Ring o Fire 2018

 A few weeks ago we completed the Ring O Fire Race in Anglesey for the 4th time .
I did  a reasonable amount of training chiefly comprising of 35 mile runs once every week to 10 days. I had also spent a week in Essex during  some very hot weather during which I ran about a hundred miles. However my fitness was still very lacking.
We stayed near Beaumaris which is a picture postcard like coastal town with lots of interesting shops and  cafes. We arrived a day before the race which gave us the chance to buy last minute supplies and recover from the long drive south.
The race starts at the Breakwater Park at Holyhead which is on a separate smaller island off Angelsey. It was great to meet up with old friends including John Kynaston who we know from the West Highland Way Race and also the Hardmoors110.
The race started at 1pm. I had expected cold and wet weather but it turned out to be hot and sunny. In fact many of the runners suffered from the heat.The initial part of the race is not that inspiring - through the streets of Holyhead and parkland  beyond. However this soon gives way to the beautiful coastline. It is quite flat until the second  checkpoint at Church Bay when the cliffs and bays start. From then on the scenery was gorgeous . Time after time we would turn a corner to find another idyllic deserted sandy bay wreathed with cliffs and set off against a turquoise sea and cloudless blue sky. We saw quite a few choughs- rare birds looking  like crows but with an orange beak and a distinctive call.
Before Wylfa power station checkpoint there is a shingle spit that one has to run along , I always find this hard .The shingle is particularly strength sapping . Consequently I was very glad to to get to the checkpoint. Despite eating and drinking I struggled to get going afterwards and the group of runner I was with got ahead. Gradually though I recovered and reeled some of them in.Some of the biggest hills occur between Cemaes and Bull Bay, but again the scenery is fantastic.
I was pleased to finally arrive in Almwch in daylight after a really enjoyable days' running.

Day 2 was cooler and overcast.I started off quite well and enjoyed a good second breakfast and mug of tea at Ligny Bay. The owner of the cafe there had very kindly provided free food for all the runners. Soon the tiredness started to kick in and my pace slowed.Unusually I ran on my own for most of the day. I didn't see a single runner from Beaumaris until Newborough forest. My parents met me at Beaumaris and I had phoned ahead to ask them to buy me a cup of tea and a J20. Although still overcast it was quite warm and the ice cold J20 was very welcome.
It is a long way ( 66 miles) on day 2 but gradually the miles passed despite my snail like pace. On Newborough Beach I could see no one until I was almost at the honesty book flag. Then I spotted a rapidly approaching runner. I was only a few hundred yards beyond the honesty book when the runner overtook me.What a rate he was going! I later learnt that he had had a bad patch at Penmon Point but had recovered after a rest and a pie and chips in Beaumaris.
It was dark when I left the last checkpoint for the last 10km to Aberfraw boosted my some lovely spicy lentil soup. I managed the route OK despite the intense blackness of the moonless night. At Aberfraw the marshals were very attentive as usual and I was able to enjoy multiple mugs of tea and two bowls of pasta.

On Day 3 I was very stiff and my left hip was sore- I could barely run at the start. Fortunately my hip eased off and I was able to get going - otherwise it would have been a very long walk. Helen my wife always does well on Day 3 so I was pleased when I managed to catch up with her. We ran together through Rhosneigr  where a we all got  a second breakfast courtesy of Sandy's Bistro. Helen got ahead of me just before Four mile Bridge  as I started to flag. The weather had been forecast to be good but in the event  we had fine drizzle on and off  all day.
Before the beautiful Silver Bay I missed a turning and had to back track. Fortunately I didn't loose too much time. Also I didn't miss the  honesty book unlike two poor runners who we met a few miles later on who must have added at least an hour to their time returning to pick up a page from the honesty book.
At Trearddur Bay bought myself a mug of tea from a cafe .
I always struggle on the third day and  this year was no exception . I felt that my breathing was quite compromised and I as restricted to a survival shuffle. I kept passing and  being passed by a tall runner who was striding  along but who I never saw running . I was sure I would be able to get ahead but he left me for dust climbing the last hill of the race. Holy mountain was as beautiful as ever.
Finally I was running across the field to the sounds of Johnny Cash singing 'Ring O Fire' . It was all over for another year except for cheering, drinking beer and chatting with friends.
John Bottomley was first runner home in an amazing time of 23 hours and 23 minutes. Patrizia Sini was first lady in 29 hours and 9 minutes.Helen was 3rd lady.

A view from  Henlleys in Beaumaris (where we stayed before and after the race) looking across the Menai Strait.

After a day relaxing day in Beaumaris we sadly started the long drive home.It had been a very enjoyable holiday, and  the Ring O Fire was as always a fantastic race.We will be back!

Some Recent Paintings

Loch Lochy

Sketching has taken a back seat recently ( as has this blog) because work has been very busy. However I have completed a few paintings which I have posted here.
 The weather has been colder this winter than we normally experience on the west coast and there have been  some glorious bright frosty days with the mountains looking very alpine. The ice climbers and skiers have had a very good season. Last Thursday I went up Ben Nevis in beautiful weather, although the top was in cloud .The ruins of the observatory were completely buried and the summit cairn which sits on a rock pedestal about 12 foot high was only just poking out of the surface of the snow.

