The Race Route

We have two potential routes for the race. The full course takes in the Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre, the Thatcham Reedbeds and the Kennet And Avon Canal. Our backup route skips the Reedbeds and Canal and contains a double loop around the Nature Discovery Centre.

COURSE UPDATE!!! - unfortunately at the time we needed to make a final route decision, the Thatcham Reedbeds were still quite flooded in places. We will therefore again be using our backup route for this years race. This is the route that takes in two laps of the Thatcham Nature Discovery Center with a loop around Ilkley Way in the middle. See 'The Backup Route' section below for full route details.

Flooding on the Thatcham Reedbeds part of the route!

The Full Route

Explore the full route: HERE (explore the route, view the elevation profile and download route files for various different devices)

The full route starts with a loop of the Lower Way Playing Field. It then exits the field and follows the public footpath around the edge of the fishing lakes. It enters the Nature Discovery Centre in the south-west corner before following half a lap of the lake in an anti-clockwise direction. At the top of the lake it turns right over the bridge and into the Orchard Field and loops through the Community Orchard and then into the wooded paths through the NDC. On reaching the bridge again, the route turns right again to rejoin the lake, continuing in an anti-clockwise direction. At the Nature Discovery Centre main building you will find the first water station. After completing the lap of the lake, the route turns back up Muddy Lane towards Lower Way. You then turn left along Lower Way until you reach Prince Hold Road, where the route turns left again to head towards the Thatcham Reedbeds. A beautiful run through the reedbeds follows until reaching the Kennet And Avon Canal. Here you turn left and run along the canal, back towards Thatcham. At Kennet Heath, the route leaves the canal and turns left through the farmer's field. There's then a footbridge to cross over the train line (sorry, but that's the saftest way), followed by a loop around the Kennet Heath field, with more water available. Finally the route follows Ilkley Way back to the Lower Way Playing Field.

The Backup Route

Explore the backup route: HERE (explore the route, view the elevation profile and download route files for various different devices)

The backup route starts with a loop of the Lower Way Playing Field. It then exits the field and follows the public footpath around the edge of the fishing lakes. It enters the Nature Discovery Centre in the south-east corner before following half a lap of the lake in an anti-clockwise direction. At the top of the lake it turns right over the bridge and into the Orchard Field and loops through the Community Orchard and then into the wooded paths through the NDC. On reaching the bridge again, the route turns right again to rejoin the lake, continuing in an anti-clockwise direction. At the Nature Discovery Centre main building you will find the water station. After completing the lap of the lack, the route turns back up Muddy Lane towards Lower Way. You then turn right along Lower Way back towards the Lower Way Playing Fields. The route continues past the playing fields and takes in a full loop of Ilkley Way. It then cuts across the bottom corner of the playing field and repeats the full lap of the NDC. After this second lap, the return along Lower Way turns back in the the Lower Way Playing Field and the finish.