Ras Rhobell Fawr Fell Race Nov 7 2026
Special Note
Thanks to all the runners who make this event work in 2025. We again apologise for and appreciate your acceptance of the registration area. We are very grateful to Olga Malone and Gwynedd Council for being able to use the old school. We should have had hard hats on the minimum kit list! Never mind, next year we will be very posh and all runners will be required to change into slippers to come into the refurbished hall!
6 Miles with 1900’Ascent. Race Grade: AM & LK/PM/NS
The first race in the Meirionnydd - Winter Race Series.
Just in the medium length category, this out-and-back race climbs through fields and tracks then follows a wall to the summit. Llanfachreth village hall is the start and finish and our post race soups are things of legend! Check out the race map (its good idea to look at a bigger map of the area as well) and read the safety info to see if this is a race for you. You will need full WFRA kit( NB this is a minimum- you may want to carry more) and fell shoes. We offer a junior race starting just after the seniors on the same course, details in the safety briefing. entry £2 on the day only.
Race Report 2025
The 23rd year of the Meirionnydd Winter Series started as always with Ras Rhobell Fawr. We were granted perfect autumnal weather with conditions underfoot merely moist. 57 runners turned up to register in the derelict old school next door to our usual village hall which is being renovated. Full kit should have included hard hats!
Gareth Wyn Hughes (Eryri Harriers) won emphatically, leading at every checkpoint. He summited in 34 minutes and finishing in 53:55. Chris McLean of home club Meirionnydd RC followed him throughout, finishing some 80 seconds behind. Teammate Simon Newman picked off a couple of rivals in the ascent on the mountain to finish 3rd just under a minute behind him.
Two other runners finished under the hour, Tom Leather (Tatenhall Runners) in 57:36 and course record holder and first man over 50 Lloyd Taggart (Manx Fellrunners) in 58:27. Darren Hesleton (Bro Dysynni AC) took the first man over 40 prize in 74:40 in 8th place overall. Alec Rattray (Meirionnydd) was first man over 60 and 19th overall in 70:02. Mercia Fell Runners’ athlete Edward Davies took the M70 award in 78:21, narrowly missing the course record for that age group. Course records here are getting harder too find due to the deteriorating condition of the steep green road section separating the lower fields from the mountain.
A regular competitor for many years in the Winter Series Jackie Lee (Eryri) arrived at the start of the mountain section 2 places behind Anna Buckingham (Meirionnydd) but was on her tail at the summit and gained 2 places on the descent to the Bwlch. Katie Baugh (Denbigh Harriers) watched these exchanges from close behind in third spot but in the end it was Lee (71:40) Buckingham 73:48 and Baugh (74:30) at the finish, in 21st, 23rd & 24th places overall.
Sarah Cordingly (Mercia Fell Runners) took the over 40 award in 79:44. Mandy Peffer (Clwydian Range Runners) was first woman over 50 in 76:44 and Jennie Ransome (Rochdale Harriers) first over 60 in 82:56.
The comedy vegetable prize giving went down well but next year we will go back to putting them in the soup!
Clwb Rhedeg Meirionnydd had probably our biggest turnout ever for the race, and with 2nd, 3rd and 9th would clearly have won the men’s team prize had the race director been faster with his abacus! Chris McLean and Simon Newman are clearly the new kids on the block and we should see some interesting racing over the winter! Rhodri only just missed the M40 prize, so a good showing by him too, also by Alec in the M60s. Anna lead the way for our women with an excellent second place and there were powerful performances by Elly and Sarah only 3 seconds apart! Christine put in a solid effort and was rewarded by seeing her name higher up the field than those North Wales legends Ellie Salisbury and Menai Baugh!
It was great to see such a big pack (should that be herd?), hopefully with the boost from the relays we can start re-building our fell running achievements - both in performances and attendances. There are some great races out there and the hills are a goat’s natural environment! Tarrenhendre is looming after Christmas so everyone needs to keep up the training and keep down the number of mince pies!
A fellow race director was very complimentary about our organisation. That’s because its the Club that organises our races, we have a great team with a wealth of experience and a lot of enthusiasm. It just wouldn’t happen without you all, - and our faithful “goatherds” - friends outside the club . All the helpers see the good we do and know the pleasure to be had by helping others get exhausted, muddy - and very happy! See you again in the New Year.
