Saturday 8 November 2014

Magnetic North is Changing

Magnetic north is currently estimated to be 1 deg. 17 min. west of grid north. (British National Grid) in July 2014. However during the next 10 years magnetic north will move east of grid north. For further details  Click Here

So for the Abergavenny area, when using your compass to help remember whether to add or subtract 1 deg 17 min the current mnemonic still applies: that is to correct between magnetic bearings and grid bearings , “grid to mag, add – mag to grid, get rid”.


There are of course other ways of finding north. In the January 2010 edition of 'Trail' magazine they had the query "Your GPS has run out of juice, your compass is lost and its dark. How can you identify north?" The Three Peaks Trial takes place in daylight hours but should you ever be in the questioner's position Trail advised:

"Stellar navigation (using the stars) is the original complete direction-finding system used by the Phoenicians in 1200BC, and is still employed as a navigational practice by Special Forces today”, says navigation expert Lyle Brotherton. “Finding north/south using the stars is an invaluable navigational tool. But don’t think this is only something you need to do if you lose your compass (you should be carrying a spare one anyway!); it isn’t. Being able to make reference to north without continually referring to your compass makes you a more proficient, competent and a safer navigator.



“At night the North Star (Polaris) sits almost exactly at the North Pole – true north. Unlike the sun and the moon, and all the other stars, it is always in the same position in the night sky and is therefore a great way of determining the cardinals of the compass. It is not very bright so we use the well-known Plough Constellation nearby as a signpost to point towards it. Drawing an imaginary line from the so-called ‘pointer stars’ in the Plough, continue in a straight line until you get to the next bright star and you have found the North Star. Now you can simply determine eeast, south and west and use this as you compass.

During the day you can use your watch to find south in the northern hemisphere.

1. Point the hour hand directly at the sun.

2. Bisect the angle between it andthe 12 o’clock mark.

3. This direction is approximately south.

“Again you can now determine north, east and west. Hint: if you have a digital watch, draw an analogue watch on a piece of paper, with a stone on the ground or in the sand, set to the correct time.”

There's also some useful information on stellar navigation on the Ordnance Survey website Click Here

Sunday 18 May 2014

Event Report In The South Wales Argus

The SOUTH WALES ARGUS did a fantastic  double page report of the event. To read the article, 'This Welsh Walking Challenge Offers at Least Three Good Reasons To Reach For The Summit', CLICK HERE

Friday 18 April 2014

Event Report in the Abergavenny Chronicle

The ABERGAVENNY CHRONICLE did an excellent write up of the event. To read the article CLICK HERE

Friday 4 April 2014

Runner Michelle Kelly Does the Gold Route Twice!

The ABERGAVENNY CHRONICLE has reported the story of how Shelly Kelly did the Gold Route TWICE in one day in a fantastic time of ten hours and 40 minutes to raise funds for Cancer Research. For the full story CLICK HERE (4th April) and CLICK HERE (13th Feb)

Wednesday 2 April 2014

THANK YOU TO THE 818 WHO TOOK PART IN THE 2014 EVENT!!!!!!!!


Many thanks to the 818 walkers who took part in this year’s Three Peaks Trial! Another fantastic turnout!

Cardiff Outdoor Group would particularly like to thank:

Longtown Mountain Rescue Team – LMRT for marshalling all the mountain top checkpoints.
Welsh Warrior (The Richard Hunt Foundation ) – Who marshalled the Llanbedr checkpoint.
Councillor Nick Tatum of Abergavenny Town Council who helped out on the event throughout the day in a number of roles.
Madam Mayor Sheila Woodhouse of Abergavenny Town Council who we welcomed to the event before the start to see the walkers set off and wish them well.

The Charities and Fundraisers who supported the event:

  • St David’s Hospice Foundation; 
  • Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue; 
  • RSPB; 
  • Alzheimers Society; 
  • Water Aid; 
  • British Heart Foundation; 
  • The Noahs Ark Childrens Hospital Charity; 
  • Hospice of the Valleys; 
  • Lighthouse Club; 
  • Royal Gwent Hospital Special Baby Care Unit; 
  • Bobath Childrens Therapy Centre 
We hope to see you all again at the 2015 event!

The first walkers back on each route were:

Platinum Route
Chris Griffiths, 33, from Hereford returned at 12:16

Gold Route
Michelle Kelly, 43, from Abergavenny returned at 12:33 After Michelle completed the walk she did something which is unprecedented in the long history of the Three Peaks Trial, Michelle went and did a second 'lap'!  The double Three Peaks Trial took Michelle 10 hours and 40 minutes.

Silver Route
Paul Freeman, 57, from Bicester and Richard Brunsden, 53, from Cwmbran both returned at 11:25

Bronze Route
Tim Davies, 51, and Morganna Davies, 12, from Newport both returned at 13:27


Sunday 23 March 2014

OS Getamap - Summit of Blorenge

For the Gold and Silver Routes shown on the OS Getamap please note that the waymarker for the top of Blorenge is shown at the Cairn (grid ref. 272121) and not the trig point (grid ref. 269118). The Checkpoint is at the Trig Point, not the Cairn. 

Saturday 8 March 2014

Canal Path Closed At Llanfoist Between Bridges 93 to 97

The canal towpath at Llanfoist is closed during the Three Peaks Trial (Click Here).  The canal embankment started settling in early January 2014 due to the heavily saturated ground following this winter's intense period of wet weather. Embankment stabilisation work to the embankment will involve installing over 500 soil nails through the slipped embankment soil into the bed rock below before repairing the towpath and reinstating the embankment slope. So the canal towpath at Llanfoist is closed until this work can be carried out. 

However this closure can be avoided when doing the Gold and Silver Routes. The main path up the Blorenge from Abergavenny goes through the tunnel under the canal at Llanfoist. We've been advised by the Canal and River Trust that this tunnel remains open. Also when coming off Blorenge go to the west of the woodland to come out on the B2426 at grid ref. 265129. Take care to cross the road to join the bridleway opposite and follow to grid ref. 262133. Continue into Govilon and onward to the Glangrwyney Bridge Checkpoint.

Friday 14 February 2014

All Routes Are Now Full!!


All Routes are now full. Thanks again to all those who've entered. 

Sunday 2 February 2014

Gold Route Full!!

Gold Route is now full. Thanks to all those who've entered.