Mercia Fell Runners Club

NOTE: There will be no food available in the race event field.

Also, there will be water at road checkpoints but no cups, please bring and carry you own.

For 2021 this is an FRA English Championship round. Pre-entry only via SI

This is an FRA long race so full FRA kit is required to be worn/carried (by FRA rules - ER, PM, LK, NS). See attached race assessment matrix PDF to find out what you are letting yourself in for.

Further info contact Tim Parker - tim.parker111@gmail.com

Start in fields opposite the stream from the camp site, positioned 150m up the field. This field is private and only to be accessed on the race day. GR 441 921, follow  signs.

There will be toilets in the registration field and in the start field. Please DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES USE THE CAMP SITE TOILET!

Check points:

1. CP1 - Grindle summit cairn - 430 926
2. CP2 - Bridge in Minton Batch - 421 902
3. CP3 - Cross tracks at high point in forest - 406 902
4. CP4 - Stream crossing, bottom of Wooler's Batch - 408 887
5. CP5 - Gate and stile on Portway, top corner of forest - 398 897 (first aid kit available)
6. CP6 - Southern Ridge (just south of Black Knoll) - 393 887
7. CP7 - Quarry on road near Myndtown - 393 895 (possible water point if weather is hot)
8. CP8 - Gate on Portway, top corner of forest - 398 897 (same location as CP3) (first aid kit available)
9. CP9 - Prolley Moor Road 'T' Junction - 403 929
10. CP10 - Pole Bank - 415 944

Finish, as start, 441 921

See attached race map for details of the route (click on it to get a bigger version). You have totally free route choice between the start and CP1 (Grindle), CP1 and CP2 (Minton Batch) and CP8 and CP9, but you must not cross out of bounds areas (shown in blue on the map) and you must only use roads and public rights of way when you are not in the open access area.

IMPORTANT: The start/finish is on private land and we have permission for its use on race day only. DO NOT RECCE IT.

Tim Parker's route description as published in The Fellrunner 2020:

This race involves lots of steep ups and downs similar to the Long Mynd Valleys race - but covering the South end of the hill which is less used. And it’s nearly all on smooth grassy tracks that are fast running. Here is a brief route description:

Start to CP 1 (top of Grindle): We are positioning the start so that there will be 2 possible routes of equal distance, but because there are a few private fields in the way you will have to choose and go in completely opposite directions. Either up the valley, onto the Long Mynd (gate open near what I call the Haunted house!) and up the steep bank below Nills. OR down the valley, right, past the cottage to lead up the bridleway that goes around Callow. Please refer to the OS map.

CP1 - 2 Bottom of Minton Batch: This is an open route crossing the huge “Callow Hollow” but we have agreed with the National Trust to avoid the wet valley under Callow as it is a precious habitat. So initially a narrow track through the heather on the Grindle summit, then steep down I think best to the right of the wet area and cross the Callow valley. From here most people contour around (initially on a sheep track) above Minton to go steep down to the CP, but an alternative is to climb higher (but shorter distance) and run down Rams batch.

CP2 to the cross roads in the forest (CP3) will be marked. It is on the marked bridleway up.

To CP4 turn 90. left at the cross roads, through an area recently harvested so looks like a tree graveyard! Sprinting across the field below you can see all of South Shropshire - bear slightly right to go down through trees to the CP by the Woolers stream that will get your feet wet.

CP4 - 5 is again flagged through the forest. It goes through the footpath gate, then after 20m steep right and wind left to find the main up/down path marked on the map. Near the top it skirts round the forest to the CP5 (which is also CP8 and where there is a First aid point).

CP5 - 8 follows tracks. We do cut the end bit off to give a steeper start to the downhill. Water at CP7. Beware there is a small section of public road here, so don’t get run over!

IMPORTANT: The gliding club air field is out of bounds on race day for obvious safety reasons. From CP8 you must run to the west of the club house.

From CP 8 we must keep off the runway of the gliding club. It is only a few years ago since someone was beheaded by a wing!!! So either keep to the edge of the hill around the west of the clubhouse to get to the top road and then diagonally down the slope on the bridleway. OR drop down earlier and go along the bottom permissive track to CP 9, where again there will be water.

CP9 - 10 (Pole Bank) is straight up the Stanbatch permissive farm track. There is no real short cuts through the heather and bog.

Finally! To the finish! At the same place as the start. Lots of choices again! It means people will be coming from either direction to finish, so only go in the funnel once please. Basically you choose which side of Ashes Hollow valley, or the footpath along the bottom of it. Happy navigation! It will give our sweeps a bit of a nightmare following you all!

We will have live tracking at CP8.

For the event we will be starting in a private field to the north of Ashes stream (with the camp site and south side being out of bounds). But to recce beforehand please don’t go in this field - just use the campsite and footpath along the bottom fields.