Police teams head to North Wales for gruelling mountain challenge

15 October 2026

Officers and staff from across the UK came to North Wales to take on the Snowdonia Seven (Saith Eryri), one of policing’s toughest sporting challenges.

This year’s race also provided an opportunity to remember the North Wales Police officer who founded the event more than 50 years ago.

A total of 39 teams of four took part, including two from North Wales Police.

Open to serving and retired officers, staff and volunteers of UK police forces, the race sees teams take on seven of the highest mountain peaks in the Eryri National Park in under 10 hours. It totals 22 miles with a total ascent of 8,000ft.

The event is organised by the Snowdonia Seven Committee, with the support of the North Wales Police Sports Association.

 

 

Race director Mark Owen MBE, retired North Wales Police officer and the Force’s former Special Chief Officer and citizens in policing manager, said it was a real test of teamwork.

He said: “It’s a fell race of sorts, but it’s more than that. It’s an orienteering-type event and it’s very much team-based.

“Where it differs from traditional fell races is that you can only enter as part of a team.

“Teams of four go into different categories, but even if you’re the fastest runner in the world or the slowest, if you don’t get your team of four across the finish line, your result doesn’t count.

“It’s that policing ethos of teamwork.”

Outdoor skills

The race was the first to be held since the death of retired Inspector Cynan Davies, who created the Snowdonia Seven in 1974 while working in North Wales Police’s training department.

Cynan’s original idea was to give police cadets an opportunity to undertake adventure training in the mountains and develop their fitness and outdoor skills.

It has since evolved to include serving and retired officers and staff.

Mark said: “The event has changed a lot but it remains as popular as ever.

“The other organisers and I, we see ourselves as custodians of this event.

“We do our very best to keep with the spirit of what Cynan intended in the first place.”

Mountains

Participants compete in a number of categories, including open, female, mixed, 40-plus and 50-plus, with this year’s overall winners coming from Cumbria.

Mark said the introduction of older age categories reflected the changing make-up of the event, with competitors who first took part as younger officers continuing to return to the mountains.

He said experience often proved as valuable as fitness when it came to tackling the demanding course.

“Most of the people who are particularly good at the race are 40-plus-year-olds because they’ve got the experience and the guile to know when to reserve their energy and when to run faster,” he said.

Safety is a major consideration, with around 40 marshals positioned across the mountains.

The North East Wales Search and Rescue Team supports the race, using it as a valuable training opportunity.

Technology has also been introduced to improve safety and add to the spectator experience.

Tracking device

For the first time this year, every competitor was equipped with a tracking device, rather than one per team.

This meant organisers could monitor individual runners from race headquarters in Llanberis, while friends, relatives and fellow competitors could also follow their progress.

Mark, who has been race director for around 12 years, said the event was a significant undertaking for the small organising team of six or seven, from arranging the race headquarters and accommodation to entries, publicity, medals, T-shirts, marshals and safety arrangements.

The event is also self-funded with those taking part paying to enter. Mark said that aside from their being no cost to local tax payers, the event generated tourism income.

Next year’s event is due to be held on Saturday 26th June, and entries will open on 1 January.

See the Snowdonia Seven website for more details.

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