NINE Chepstow Harriers travelled to the north of Cardiff to run up, down and around Craig yr Allt hill at the fell race on Saturday 24th January.

Fortunately, the weather was gloriously sunny as the competitors slogged up to the summit. The route was partially marked and all runners were given a map, and had to carry full body cover, compass, whistle, hat and gloves.

The conditions had been appalling the year before, so competitors had a much easier time this year, and consequently the times were

quicker.

The Harriers taking part were Paul Dodd, Niki Morgan, Andy Stott, Gareth Jones, Vanessa Lawson, Karen Elvers, Joc Dodd, Colin Prosser and Rob Brown.

Paul Dodd won Male Veteran 50 category, and his wife, Joc won first Female Veteran 60 category while Niki Morgan was second female. All three were presented with a bottle of wine for their efforts.

The race was part of the South Wales Winter Hill Series and there are just two races remaining in the eight race series – the Hatterall Hammer in February and Dare Valley in March.

The route of Saturday's fell race took the most direct route to the summit of Craig yr Allt before traversing off the path northwards. The runners then had to run a long, muddy flat section, then make another ascent to the ridge, before descending towards the Taff Trail via a technical descent.

The fast, flat Taff Trail section enabled the runners to stretch their legs though the respite was short-lived. It preceded a long, lung-taxing ascent to the summit before a short, final downhill dash to the finish.

All competitors finished the race with refreshments back at the Mountain View Ranch centre, where the prize giving was held. Chepstow Harriers are thankful to the marshals, helpers and race director Gary Davies for staging the event.

These Harriers were not the only ones challenging themselves in the fells on Saturday. Chepstow's Andy Creber travelled to the Howgills to take on the Marmot Dark Mountain Marathon, an intensely gruelling night navigation event. Starting at 9.30pm, he and his mountain partner Bryan Stadden visited a series of controls, navigating by torch-light, and completed the course in just over nine hours, winning their class, beating their nearest rivals by half an hour, and walking away with a very well earned trophy.