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Exploring the Dragon’s Back Race: Day 3 Recce with Wild Ginger Running

Claire Maxted from Wild Ginger Running puts the Exmoor Jacket & Dartmoor Trousers to the test.

Claire Maxted from Wild Ginger Running YouTube channel has been testing the Harrier Exmoor Waterproof Jacket and Dartmoor Waterproof trousers on every one of her Dragon’s Back Race recces so far. Will she need them again on Day 3…? It’s Wales - you bet she did.

It wasn’t raining when I set off from Dolgellau, up through the forest, through soggy, grassy, sheep-dotted fields and up on to the grassy mountainside towards Cadair Idris 893m). 

But the beauty of a waterproof jacket is that it is also windproof - so as the ground rose ever higher and steeper, I popped on the Harrier Exmoor Jacket on and off as the wind picked up. There was no view from the summit, but I descended into an ever brightening day and the next set of mountains was under a blue sky with a great view of Barmouth beach below. 

Of course, on the day when I had planned to talk about waterproofs, there was no rain! Such was the heat that I even got into a pool below a small waterfall just beyond Abergernolwyn and had a swim with all my clothes on! 

After 40km and 10 hours of hike-jogging through a beautifully sunny mid-Wales, I was rewarded with the sight of Machynlleth, a pretty, historic town, where I’d booked an AirBnB. 

The following day I looked out of the window in horror! It was still so sunny! When was I going to film the waterproof b-roll for the film? I decided to give my mini-review anyway, and add b-roll from Days 1 and 2.

I talked about the 3-way adjustment on the hood, the usefulness of the tacky silicone grippers on the shoulder to keep a backpack firmly in place, the pleated back that allows you to wear the jacket over the Harrier Kinder 10L running pack, and the two front zips that provide easy access to your soft bottles and snacks once you’ve done so.

The under-arm vents and two side zipped-pockets are also very useful, and the larger zipped pocket at the rear is so that you can fold the jacket away into a bumbag to carry around your waist. The 4-way stretch and rustle-free material makes these waterproofs great for runners. And while they’re not the lightest in town, this extra weight makes them more durable and more versatile for use in a wider range of conditions. 

Like the conditions here in mid-Wales, which shortly after, reverted to type. As I climbed the grassy slopes of Pumlumon (752m) the rain battered down in the manner to which I had become accustomed. But with both the Exmoor Jacket and the Dartmoor Pants on, I was warm, happy and safe all the way back to the car.

I was very pleased to actually manage to complete the whole of the Dragon’s Back route on this Day 3 recce. The navigation was infinitely easier than Day 2, and the terrain much more runnable than both the previous days. 

It was great to move through a part of Wales I am much less familiar with, I only saw a handful of people the entire time. I must go back and explore some of the peaks I travelled past - it’s great to find places here in the UK that are still wild, off the beaten track and new to me. 

NEXT MONTH: Join me on Day Four of the Dragon’s Back Race as I review the Harrier Kinder 10L running pack on the route from Ponterwyd through the Elan Valley.

 


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