Busy year of wacky and wonderful outdoor events at Llanwrtyd Wells
A busy year of wacky and wonderful outdoor activities in Llanwrtyd Wells, reputedly the smallest town in Britain, continues with the Welsh Open Stone Skimming Competition on Sunday, May 26.
The Mid Wales town has developed a reputation for organising a series of off the wall outdoor activities since 1980 under the leadership of Green Events.
Welsh Open Stone Skimming Competition starts at around 10.30am at the Manor Adventure Centre, with online entries at the Green Events website -https://www.green-events.co.uk – or on the day. Entrants must be eight years and above.
Next event on the Llanwrtyd Wells calendar is the famous Whole Earth Man v Horse Race on June 8, which has a full entry list already. The event will be supported by refreshments, a bar and music.
Drovers’ Walks will be held on June 22 when walkers will follow in the footsteps of the drovers of old who used to drive their sheep, cattle, pigs and geese across the mountains to the market towns of England.
There is a choice of a 12 or 20 mile walk through the beautiful summer countryside around Llanwrtyd Wells. One of the checkpoints will be sited at the location of an old drovers’ inn, which is re-opened for the day, serving locally brewed traditional ale and other refreshments.
August 10 is the date of the Cider Cycle, a sociable, non-competitive mountain bike ride over a marked course with the opportunity of sampling cider – and other drinks – along the route.
This route is suitable for all standards of mountain bike riders with challenges for the more experienced.
August Bank Holiday weekend, August 24 and 25, see two major events, beginning with the Chapel Bogathlon, a mud run crossed with a triathlon, which this year includes a 60 yard swim first, followed by a two mile mountain bike and a one mile run. All three disciplines are off road and involve mud and water.
Next day, Sunday, the Chapel World Bogsnorkelling Championships will be held, a mix of madness and effort. Competitors either compete to be the fastest snorkeller over 120 yards, with no arm strokes permitted, or to win the best costume category.
The current fastest time record is one minute 12.34 seconds, which was set in 2023. There are trophies in various categories and the event has refreshments, a bar and live music.
The Mid Wales Four Day Walking Festival will be held from September 18 to 21. Running since 1980, this festival attracts walkers from around the world with way-marked routes of 12 or 20 miles.
Later in the year, the Trailhead Get Jerky Devils Staircase ultra trail run will be held on October 5, covering around 30 miles over a very tough course. This endurance race has a total ascent and descent of about 4,700ft, starting and finishing at the Neuadd Arms in the centre of Llanwrtyd Wells.
The race route combines a mixture of tarmacadam road, forest tracks, bogland, farmland and river crossings.
The Ron Skilton Memorial Half Marathon, which is held to raise both awareness and funding for MNDA, will be held on October 20 over a tough and quite hilly course.
November 16 sees the Real Ale Wobble, a sociable, non-competitive mountain bike ride which involves the chance of sampling real ale en route. This event is suitable for all standard of riders with special sections for the more experienced.
The Real Ale Ramble, on November 23 and 24, is held annually in conjunction with the 10-day Mid Wales Beer Festival. The ramble begins from the Town Square and follows either of two waymarked routes of 12 or 20 miles and two guided routes of five and eight miles with free real ales available at checkpoints.
For full details of these and other events, visit https://www.green-events.co.uk , email bob.g@green-events.co.uk or call 01591 610666 or 07856 357754.
Green Events is a member of MWT Cymru, an independent organisation representing around 600 tourism and hospitality business across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia.