Three Peaks Trial Links to the JRR Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings'

Lord of the Rings - Map of Middle Earth

If you click on this link https://youtu.be/9zxXgJN-sSs you'll have an extract from Derek Brockway's Weatherman Walking series on BBC Wales in which Emma Harrison, who runs the Star Inn in Bwlch, tells Derek about the links between the Black Mountains and how it's believed it inspired Tolkien's vision of the landscape in his Lord of the Rings trilogy. Tolkien stayed in the village of Talybont-on-Usk in the 1940s, while working on parts of The Lord of The Rings and whilst in Talybont-on-Usk he walked the local hills and would have seen the conical topped Sugar Loaf which is very similar to his 'Lonely Mountain'. He named the hobbit settlement of Crickhollow after Crickhowell, nine miles from Talybont. Also in The Lord of the Rings, Buckland was a colony of hobbits between the Old Forest and the Brandywine River. Tolkien is thought to have based this part of Middle-earth on the Buckland Estate, whose ancient, protected woodlands stand beside the River Usk. It's also believed Merthyr was the inspiration for Mordor.

The drawing of the Lonely Mountain and the photo of Sugar Loaf do seem to support the theory. The ridges at the base of the Lonely Mountain also have a similarity with the Llanwenarth, Rholben and Deri ridges which come off Sugar Loaf.

Glangrwyney Bridge Checkpoint Is Moving

Please note that Glangrwyney Bridge Checkpoint will be moved for this year’s Three Peaks Trial from Glangrwyney Bridge at Grid Ref. 239 162 to about 0.5km further south on Glangrwyney Road to Grid Ref. 246 154 shown on the map extract below and on the link - Click Here. 

The location is also where the charity cake stall set up by the charity fundraisers, ‘The Delivery Girls’ who this year will be raising money for the charity Mind

Charity Cakes For Sale at Checkpoint 2 (Glangrwyney Road)

Last couple of years many walkers commented on how much they enjoyed the charity cake stall provided by the group of midwives, 'The Delivery Girls' who have kindly returned this year raising money for the Mind charity. They serve tea, coffee, hot chocolate and soup, filled rolls and homemade cakes. All proceeds go to Mind.You'll find them on the Gold and Silver Routes at Checkpoint 2, Glangrwyney Road, at Lower Common about halfway along Glangrwyney Road between The Corn Exchange and Glangrwyney bridge. It's a property on the left (look out for the signs). They also have a Facebook fundraising page called 'The Delivery Girls'.

All Routes Now FULL

All Routes are now full. 

Thanks to all those who've entered.

Walker Raising Funds For Maggies Centres

Sarah Merrall, from Nottingham, is raising sponsorship from the event to support Maggie's Cancer Centres which provide free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends, following the ideas about cancer care originally laid out by Maggie Keswick Jencks.

Sarah said "On 30th March I’m doing the South Wales Three Peaks Challenge in memory of my sister Emma your sponsorship for this great cause will spur me on for the 20 mile circular walk with 1525 metres of ascent from Abergavenny crossing the 3 dominant peaks of Blorenge, Sugar Loaf & Skirrid."

To sponsor Sarah Click Here