The day after the Ring of Fire Race we went to Porthmadog to see Rob Piercy's gallery. He paints mainly in watercolour and in my opinion is one of the best landscape watercolourists in Britain. It was a real treat to see so many of his pictures together. He specializes in moody mountain scenes of Snowdonia done with a muted palette. There were also some mixed media , oils and some pencil drawings.
After that we drove to Llanberis to see the mountains and also to The Royal Victoria Hotel which has a list on the wall of past winners of the Snowdon Mountain Race , H's name being among them.
From there we had the long trek back to Scotland.
Wednesday, 3 September 2014
Ring of Fire Race
We're just back from the Ring of Fire - a fantastic race over three days around the coast of the Island of Anglesey in North Wales. My chances of finishing seemed very slim as my back was still giving me a lot of trouble. Even another trip to the osteopath on Wednesday didn't make much difference.
I decided to start anyway and get as far as I could.
The fun commenced at 1PM on Friday from the Country Park. My back was sore from the first step . Fairly despondent I limped along near the back. H. was soon away and out of sight and I was glad to see her running well. However before long I realised that it hurt just as much to run slowly as at normal speed. I became frustrated at being trapped at the back of a long crocodile of slower runners and started to overtake people when I had the chance. Eventually I caught up with a group of faster runners and was pleased to be able to stay with them .To my surprise they stopped longer than me at checkpoint 2 and I was able get ahead. By now the landscape had become far more dramatic - rolling grassland then steep cliffs down to the sea. I began to wonder how far ahead H could be until I finally spotted her just cresting the next hill. It took some work to catch up but by now I was running fairly well and enjoying myself despite my sore back and lack of fitness. We ran together for the rest of the day and indeed for the rest of the race which is quite unusual for us but a lovely thing to do.
By the time we had covered the increasingly hilly 35.7 miles to Almwych we were both tired and it was pouring with rain. I was incredibly happy to have survived the first day and to have enjoyed rather than just endured the stunning coastal route. In the Leisure Centre the canteen ladies were serving huge plates of lasagne and salad for a mere £4.50. I demolished one and helped H with hers, then had hot shower.The sports hall was soon full of tired runners sorting out their gear and setting up beds . Sleeping arrangements were very variable from proper fold up beds through camp beds to nothing but the hard floor. My back was really painful, lying down being particularly sore . At one point I was stuck on my back unable to sit up or turn over until H helped me. Fortunately I was able to get a massage which eased things a little.
Day 2 started with my alarm going off at 4.30. Slightly refreshed after 4 hours sleep we packed up and ate breakfast The race started at 6 AM- we had up to 22 hours to cover the next 65.9 miles of the coastal path. The scenery wasn't quite as stunning being flatter and incorporating more road- probably a good thing given the distance. We started off O.K. but our lack of fitness and the effects of the previous day took their toll , soon we were reduced to a slow jog and walking all the hills. I found the last 10 miles or so very tough- in the dark with some tricky navigation to boot. All volunteers on the checkpoints were superb; friendly and helpful. For some reason I never quite understood there were some really nice guys dressed in lurid skin tight lycra body suits (maybe I was hallucinating- I was certainly tired enough )at the check points, anyway they cheered us up no end and couldn't do enough to help holding things and filling water bottles.
At the end we received a rapturous welcome in Aberffraw and were plied with pasta and hot drinks. The second nights accommodation was more basic- there was no showers and less room but also less runners as some had dropped out. After a few hours rest we rose bleary eyed to pack and get ready for the 6 AM start. The race organisers must have been even more sleep deprived but were everywhere making cups of tea and being incredibly cheery.
I was amazed to find I could still run after a fashion. At the first checkpoint of the day at Rhosneigr we were offered sausage or bacon baps which really touched the spot. Once we got back onto Holy Island and towards Trearddur Bay the scenery became spectacular, cliffs, golden beaches and sea stacks. The sun came out and it was a gorgeous day. Ever so slowly we ticked off the miles and Holyhead mountain came closer. Eventually we were on the final descent to the finish in Holyhead Country Park. We were both ecstatic to get there. At 135 miles it is the longest race we've done albeit over 3 days. It was a superb event and very well organised ,definitely one to do again. I did take my sketch book but I must confess to have been too tired after each day to draw.
