"Aside from the physical challenge, the Twin Peaks race takes you on an archaeological and historical tour of Aberystwyth, beginning over 2000 years ago with the prehistoric hillfort on Pen Dinas, and moving through to the modern day via the Medieval Castle, the 18th century harbour and the sea side town established during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Race HQ, start and finish is at the Bandstand on Aberystwyth promenade. The current bandstand replaced two earlier structures that have stood here since the end of the 19th century. The first part of the race heads southwards along the promenade, and one of the first major sites you'll pass is Aberystwyth Pier, which was originally 244m long, three times its current length.

The pier was built by Eugenius Birch of London in 1865 but was damaged by a storm in 1866 and rebuilt in 1872 with the pavilion added in 1896 at the instigation of the Aberystwyth Improvement Company.

These days the pier is famous for its starlings, every year thousands of starlings flock above the skies of Aberystwyth returning to their roost under the pier.

The section of promenade from the Pier to the castle dates from the end of the 19th century. Prior to this the sea lapped the base of the cliffs, and the public shelter you'll pass is actually built in a former sea cave!

Heading around castle point, you'll see the remains of Aberystwyth Castle, built by Edward I in 1277 following his defeat of the Welsh King Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. In its heyday Aberystwyth castle was larger than Caernarfon, Conwy or Harlech Castles. The English didn't always have the upper hand however and in 1403 the castle was besieged by supporters of Owain Glyndŵr and held by them until 1408.

On the castle headland also stands the War Memorial unveiled on 14th September 1923. The memorial is crowned by a winged Victory standing on a globe and on the seaward side there is a, for the time, risqué portrayal of Humanity in the form of a naked female emerging from the foliage of war. She has been described by one eminent architectural historian as 'Brigitte Bardot emerging from the undergrowth'.

At the far end of the promenade you'll come to Aberystwyth Marina, built in the late 1990s. There has however been a harbour here from at least 1548.

In the 18th century the harbour was an essential part of the silver and lead mining in the area. You'll run around the whole circumference of the marina crossing the River Rheidol by the Trefechan Bridge. This was built in 1886 and replaced an earlier stone bridge which was destroyed by floods, and which had also replaced the original timber bridge over the river.

As you turn away from the harbour to start your ascent of Pen Dinas, you'll see one of what were a whole series of 2nd World War Pillbox's situated along the coastline to warn and guard against a feared invasion by Germany across the Irish Sea.

Peak one of the challenge takes you to the summit of Pen Dinas, set high over the sea between the mouths of the Rheidol and Ystwyth rivers.

The county's largest hillfort crowns the summit of this hill and you'll be running across the interior and over the banks and ditches of the fortresses defences, constructed and occupied more than 2000 years ago.

The target of the first climb is the eye-catching monument to the Duke of Wellington erected in 1858 and which recently underwent repair following a lightning strike.

With the first summit in the bag, you'll find yourself back down on the Promenade and this time running north towards peak number 2, Constitution Hill.

The majority of the buildings you'll run past along the promenade were once hotels built in the 19th century during the main period of expansion in Aberystwyth when it became a popular sea side resort.

Your final challenge of the day is Constitution Hill or Craig Las. Since the early 19th century visitors came to view the 'frightful precipices' of the hill.

However throughout the rest of that century the hill was extensively quarried and this spoiled its romantic appeal. It was then given a new lease of life in the late Victorian period with the construction of the Cliff Railway and Pleasure Grounds, by the Aberystwyth Improvement Company between 1895 and 96.

The summit of the hill was then crowded with summer houses, shelters, refreshment rooms, a bandstand, gardens and camera obscurer. There's little left of these structures, but you'll still be able to admire the stunning views that the Victorians would once have a taken in.

With the summit achieved all that's left now is the final stretch around the back of the hill before descending back down onto the Promenade where you've a short sprint back to the finish and much deserved refreshments.

Children's race

The children's race starts and finishes at the bandstand on Aberystwyth promenade and is marginally over 2 miles in distance. The race starts at 11.30am. Competitors will run north along the promenade before climbing constitution hill running up the zig zag trail and skirting around the peak on the wide path. There will be marshals at critical points and the rest of the course will be well marked. The runners then follow the path that passes the radar station then down Cliff Terrace road and joining the promenade once again where there will undoubtedly be a sprint to the finish!"

Further information can be found on the Aberystwyth Twin Peaks website on the right hand side of this page.

Article written by Louise Barker