The Race Route

From the Wagon and Horses pub carpark turn right and walk down the road, passing the small car park and then go through the gateway onto the track that head up towards the tunnel. The race start point is marked by a flat stone a couple of hundred yards up the track. It’s customary to group about 100 yards beyond the start point prior to the race and then be told to move back to the start line.

From the start head up the track. Pass through the tunnel under the Trans-Pennine Trail and continue up the track, following it round to the left as it levels out. Continue along the track past the farm until it reaches a stone stile. Cross the stile onto the grassy footpath which then descends steeply through a kissing gate and eventually reaches the river crossing. Whatever you do, don’t jump the fence at the kissing gate as you will probably get pelted with rocks. Cross the river either using the stepping stones, which can be slippy, or just plough through the water making sure to soak anyone trying to keep dry on the stepping stones.

At the far bank climb the stile and head up the path to join the road and head right down the road until reaching a public footpath that descends the field on the right to a footbridge over the river. Cross the footbridge and then struggle up the steep field to a gate. Through the gate follow the path that zig-zags up to another stile. Don’t worry about falling over the stile, as the soft pile of manure at the other side will break your fall.

Follow the path diagonally across the field towards a gateway and up a track. About 100 yards up the track bear off left and pick up another track, crossing a cattle grid as the track descends into a wooded area. The race route curves round to the right, then left and picks up a narrow path down into some trees where after a short while, it crosses through a narrow gap in a wall.

After crossing the wall, the path descends steeply over a few obstacles to the river. If you survived that bit, then cross the river, either directly, or using the stepping stones and then leg it up the field to trun left on to the road.

If you’re a roadie, then this is your bit – there’s about half a mile of tarmac to steam along until you again turn off left down the path to the first river crossing.

The remainder of the route is the reverse of the the outbound section, so have fun crawling back up the hill and along the farm track, making sure you save enough to look good on the finish!

Offroad Race Series