What now for Welsh 1000m race?
The craggy Glyder landscape
The news that broke earlier today is significant for Welsh environmental culture. The giant of the Glyders – Glyder Fawr – has a new status, now in the big league of mountains. However, the wider question as far as fell runners are concerned is will this affect the classic Welsh 1000m race?
The Glyder Fawr survey team
The Grough reports:
The readings showed the mountain as being one of only five south of the Scottish border – England has none – over the 1,000m mark. One of the survey members Graham Jackson said: “The result has been accepted by Ordnance Survey and the new height will appear on maps in the coming months. Of course Glyder Fawr is still the same mountain and in that sense nothing changes, but it does have a new status.
Perhaps of more importance is the implication of the new height for the fellrunning community. One of the tasks of the Gorphwysfa Club – hence the involvement in the survey of club members Pete and Kate Williams – is the organisation of the Welsh 1,000m Peaks Race.”
Tim Davies winning this year's Welsh 1000m
It’s too early to say, but local terrain experts and fell runners that we have spoken to think that the detour will be too tough and mean that the race would probably become too far for many. We’re sure that it will be a hot topic for the Gorfwysfa Club over the winter, but one is things is for sure the G and J Surveys wont stop there – so you can expect more big hills getting bigger over the coming months!
