I set off from the prominent signpost near the Ynyslas beach visitor centre just after first light at 6:34 am on 27 February 2025. Although the morning was chilly, it was forecasted to be dry and sunny. Whilst researching the route I noted that all previous FKTs were set from north to south and so it was clear that I should follow suit. However, there seemed to be some ambiguity in the official route from Ynyslas. In fact, each of the four FKTs followed a different route from Ynyslas.
Ordnance Survey maps clearly show the route starting from the beach at grid SN 605 930 so I thought I should at least pass through that location. Other sources indicate the route starts at the Ynyslas visitor centre and follows a track across the dunes to the same grid reference. In the end I decided that I would take this longer route by starting at the signpost near the visitor centre (as most of the other FKT holders did) and cross the dunes to start point shown on OS maps and continue from there. I realised that this would add some extra distance to the route, but I did not consider it to be a major disadvantage when considering the 100km distance to be covered.
As I was planning to set an unsupported FKT I had packed everything I needed except for water refills along the way. My running vest weighed just under 4kg with one litre of water. I had prepared a pace card with timing checkpoints every couple of miles and set myself a target time of 14 hours. I knew it would take an hour or two to ‘catch up’ with the pace of the current FKT due to the extra distance but I was mentally prepared for that.
I made a good start and kept close to my timings. By about 8am the sun finally made its appearance as forecasted and I packed away my windproof jacket and trousers. With hardly any wind it felt quite warm in the sunshine despite the cool temperatures and I soon realised that I was consuming more water than I had planned for, but it was not a problem.
I soon settled into a rhythm and made steady progress arriving at Aberystwyth in just over 2 hours. At Aberaeron I stopped at the public toilets to refill my soft flasks and noticed there was major construction work around the harbour and beach. This meant I was unable to take the footbridge and had to detour onto the high street. When I eventually reached the beach, I discovered the way ahead there was also blocked due to construction work! I had no option but to retrace my steps and quickly find an alternative way forward. All this added some extra distance and about 5-10 mins to navigate. Not ideal but these things happen!
Further along the coast, I chose to follow the prescribed route through New Quay rather than run the entire length of the beach. The next leg between Cwmtydu and Llangrannog with its spectacular clifftop views was for me the highlight of the route. A few miles later, as I descended to Tresaith, my Fenix 7 decided it was the perfect time to crash. Fortunately, it only took a couple of minutes to restart and it was able to continue recording the activity. This accounts for the blip in my GPS track log around that area.
Although the ground was quite wet along the entire route it was noticeably muddier in the southern half of the route. I found myself often struggling to gain traction in sloppy mud even with my Inov-8 trail shoes. On balance, I think I made the right decision to take poles because they helped to steady myself on slippery ground and steep terrain. It was twilight as I passed MOD Aberporth and so the final ten miles were completed in darkness.
Having later compared my pace card with my actuals it turns out I was behind the current unsupported FKT until Clarach and then gradually increased my lead from then on. I was just behind my target times (by 2-3 mins) until Cwmtydu but was then able to push further ahead of my target timings in the final 20 miles despite the mud, finishing 11 mins earlier than planned. I certainly take my hat off to all those who set an FKT on this challenging route.
In terms of scenery the route is absolutely stunning and I highly recommend it. You can easily lose valuable time by stopping to take so many photos! These are my suggestions for anyone wanting to set an FKT on this route:
- If there is any hint of sun forecasted on this south-bound route be sure to take sunglasses because the sun will be in your eyes all day!
- There are plenty of places to refill with water with numerous public toilets, water fountains and streams. You should not need to carry more than 1 litre of water.
- Be aware of tide times that may impact your ability to follow the route near Llanon and New Quay.
- Most importantly, be aware of ground conditions and make your attempt after a dry spell if possible. It can get very muddy in places and this will undoubtedly slow your progress.