The new charity cycle and walk race up Pen y Fan and then returning to Hereford (Hereford Times, February 21) will be a gruelling and fair test in aid of a very worthy cause.

Not to belittle the beautiful peak but there are at least a dozen  mountains in Snowdonia that are higher - your article mentioned that  the peak was Wales' second highest. Certainly it is a great sight and in the winter the climb is a particularly severe test - the troops from Credenhill will  vouch to that!

The photograph of the Black Mountain escarpment with a dusting of snow featured in this week's Hereford Times is a great sight.

I have over the years enjoyed the mountains both near Hay and further afield, once at least 50 years ago enjoying a rare continental icy day skiing near the Storey Arms on the Brecon to Merthyr road. The Cardiff ski club had temporarily fixed a shortish drag lift , operated by a Honda generator , which offered an excellent morning’s sport. We are so lucky to have such beautiful scenery to enjoy and to have some "proper" hills to  scale. As I am nearly into my eighth decade I am afraid I will have to pass up this challenge, but I can still wish all the competitors the best of luck on August 4.

Tim Townsend 

Hereford