Snowdonia Marathon
Marathon Eryri

The inaugural Snowdonia Marathon was held in 1982, and conceived as a dramatic alternative to the numerous city and town races becoming so popular.

The demanding and spectacular route, encircling Snowdon, Wales' and England's highest peak, has given the event a unique place in the annual marathon calendar ever since.

The 2007 marathon will be the 25th Snowdonia Marathon - little did we realise in 1982 how popular the event would become.

Jayne Lloyd, the Marathon's organiser says: 'The National Trust Snowdonia Marathon is intentionally planned on roads to alleviate the pressure on the footpaths of Snowdonia.

"The scenery is spectacular all the way around the route. Many runners are keenly aware of the need to look after the environment and this is one unusual way in which they can help.

So much money is spent by the National Trust's Snowdonia Appeal on repairing footpaths on the mountains and restoring dry stone walls. But because the trick is for it to appear as if nothing has been done people aren’t very aware of the work."


The Michael Forte Challenge Trophy

Every year since 1982, the winner of the Snowdonia Marathon has been presented with the Michael Forte Challenge Trophy. The story of how it was given to the National Trust, to be used on this special occasion, is a very interesting one.

In 1982 Michael Forte donated a cup to the National Trust to be given to the winner of the Snowdonia Marathon. He approached Fattorini and Sons of Bradford who had recently celebrated their 150th anniversary and had received a lot of nationwide publicity, in particular for supplying the present FA Cup.

Michael Forte bought a trophy which had come to Fattorini a few years earlier in rather unusual circumstances. In 1922 a prosperous Huddersfield mill owner, who was a keen supporter of the Scouting movement, wanted to present an award for a nationwide Scout band competition.

He commissioned a trophy from Fattorini and Sons of Bradford which bore his name for posterity. The Scout leader would not agree to his request and the trophy was therefore never used.

Instead it was safely kept in the mill until some 50 years later when the mill owner's son, when disposing of his father's effects, sold the cup back to Fattorini. The large sterling silver trophy weighs 203oz and stands 33 inches tall. It is 53 ounces heavier and taller than the FA Cup and a perfect example of the work of the skilled Sheffield craftsman who made it.

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