The route is not marked on the ground in any way and participants must use the event map (aided by their GPS device if necessary) to follow the route when required.  

The route will be shown by two different coloured lines on the map, indicating whether the route is mandatory or recommended:

• mandatory route = The route must be followed carefully (ORANGE line on the event map)

• recommended route = Participants have free route choice (YELLOW line on the event map)

The vast majority of the Montane Dragon's Back Race® route will be 'Recommended' i.e. there is free route choice for the majority of the journey through Wales. 

Mandatory route

Generally, the mandatory route will only be used in lowland areas where it is important for participants to follow established roads, paths and tracks often through farmland. In reality there is little scope to deviate from this route with little benefit to be gained. In some parts of the course, mandatory routes will be in place due to ecological sensitivity or landowner request. There will always be a checkpoint or support point at the start of any mandatory route (as seen above). Participants are monitored via their GPS tracker to ensure that they are following the mandatory route.

Recommended Route

The recommended route shows what we consider to be the 'best' route. It is not necessarily the fastest route, but it takes into account the ease of running and navigation, ecological concerns, landowner requirements, and the safety of participants when it comes to hazards such as crags and steep terrain. This will be the optimum route for the vast majority of the participants.

The digital version of the route

A digital version of the route will be available on the Avenza app. This will be shared in the final information before the event, giving people plenty of time to download it and get familiar with the app.

Gps devices

It will be possible for participants to follow the race route using just a GPS-capable device if you are experienced doing this. In this case, the paper maps could be stored in your pack (mandatory kit) as a back-up in case of power loss.

We will provide final versions of GPX files for each day’s route to participants ~2 weeks before the event.

A dated version of the route is available via the route pages year-round so that aspirant participants and others can access the route digitally at any time, but it is important to understand that this does get amended ahead of each event.

Information about checkpoints, and their associated cut-off times, and their associated guidance times, are included in the Avenza version of the route.

Prefer to use GPX files to import into your own device?

We provide access to GPX files (both individual day files and a combined all-days file) of both the previous year’s route (for recce trips and familiarisation) and, when released, the final route for the upcoming event. These are only suitable for those participants who are more pioneering with their own GPS-capable device solution and understand the technicalities of how to use them. Sorry we cannot offer one-to-one technical support.

Following the route

As organisers, we (and friends, family, members of the public and landowners) will be tracking participants in real-time using the GPS trackers. We expect participants to follow the mandatory route sections carefully, and any corner cutting will be penalised [please refer to the event rules]. 

There is often no visible path on the ground in the more mountainous sections of the route. Here participants will have the flexibility of the recommended route and should feel little pressure to follow our route precisely and can enjoy journeying through Wales.

However, there are checkpoints, which participants will need to visit along the route. These are not deliberately difficult tests of navigation, but logical points that define the route (generally summits of mountains or a gate through a wall), and that participants must visit in the correct order to complete the race.

Some examples of when we would time-penalise or disqualify a participant for not following the mandatory route would be any occasion on which we believe that they have gained an unfair advantage, and/or endangered themselves or others, and/or clearly passed through private property and/or climbed a farmer’s wall/fence.  

In the case of accidental deviation from the mandatory route, participants should return to the original location that they deviated from the route and continue along the correct route. If participants correct their mistake in this manner, there will be no penalty or ‘strike’ (see comments in the event rules about ‘strikes’). Remember we will be watching!

Make sure you are familiar with the Event Rules regarding following the route, penalties and what to do if you make a mistake.

Remember that the track of each participant will be public, and we will retrospectively review the route of all participants.

Participants are reminded that they are ultimately responsible for judging their safety on the route. In exceptional circumstances (like rivers in spate) participants may need to deviate from the route, making their best judgement of the safest way. In these circumstances, we would not penalise a participant.

The event map

Participants will be provided with their official event map at race registration. The event map is an accurate, waterproof and annotated Harvey map of the entire race route that has been specially commissioned by us. It will also be a fantastic memento of the event. If the participant is confident and experienced enough with map and compass navigation, they will be able to complete the event following the race route, using just the event map.

The event map contains information paramount to successful completion of the race. It is particularly useful for distinguishing between the mandatory and recommended route depictions described at the top of this article.

As in the example below from the 2019 event, it will be a single-sheet, double-sided map. It will be 1:40 000 scale (1km = 2.5cm), with contours at 15 metres vertical interval. This topographic map shows all relevant hill and place names, a symbol legend, emergency protocols, all checkpoints, support points, and the route line designated as both mandatory (in orange) and recommended (in yellow). The map has been paginated so that it has a thoughtfully ergonomic day-stage chronology.

The nature of Harvey's latest waterproof paper technology means that the map does not require bagging/protection, is easy to fold and not bulky, and should survive the rigours of the roughest journey. We have already used this map material very successfully in other events. We do ask that you look after this map as we only intend to issue one per participant.