Thinking about entering the Dragon's Back Race®? Or have you made your entry and are now wondering what some of the more technical ground is like?! We can help support you in this exciting process...

RAW Adventures is an Event Partner to the Dragon's Back Race® for delivering Official Technical Recce Events.  Benefits include:

 - Extensive Dragon's Back Race® route knowledge and expert mountain skills input
 - Recce Events compliment your training, increasing stamina/fitness throughout the year
 - Qualified #TeamRAW Run Guides with Dragon's Back Race® and/or Event Team experience
 - Expertly organised itineraries work for all; professional planning and delivery in all weathers
 - Essential ‘Technical Dragons’ skills for rocky terrain – we love Crib Goch!
 - Meet other friendly #DragonsInTraining and #TeamRAW Run Guides; make lasting connections
 - Transport always costed in and organised; no fussy car drops required
 - Dragon's Back Race® inspired RAW Adventures Multiwrap for every #TeamRAW Dragon
 - BOOK EARLY to organise your training and race calendars

[More information on Official Recce Events for the Dragon's Back Race®]

Dragon's Back Race® Official Recce Events no-group

• 21/03/2026, 08:00 - 22/03/2026, 17:00

  The Way of The Dragon: Mountain Ultra Skills and Training 21st-22nd March 2026

  Enter £215.00

  More Details

  Description

  The Way of The Dragon: Mountain Ultra Skills and Training Weekend

  Basing yourself in the outdoor hub of Betws-y-Coed will work for this excellent weekend of Mountain Ultra Skills and Training, specifically designed for runners preparing for the Dragon’s Back Race.

  Saturday will start with a hot drink on us and some specific indoor input at a local cafe (option to take breakfast here - own cost). We’ll find out more about you and your DBR goals and set our shared aims for this intensive weekend. Meet your qualified and experienced RAW Run Guides, with varied coaching, racing, training and technical experience, including expert input from 2025 Dragon Finisher, Ieuan Belshaw (3rd Male/4th Overall). We’ll also spend time on the DBR Day 1 route in the technical and dramatic Ogwen Valley, breaking down the skills, strategies and decision-making that really matters during the race. We return to our morning meet point for a round-up of the day, sharing important queries and answers. Sunday will start with some short input sessions upstairs at the Alpkit shop in Betws-y-Coed with included hot drinks, with another chance to put strategies and learnings into practice on Sunday afternoon on the hill, before returning to Alpkit to close the weekend, and access to the shop for any advice on kit and equipment going forward.

  We can also help to informally organise somewhere to eat on Saturday evening in Betws-y-Coed to carry on the Dragon themed conversations, for anyone that would like to join us.

  If you want to train successfully for one of the world’s toughest mountain stage races, master the art of becoming a true 'mountain all-round runner'. This weekend will show you where to focus your time and energy, what actually nudges the experience and training needle, and how to prepare with confidence.

  Training input includes:

  DBR Route Overview

  Route Finding and Landscape Reading

  Specific Terrain Skills - ascent/descent/use of running poles

  Fitness and Strength Specifics

  Fuelling Strategies

  Camp Protocols and Recovery

  Mindset and Race Strategies

  Kit Choice and Management

  Heat and Cold Preparation

  Success and Learnings from RAW Run Guides

  The cost of this weekend does not include personal accommodation, breakfasts, dinners, refreshments (other than those included on the Sunday) or any parking costs if incurred. RAW Transport can assist with giving lifts to Ogwen Valley to minimise multiple cars driving/parking.

• 18/04/2026, 07:45 - 19/04/2026, 17:00

  Day 1 – Technical Dragons (CP5 – CP12 End Day 1), Saturday 18th - Sunday 19th April 2026

  Enter £199.00

  More Details

  Description

  Over the 2 x days, you will cover the most technical sections of the DBR route – including the route from Day 1 Support Point, over Tryfan and the Glyderau and steeply down to Pen y Pass. You will also cover the route from Pen y Pass, over Crib Goch and Yr Wyddfa, and finish down towards Day 1 Camp.

  Sunday 0745 - Meet in Nant Peris Park and Ride car park (LL55 4UF). DBR Recce Event over Day 1 technical ground (route choice weather/group dependent). We will either choose to cover the Tryfan route or the Crib Goch route, depending on weather. Completing an entire crossing of Crib Goch is subject to fair weather conditions, most notably low winds and dry rock.

  Both days are apx 16km/1000m ascent and involve a lot of scrambling and hiking, as well as ‘some’ running!

  1600 - Apx finish time back at Nant Peris Park and Ride car park

• 09/05/2026, 07:45 - 10/05/2026, 17:00

  Day 1 – Technical Dragons (CP5 – CP12 End Day 1), Saturday 9th - Sunday 10th May 2026

  Enter £199.00

  More Details

  Description

  Over the 2 x days, you will cover the most technical sections of the DBR route – including the route from Day 1 Support Point, over Tryfan and the Glyderau and steeply down to Pen y Pass. You will also cover the route from Pen y Pass, over Crib Goch and Yr Wyddfa, and finish down towards Day 1 Camp.

  Sunday 0745 - Meet in Nant Peris Park and Ride car park (LL55 4UF). DBR Recce Event over Day 1 technical ground (route choice weather/group dependent). We will either choose to cover the Tryfan route or the Crib Goch route, depending on weather. Completing an entire crossing of Crib Goch is subject to fair weather conditions, most notably low winds and dry rock.

