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2024 Varga Trail

Welcome to the 2024 “Varga (Wye) Trail”

Events Saturday 27th July 2024

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CME are proud to present the “Varga Trail” to commemorate the third Pumlumon River Sister Varga (or river Wye as better known to us all); a HiEndurance/Extreme 60k route across the Cambrian Mountains.

A majority of the route is on tracks, trails and minor roads; but there are also sections routed across mountain and lowland Wilderness Terrain that have no tracks or trails. These sections in the Wilderness Terrain are remote, barren, desolate, sparse and unforgiving; which is not to be trivialised and is definitely not for those who lack the required endurance, level of fitness, experience, mountain skills or confidence required to safely undertake and complete it.

It is definitely NOT for the inexperienced or faint-hearted – DO NOT ENTER if you do not meet the required entry criteria!

The 60k Varga (Wye) Trail proves the more challenging of the three events we now host to commemorate the River Sisters of Pumlumon, but still encompasses a fantastic route with spectacular scenery to compliment this exciting series of events and the beauty the Cambrian Mountains has to offer.

The River Wye, the fifth longest river in the UK springs to life high on the misty slopes of Pen Pumlumon the highest mountain in the central range of the Cambrian Mountains. While the better known River Sithe ruster Sabrina (river Severn) takes the long meandering course into the east to claim its title as the longest river and the River Sister Ystwyth (river Ystwyth) takes the quickest route west, Varga (river Wye) journeys along an equally spectacular course south through spectacular forest, valleys and gorges.

The Varga Story

The ancient folklore tells that Varga was one of the three daughters of Pumlumon, the sleeping giant of the mountain. He watched over his daughters in his slumber seeing them grow safely from the rain and the mountain mist that settled upon the mountain sides. He watched the raindrops form puddles which formed pools which joined together to form little rivulets that trickled gently down the mountain. He then looked upon them one day and saw the energy that was brimming up inside of them ready to overflow and gush forth and he knew their time had come. Waking from his slumber he called them and told them that they had to fulfil their destiny and join the sea.

Ystwyth hurried to accomplish her destiny in the shortest route possible to reach the sea, smell the salt air and to see the sun set over its wide waters; Severn roamed the land in search of wisdom of the earth through the great cities, the beautiful towns and the quaint villages of the fair people to learn their ways before she rendezvoused with the sea; Varga in her pursuit of knowledge, beauty and harmony with nature flowed gracefully through the countryside providing a place of peace, fulfilment and sanctuary to all creatures along the way on her journey to join the sea and fulfil her destiny.

Some Key Views en route

The Route

Starting out from the Event Venue in the Llanidloes Town Centre, the route heads out through Cwmbelan to Marsh’s Pool and heads over the Wind Farm on Blaen-y-Glyn (1,470ft); then continues along the South-side of the beautiful Hafren Forest to join the picturesque Wye Valley Walk long distance trail to head up to the Marker Post of the Source of the River Wye (1,640ft); then the route continues South along the Wye Valley Walk trail through Sweet Lamb and Llangurig to Tynant; at Tynant the route leaves the Wye Valley Walk trail and follows the minor road to Dolhelfa to progress over the Wind Farm on Banc Dolhelfa (1,400ft) to Tylwch; then continues along a minor road over Brynposteg Hill and follow the road down through Cilfach-allt back to the Finish at the Event Venue in the Llanidloes Town Centre.

This amazing, challenging and scenic 60k route has a total ascent of 5,508ft and on a clear day boasts some spectacular views across the Cambrian Mountains as far as the Snowdonia Mountain Range to the North and the Brecon Beacon Mountain Range in the South: and is stringently only open to Entrants who possess required endurance, level of fitness, experience, mountain skills and confidence required to safely undertake and complete it “self-supported” from Start to Finish.

The route may be waymarked with confidence indicators at key points and changes of direction, but WILL NOT BE HAND-RAILED to support any inexperience or lack of Navigational Skills.

There will be manned Check Point Stations (CP), unmanned Emergency Rendezvous Stations (ERv), Mountain Safety Teams in attendance, and Sweeper Teams on foot or in off-road vehicles as deemed necessary by the Event Organisation Team to instil our duty of care to the capable Entrants who take part; but definitely NOT to “baby-sit” or “escort” incapable Entrants. If in doubt of your capability to safely undertake and complete this event, in the first instance – DO NOT ENTER AND DO NOT TAKE THE RISK!

Note: that sections of the route are through private "working" Farmland with expressive permission from the landowners, for the Event day only. Participants must stringently respect this, adhere to any notices or rules displayed and ensure all closed gates are left closed and open gates left as found when travelling through such Farmland. Strict compliance with the "Country Code" is also required.

Event notifications and information will be sent by email (to the email address you use to register your Entry) and also posted on our Facebook Page.

Once you Book your Entry and pay the Entry Fee, please ensure you use the link provided to download your Entry Pack, and comprehensively read and understand all aspects associated with the Event including the Terms, Conditions, Rules and Requisites of the Event. If you are unable to comply with any key aspect therein, you MUST notify the Event Team by email within 48hrs of registering your Entry advising of why you cannot comply; and where the Event Admin Team deemed it reasonable, your Entry Fee will be refunded in full and you Entry removed from our systems.

Key Event Details

DISTANCE: 60km / 37miles
CLASSIFICATION: Difficult - Extreme
ENTRY CATEGORY: Self-supported
EXPERIENCE: Must have experience in similar difficulty Hi-Endurance events on similar Terrain in prevailing weather conditions on the day.
ENTRY FEE: £75 Adult / £45 Under 18s & OAPs
EVENT DATE: Saturday 27th July 2024
START VENUE: The Whistling Badger Public House
4 Short Bridge St, Llanidloes SY18 6AD
SN9537 8453 / 52˚26’55”N 3˚32’27”W
REGISTRTATION: 05:00 – 05:30
PRE-EVENT BRIEF: 05:45
EVENT START: 06:00 promptly
FINISH VENUE: The Whistling Badger Public House
4 Short Bridge St, Llanidloes SY18 6AD
SN9537 8453 / 52˚26’55”N 3˚32’27”W
EVENT FINISH: 19:30

In the morning there will be Tea & Toast available for all participants from 05:00 – 05:30. As participants complete they will receive their much deserved unique Cambrian Dragon Trail awards and be treated to a buffet-style meal with refreshments, at the finishing venue in Llanidloes.

Last but not least and most importantly, have fun and enjoy yourselves, which is the key to the success of the Event and what the CME Event Organising Team strive to deliver.

FINAL NOTICE: before you click the button below – are you capable? – have you got what it takes?? - do you dare??? IF IN DOUBT + YOU ARE STILL QUESTIONING YOURSELF AT THIS POINT = DO NOT DO IT

 

Event Entry & Registration

BOOK NOW - Varga (Wye) Trail

 

Gurkha Welfare Trust

CME are proud to promote and raise awareness for the Gurkha Welfare Trust
A no-nonsense, hardworking charity that is dedicated to supporting ex-Gurkha Servicemen

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