I’ve always wanted to go to Wales!

Summertime, holidaytime. Half the continent traveled to far-away islands in order to get grilled in the sun and check out bikini girls. I saw none of all that during my trip to Wales last summer. Instead, I went on a quest to find Excalibur, ran up and over Mount Snowdon a couple of times and made a life-long dream become reality, that of being a fellrunner.

The ridge at the horizon was sometimes only as wide as a pair of shoes. A gust of wind would have transformed any ill-prepared trailrunner into a basejumper without a parachute.

I’ve always wanted to go to Wales….

… and try out that fellrunning thingy! Last winter, I spent some time in the south of England, ran over grassy hills next to the channel coast with Salomon teammate Tom Owens (as it is customary in England, wearing shorts in a hailstorm), and at some point, I made the remark that “This fellrunning is really cool!” What I got back was a snort of derision and the shattering comment, that what we were doing there, was more to be considered “hillrunning” and that to actually be “fellrunning”, I would have to go up north, to Scotland for example, or at least to Wales!
It seemed, that those Brits take it all very seroiously with the definitions, and also that they have what one might call a healthy patriotism! So – last summer, I felt like going on a trip, the new Gripmobile needed an adventure to start off its career – I packed a box of shoes, and drove off. At the end of that day, and after 1900 kilometers, I found myself at the bottom of legendary Mount Snowdon. Its 1085m are known to have been the training grounds for a certain Sir Edmund Hillary before going off to conquer a small hill called Mount Everest.
I also read about a dead giant, killed by King Arthur and burried on the summit. Very few sources even claim, the famous Excalibur might be found in one of the mystic lakes. Which of all these stories are actually true, I don’t know. But one is tempted to believe every word, when running through this awesome landscape!
I found Mount Snowdon surprisingly busy, those Brits seem to be crazy for hiking! In the worst weather, I ran into families, groups of seniors, schoolchildren with their teachers… and on some technical routes, too! When it all got a bit too much for my taste, I began running on the surrounding grass mountains.
One of the highlights of the trip was when born-and-raised-in-Wales homeboy Matt Ward took me for some runs in his local hills and forests as well around Mount Snowdon. At the top of a muddy, wet and windy grass peak with an absolutely unpronouncable name, he officially declared me a fellrunner. In my book, that’s even better than being pronounced Knight with Excalibur!

It was a great adventure – I am definitely returning to Wales!

2 Responses to “I’ve always wanted to go to Wales!”

1. Tom Owens says:

   March 31, 2013 at 1:42 am

   Nice write up Grip! Glad you enjoyed your trip fella

2. Josh Gale says:

   April 23, 2013 at 1:26 am

   Awesome photos Grip – they’ve infected me with a powerful urge to get to Wales myself.