Would everyone who recce's this route be kind enough to send a report of the accuracy of the description and map back to the organisers or 01225 708 432
9.5 miles
Route - (Select Satellite view) - See this stage as a virtual run
Park at Knoll Down, a parking place on the left of the A4 about ¾ mile west of the roundabout to Avebury.
Run along the lane for 2.2 kilometres, past the various junctions and through a wooded area until you come to a field in front of you. Bear left along a heavily rutted track on the left of this field keeping straight on for a further 1.7 miles until you reach Yatesbury Lane.
Turn right on to this track. After about three quarters of a kilometre the track turns sharp right and very soon joins the road from Whyr Farm. This is a quiet road but runners need to keep to the left. After about 600 metres there is a T-junction - marked in red on the Google map.
A good place to rehydrate your runners. A marshal should be stationed here.
Cross this road with care and continue straight on along the track opposite (called Vize Lane) for another kilometre before reaching another road (High Street coming from Broad Hinton). Turn left and follow this road towards Broad Town. Be aware of traffic.
Marshals should be stationed along this road to facilitate crossing from the left hand side of the road to the right hand side. The road is not busy but when we did our recce we did see the occasional traffic.
The road begins to rise slightly. After nearly 800 metres turn right up a track towards Cockroost Farm. Run up this track and turn left at the end of the field. Follow this track to the left and right past some farm buildings, keeping the buildings on your right, and then turn left again and run between the fields to a junction at the end of this track.
The Broad Town White Horse (Ordnance Survey reference SU 098 783, Snow Hill) can be found by going through a gate and down the bank. It is difficult to reach.
The next part of this leg is mainly along farm tracks and through the village of Broad Hinton.
In order to avoid disturbing the cattle or the cattle disturbing the runners! this route does not follow the White Horse Trail, However towards the end of the stage there may be cattle in one field.
Beware of ruts in some of the tracks, especially between the two gates. There may be cattle in some of the fields.
At the end of this track, enter the field in front of you and immediately turn right and run along the edge of the field. Continue, keeping the wood on your right and following the track round to the right. Continue straight on and go through two more gates. Keep following this hardcore track (it bears right and then left again) until you arrive at a junction. Turn right. Follow this track until you reach some farm buildings. This is Manor Farm. Half way between these buildings take the turning to the left (this is Manor Lane) and continue until you reach a road (Yew Tree Lane). Turn left and run down Yew Tree Lane until just before the junction with the A4361, when you should see Weir Farm on the left and a stile on the right leading into a field. We should have a marshal here. Climb over this stile and run diagonally across the field (you are once again on the White Horse Trail) towards the telegraph pole. In the distance you should see two stiles, cross the first, cross the road and cross the second stile and enter the next field between the trees. Aim for the left hand corner of this field, cross the stile ... and the little bridge. Run along the edge of the fence (and hedge) until you see another stile. Cross this. Turn left and run along the pathway. You are now in the village of Broad Hinton. Keep left and follow this path between the houses until you reach the road (Post Office Lane). Turn left and, keeping on the left hand side of the road, continue to the finish at the end of this lane.
The finish of this stage is opposite The Barbury Inn.
The owners of the Barbury Inn have agreed that we can park in their car park. As an appreciation of this, I am sure they would be glad of your custom.
Description of this stage with photos | List of all the stages of this Relay Race