I decided to start anyway and get as far as I could.
The fun commenced at 1PM on Friday from the Country Park. My back was sore from the first step . Fairly despondent I limped along near the back. H. was soon away and out of sight and I was glad to see her running well. However before long I realised that it hurt just as much to run slowly as at normal speed. I became frustrated at being trapped at the back of a long crocodile of slower runners and started to overtake people when I had the chance. Eventually I caught up with a group of faster runners and was pleased to be able to stay with them .To my surprise they stopped longer than me at checkpoint 2 and I was able get ahead. By now the landscape had become far more dramatic - rolling grassland then steep cliffs down to the sea. I began to wonder how far ahead H could be until I finally spotted her just cresting the next hill. It took some work to catch up but by now I was running fairly well and enjoying myself despite my sore back and lack of fitness. We ran together for the rest of the day and indeed for the rest of the race which is quite unusual for us but a lovely thing to do.
By the time we had covered the increasingly hilly 35.7 miles to Almwych we were both tired and it was pouring with rain. I was incredibly happy to have survived the first day and to have enjoyed rather than just endured the stunning coastal route. In the Leisure Centre the canteen ladies were serving huge plates of lasagne and salad for a mere £4.50. I demolished one and helped H with hers, then had hot shower.The sports hall was soon full of tired runners sorting out their gear and setting up beds . Sleeping arrangements were very variable from proper fold up beds through camp beds to nothing but the hard floor. My back was really painful, lying down being particularly sore . At one point I was stuck on my back unable to sit up or turn over until H helped me. Fortunately I was able to get a massage which eased things a little.
Day 2 started with my alarm going off at 4.30. Slightly refreshed after 4 hours sleep we packed up and ate breakfast The race started at 6 AM- we had up to 22 hours to cover the next 65.9 miles of the coastal path. The scenery wasn't quite as stunning being flatter and incorporating more road- probably a good thing given the distance. We started off O.K. but our lack of fitness and the effects of the previous day took their toll , soon we were reduced to a slow jog and walking all the hills. I found the last 10 miles or so very tough- in the dark with some tricky navigation to boot. All volunteers on the checkpoints were superb; friendly and helpful. For some reason I never quite understood there were some really nice guys dressed in lurid skin tight lycra body suits (maybe I was hallucinating- I was certainly tired enough )at the check points, anyway they cheered us up no end and couldn't do enough to help holding things and filling water bottles.
At the end we received a rapturous welcome in Aberffraw and were plied with pasta and hot drinks. The second nights accommodation was more basic- there was no showers and less room but also less runners as some had dropped out. After a few hours rest we rose bleary eyed to pack and get ready for the 6 AM start. The race organisers must have been even more sleep deprived but were everywhere making cups of tea and being incredibly cheery.
I was amazed to find I could still run after a fashion. At the first checkpoint of the day at Rhosneigr we were offered sausage or bacon baps which really touched the spot. Once we got back onto Holy Island and towards Trearddur Bay the scenery became spectacular, cliffs, golden beaches and sea stacks. The sun came out and it was a gorgeous day. Ever so slowly we ticked off the miles and Holyhead mountain came closer. Eventually we were on the final descent to the finish in Holyhead Country Park. We were both ecstatic to get there. At 135 miles it is the longest race we've done albeit over 3 days. It was a superb event and very well organised ,definitely one to do again. I did take my sketch book but I must confess to have been too tired after each day to draw.
Sunday, 24 August 2014
We had variable weather this week - some heavy rain but also some sunshine . I did get the opportunity to do a couple of quick sketches .
I was excited to receive James Gurney's new watercolour DVD yesterday . As one would expect it is excellent with lots of tips and demonstrations of plein air watercolours . I am very envious of his amazing skills . He can create stunning paintings on the hoof even of some pretty humdrum subjects - everything from raindrops hitting a pavement puddle to industrial subjects to a study of a long dead tortoise.