  Both days are apx 16km/1000m ascent and involve a lot of scrambling and hiking, as well as ‘some’ running!

  1600 - Apx finish time back at Nant Peris Park and Ride car park

• 13/06/2026, 07:45 - 14/06/2026, 17:00

  Day 1 – Technical Dragons (CP5 – CP12 End Day 1), Saturday 13th - Sunday 14th June 2026

  Enter £199.00

  More Details

  Description

  Over the 2 x days, you will cover the most technical sections of the DBR route – including the route from Day 1 Support Point, over Tryfan and the Glyderau and steeply down to Pen y Pass. You will also cover the route from Pen y Pass, over Crib Goch and Yr Wyddfa, and finish down towards Day 1 Camp.

  Sunday 0745 - Meet in Nant Peris Park and Ride car park (LL55 4UF). DBR Recce Event over Day 1 technical ground (route choice weather/group dependent). We will either choose to cover the Tryfan route or the Crib Goch route, depending on weather. Completing an entire crossing of Crib Goch is subject to fair weather conditions, most notably low winds and dry rock.

  Both days are apx 16km/1000m ascent and involve a lot of scrambling and hiking, as well as ‘some’ running!

  1600 - Apx finish time back at Nant Peris Park and Ride car park

• 28/06/2026, 07:15

  Day 5 – HILLS - Fan Brycheiniog – Pen y Fan – END Day 5 (CP3. – CP16) , Sunday 28th June

  Enter £109.00

  More Details

  Description

  Over this 1 x long day, you will cover the majority of the DBR Day 5 route – focusing on the hills after the Usk Reservoir (Fan Brycheiniog onwards). The day will include covering the circuit of summits over the Pen y Fan range, before dropping off steeply to be collected on the road section towards the end of the Day 5 route.

  Sunday 0715 – Meet in this ‘free’ parking lay-by just west of the white Storey Arms building on the A470. The correct lay-by is NOT the small parking area/bus stop opposite the Storey Arms building, the correct lay-by is a little more to the west:

  https://what3words.com/neutron.dressing.transcribes

  You will leave your car at this lay-by and use transport provided by RAW to access the start of the Day 5 route. When you finish the day’s route, we will drive you back to where your cars are parked.

  A useful place to base yourself for either the night before and/or the night after is Brecon Beacons YHA Hostel which is walkable from the lay-by or a short drive/run.

  Apx 43km/2650m ascent (even though this day is a LONG training/recce day, we will be able to meet the RAW van multiple times during the day so there’s plenty of opportunity to re-fill water/take breaks etc).

   

• 11/07/2026, 07:30 - 12/07/2026, 17:00

  Day 2 – Cnicht – Support Point - Rhinogydd (CP1 – CP11 End Day 2) , Saturday 11th – Sunday 12th July 2026

  Enter £215.00

  More Details

  Description

  Over the 2 x days, you will cover the majority of the DBR Day 2 route – including all the mountain summits north and south of the Support Point. You will also cover the long descent from the mountains towards Day 2 camp – although we have options to collect runners from the cycle track/road towards Day 2 camp if needed/desired. 

  Saturday 0730 – Meet in this ‘Trawsfynydd Lake Car Park on the south shore of Llyn Trawsfynydd (W3W - https://what3words.com/charge.conjured.snails). You will leave your car there and use transport provided by RAW to access the start of the Day 2 route. We will drop you off a few km into the day’s route, just as the route leaves the first road after camp and onto more interesting ground! You will cover the Moelwynion mountains of Cnicht and Moelwyn Mawr. You will finish back where you left your cars at apx 1700 latest.

  A useful place to base yourself for the night between these Recce Events is Dolgellau, for example. Please contact Plas Isa Hostel for our recommended place to stay! https://www.plasisaguesthouse.co.uk

  Sunday 0730 (or time TBC with your Run Guides the day before) – Meet at the Eryri National Park car park next to the entrance of Vanner Farm campsite (W3W - https://what3words.com/tune.control.wonderfulanother). Vanner Farm campsite is also the location of DBR Day 2 Overnight Camp and is another great place to stay. You will leave your cars in this car park and use RAW transport to access the start of the day’s route – which is where you left the route yesterday. Follow the DBR route over the Rhinogydd hills and back towards the Day 2 Overnight Camp. Finishing apx 1600 at your cars. 

  Saturday – Apx 30km/1570m ascent

  Sunday – Apx 31km/1800m ascent

   

   

Location

Directions

Sunday 0715 – Meet in this ‘free’ parking lay-by just west of the white Storey Arms building on the A470. The correct lay-by is NOT the small parking area/bus stop opposite the Storey Arms building, the correct lay-by is a little more to the west:

https://what3words.com/neutron.dressing.transcribes

You will leave your car at this lay-by and use transport provided by RAW to access the start of the Day 5 route. When you finish the day’s route, we will drive you back to where your cars are parked.

A useful place to base yourself for either the night before and/or the night after is Brecon Beacons YHA Hostel which is walkable from the lay-by or a short drive/run.

Apx 43km/2650m ascent (even though this day is a LONG training/recce day, we will be able to meet the RAW van multiple times during the day so there’s plenty of opportunity to re-fill water/take breaks etc).

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