 I find it far more pleasant climbing the Ben in the snow because my knees get less of a battering on the way down. In fact going down was very quick as I was able to glissade ( ie slide on my bum using an ice axe to control speed) down some sections- great fun but cold when you are wearing shorts! I took lots of photos which I hope to paint  soon. I avoided the last section of the tourist path by taking the path to the right of the Half Way Lochan and down to Torlundy.

Loch Lochy from the A82


Loch Eil from Torlundy.

Snowy Weather

I haven't written a blog post for a few weeks partly due to a lack of material . However I now realise that I have completed quite a few paintings. Here is a selection:
 Below is a picture I painted from a photo taken on a snowy run to Gairlochy and  along the Caledonian canal.We have had more snow this Winter than any other in the six years I've lived on the West coast.

The River at Gairlochy

A few weeks ago we ran out to Invermallie bothy on Loch Arkaig , a large well appointed bothy that I would like to stay in one day . On the way back there was a glorious sunset over the loch.

Sunset at Loch Arkaig

The Blackwater Chelmer Canal

Above is a painting of the canal near my parents home in Essex- one of my favourite running  routes. This reminds me that summer will return!

Ben Nevis from Carn Mor Dearg

Last weekend we had a lot of snow. I climbed Carn Mor Dearg (the first mountain east of Ben Nevis). Once I had left the forest above Torlundy the mist cleared and I was in bright sunshine. A carpet of cloud filled the valley below with an  endless chain of  peaks poking through. The conditions were perfect! I was glad to find that somebody had already blazed the trail as the snow was thigh deep in places.
The above picture is from a photo I took on the way down. The sun was getting low but was illuminating a patch of cloud on top of Ben Nevis and the upper slopes of Carn Mor Dearg;

The River Lochy

Finally another painting of the river at Gairlochy  on another snowy day.

Winter Weather

We have had a good variety of weather over the last week. First there was high winds and rain. I was meant to go to Glen Dessary but the road beside Loch Arkaig was flooded.I tried to get through;driving very slowly and stoppng frequently to measure the depth of the water ahead. However once it started to to get as high as the air intake of the van I gave up and  backed up the single track road to dry land.
Later looking at the manual I read "When driving through water do not stop, do not go in water above the bottom of the body of the van and do not reverse."Fortunately despite doing three things wrong the vehicle appears unscathed. Two days later the weather changed completely and we had a dump of snow. The mountains looked amazing with their white coating and running with soft dry snow underfoot was delightful.
Today it was warmer and so was less pleasant; cold sleety rain rather than snow. It was very slippery as much of the snow had turned to ice. We went for a run on the forest trails under Aonach Mor but eventually retreated to the Pinemarten cafe for a coffee and the above sketch.

Aonach Mor

Two weeks ago we jogged up to the top restaurant on Aonach Mor . I painted the above sketch looking west down the length of Loch Eil.Since then there have been several falls of snow so the view would now be much more wintry.

Above is a quick pencil sketch of Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg on a rare clear day.

Autumn Sunrise

The weather over the last few weeks has been very wet but recently rather than monotonous  continual drizzle we have had sharp sudden showers interspersed with dramatic skies - big dark centred clouds and splashes of blue sky.On the hills the grasses and  bracken have turned to beautiful red russet tones;Autumn seems to have come on very suddenly.
However this week we had two days - yes two whole days without rain. Monday was a spectacular day; I left home before 6 am to run to work. Passing through fields in total darkness the gates glittered with frost in the beam of my head torch and the frozen grass crunched under my feet..Above there were a few stars visible. It was the first really frosty morning since the Spring.
 Recently most of my running commute has been in the dark but on Monday due to the change in the clocks there was soon a glimmer of dawn in the East. This developed until the underside of a bank of cloud was illuminated a gorgeous salmon pink by the first rays of the sun . As I ran past Nevis Range and on towards Torlundy the cloud cleared though squally showers could be seen beyond the mountains. The colours brightened and brightened until Ben  Nevis was silhouetted against a brilliant yellow and orange sky fading to blue /purple clouds to the South. It really did look as if the sky was on fire. The summit of the Ben was wreathed in pink tinged clouds.I took lots of photographs and  nearly collided with a cyclist as I couldn't take my eyes off the heavens.
 Within an hour of these pyrotechnics the sky had returned to its normal gun metal gray.

Ben Nevis- painted from a photo taken from Torlundy on Monday

Small Paintings

Today I've been painting some small ( 14cm x 9cm) pictures for sale at The Gallery In The Fort; a small gallery in town. Here is a selection.

Loch Arkaig

Loch Lochy

The North Face of Ben Nevis

Loch Linnhe

The loch pictures are all similar in composition but the fun bit is painting the skies and  the reflections in the water. Painting small pictures allows some experimentation with techniques without the risk of ruining a large painting .