THE FIRST MILE AND A HALF IS A REAL CHANCE TO OPEN OUT ON THE DESCENT FROM CONEY'S CASTLE. A MILE LONG VALLEY SECTION IS FOLLOWED IS FOLLOWED BY A HARD CLIMB TO THE A35. FROM THERE IT IS MOSTLY LEVEL RUNNING WITH A COUPLE OF FAST DESCENTS, THOUGH THERE IS A SLIGHT RISE IN THE LAST HALF MILE. IT IS ALL CROSS COUNTRY APART FROM THE FIRST HALF MILE.

  1. Runners will approach the changeover from the north along the road from Lambert's Castle. Hand over by the car park, the new runner will carry on southwards down the road for half a mile. Once the main slope advantage is lost, just past a concealed farm entrance, turn right over a gate post by a fingerpost.

  2. Angle left towards a (holly) bush to pick up a field boundary on your left. Go over a stile and keep to the top of the ridge across a second field to reach a metal gate. Then angle right down a third field to turn right through a metal gate near its bottom end. Go through field four straight to a metal gate and turn left at the far end of field five through a metal gate.

  3. Diagonal right down the sixth field to emerge onto the road near the buildings. Turn right along the road and run through Wootton Fitzpaine, taking the right fork at the road junction.

  4. Turn left to Meerhay Farm and leave the farm by the second of two gates close together on the right.
    5. Carry on along the farm track and turn right at the second gate.
    Go straight along the top of the field to a stile. Continue left of the paddock and take the new route to the left of the house and go through a gap in the hedge. Diagonal right to the corner of the next field and go through a gate and slant right to the centre of the hedge opposite.

  5. Turn left down to a gap in the hedge where a gate used to be. Once through that turn right along the hedge. Go through the gateway and across a larger field slightly left to a stile hidden in the hedge.

  6. Cross by the stepping stones and over a stile into a copse. A narrow path goes left to a second stile, turn right and go round a third stile.
    7. Go past some derelict buildings. Just after the buildings follow the track right
    but almost immediately take a path off to the left through a gate and emerge from the trees. Turn left across the concrete bridge then sharp right to go through a gate.

  7. Run by the stream across two fields . Diagonal left across the third which has a barn in it, to pick up a cart track up the hill. Go through a gate ahead and turn left to another barn. Pass the barn on your right and turn right to go through a gate. Run up the lefthand hedge to a gate on the left. Go through the gate and aim for the big tree on the horizon to head for the gate and stile at the corner of the hedge.

  8. Go through the gate or over the stile and slant right to reach the farm drive. Turn left and follow this up to the A35. Utmost care is needed here. If marshals are present cross the road as directed.

  9. Turn left along the far verge then double back to the right at a fingerpost. A short path with a gate at the each end leads to a large field. Slant left to head for the bottom corner of the field. Enter the wood by a gate next to a stream and follow the path.

  10. After nearly a quarter of a mile, emerge from the trees and turn left away from the obvious footbridge into another field.
    11. Skirt this anti-clockwise to take the second exit - a gate onto a track through some more woods.
    Go straight on, even when some way on, the track turns right leaving you on a little path.
  11. After a mile through the forest, emerge through a gateway. Turn left to avoid a house then right to keep the converted barn on your left (Go between the house and the converted barn). Carry on along the road until it is crossed by a bridleway. Turn right and go through the gate. Run down two fields to pick up a stony track through the trees. Follow it right across a concrete bridge.

  12. Turn left onto a narrow path beside the stream. Do not go across the wooden bridge into the field ahead.
  13. Leave the Ridgeway by turning right and run up a path with a thatched cottage on your right with a mill wheel.

  14. The path widens into a track. Cross a lane and go through a gap next to the post box, the East Devon Way sign is behind the wall. The footpath improves into a track passing gardens, emerging onto a road. Kink left to a kissing-gate. Go through this and run up a field to finish at the next gate. Uplyme village hall is across the road and along to the right.

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