Ras y Gader
16.9km, 915m ascent (10.5miles/3000ft).
WFRA race Category: AM; & SER/NS/PM/LK.
Route Description – see Race map
The start and finish for all races is at SH728177 Eldon Square in the middle of Dolgellau. It leaves by the steep metalled Cader road (bearing right at a junction) for c.2.5 km to Gellilwyd Fawr (SH707167, map Check point ckpt 1/7), the first marshalled checkpoint. At this point the route follows public footpaths to the rear of the Gwernan lake reaching the main Cader car park at Ty Nant (SH698153) in another 2km or so. Underfoot there good forest path gives way to boggy fields with tussocks and rocks. Ty Nant is a marshalled checkpoint (ckpt 2/6). Water is also available here.
The race then crosses the road and proceeds up the mountain on the “Pony Path” to Rhiw Gwredydd (SH691136) in another 1.5 km, just below the 2000ft point. Rhiw Gwredydd is a main race checkpoint (ckpt 3/5), all runners must pass the marshals here, where numbers are recorded.
The route then follows the main footpath to the summit of Penygadair (SH711130) which is unmarked. The path from Ty Nant has open grass, scree and sections of laid block steps and bare rock. It is indistinct in places especially near the cwm edge at Cyfrwy. The final section runs close to the cliff edge and can be very windy. Marshals will be at the summit (ckpt 4), where once again race numbers will be noted.
The return leg is a reversal of the ascent. All runners must pass the key marshalled checkpoints on the descent back to town.
Map: https://www.cader-race.co.uk/map/cader%20race%20map.pdf
Note: This race is now full – we have 9 P&Bers on the list