ideal. I had a jacket in my running vest but it stayed there.

There was also a bit of slapstick when the group fell apart into two subgroups; I was in the slower one. We got to a junction and couldn't see the fast group. Rhian, sort of is in charge of the slower group, was certain the front runners had gone right. Until she suddenly shouted "STOP!" as she had decided that they had gone left. But after we went left the situation repeated. And again when we went right. I wasn't entirely sure if she was genuinely confused, or just wondering how long she could string that along. But by then, the front group had sent a messenger to indicate where they had actually gone.

It was a nice night! Big turnout, with both regulars and newbies. And when we will hit the roads, at least the people won't change. And then we will all still be fit when we get back into spring!