I'm also eagerly awaiting Jim Vadeboncoeur's latest and possibly his last edition of Images S. He did a kickstarter campaign to fund the production of what promises to be a really deluxe edition. I have a few of the other editions and they are brim full of superbly reproduced illustration art .
I was excited to receive James Gurney's new watercolour DVD yesterday . As one would expect it is excellent with lots of tips and demonstrations of plein air watercolours . I am very envious of his amazing skills . He can create stunning paintings on the hoof even of some pretty humdrum subjects - everything from raindrops hitting a pavement puddle to industrial subjects to a study of a long dead tortoise.
I'm also eagerly awaiting Jim Vadeboncoeur's latest and possibly his last edition of Images S. He did a kickstarter campaign to fund the production of what promises to be a really deluxe edition. I have a few of the other editions and they are brim full of superbly reproduced illustration art .
 |
| The North face of the Ben with cloud gathering on the summit. |
 |
| View from the supermarket car park . |
 |
| Quick sketch on the way back from Kinlochleven. |
Sunday, 17 August 2014
New print of Lochnagar for my etsy shop
This week I have had two good runs from Bridge of Orchy to Fort William.
. It is easy to jump on the train down the road from our house and I can be in Bridge of Orchy shortly after 9 AM . It's cheap too with a railcard. Then you have a wonderful 35 mile run along the West Highland Way.
On Thursday the weather was warm and mostly dry .As I jogged along in the sunshine there was a gorgeous smell of honey coming from the heather which is now in full bloom. The grasses are flowering as well giving the moor an orange tinge together with the myriad of greens and the purple of the heather. It was the first long run that I've done for weeks due to my bad back , so I was extremely pleased to be pain free and enjoyed the day immensely.
At Kingshouse I stopped to sketch the red deer that mooch around the hotel in the hope of a tourist's sandwich. Unfortunately two little boys appeared and chased the deer away!
In the Lairig Mor I bumped in to a couple who asked whether the path led to the Lower Falls car park . I had to tell them that they were in the wrong glen and that their car was on the other side of the Mamore mountains. They decided to walk to Kinlochleven and to try to get a bus back to Fort William.
Yesterday H and I did the same run but the weather was very different- relentless driving rain the whole day long. We stopped off at the Glencoe ski centre for a coffee and a bacon roll ; it was that kind of day.
 |
| Very quick sketches of deer at Kingshouse |
On Thursday the weather was warm and mostly dry .As I jogged along in the sunshine there was a gorgeous smell of honey coming from the heather which is now in full bloom. The grasses are flowering as well giving the moor an orange tinge together with the myriad of greens and the purple of the heather. It was the first long run that I've done for weeks due to my bad back , so I was extremely pleased to be pain free and enjoyed the day immensely.
At Kingshouse I stopped to sketch the red deer that mooch around the hotel in the hope of a tourist's sandwich. Unfortunately two little boys appeared and chased the deer away!
In the Lairig Mor I bumped in to a couple who asked whether the path led to the Lower Falls car park . I had to tell them that they were in the wrong glen and that their car was on the other side of the Mamore mountains. They decided to walk to Kinlochleven and to try to get a bus back to Fort William.
Yesterday H and I did the same run but the weather was very different- relentless driving rain the whole day long. We stopped off at the Glencoe ski centre for a coffee and a bacon roll ; it was that kind of day.
 |
| Pen portraits of passengers on the train |
Wednesday, 13 August 2014
 |
| King |
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Wedding in Norfolk
 |
| Man on the train. |
 |
| Sketch done during the ceremony at the Assembly Rooms |
 |
| On Sunday we visited the house of H's sister which is a wonderful 16th century manor House. We had a barbecue in the garden and sat drinking beer in the sun. |
 |
| The house now has a brick skin which somewhat detracts from the other more ancient features. |
 |
| Sketch of a church with an unusual round tower a type found only in Norfolk and Suffolk |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)