Holmfirth Harriers INF Ian Roberts

Marsden Cricket Club

Race start is about 10 minutes walk from registration

Given the weather over recent months come prepared to carry kit suitable for winter conditions i.e. full waterproof body cover

Flagged route

The race route has been changed from the last couple of years. There has been a slight straightening out of the route from the Standedge Trail to Pule Hill and a completely new finish. (See map an instructions)

This makes the route about 0.5 miles longer than advertised in the calendar, add some more climbing and some rougher ground.

So the race is even better value for money!

Ian Roberts 2010 – race route description:

Straight along the track to road crossing (1)

Flagged tussocky trod then gently uphill to reach the catchwater; along catchwater to junction (2)

This time continue along catchwater to a boggy area beneath Swellands dam

Up to footbridge (3) and along a decent trod to another footbridge at Black Moss (4)

Join Pennine Way path here and follow it to junction with Standedge Trail (5)

Follow Standedge Trail eastwards to junction with a narrow path by a catchwater (6)

Turn off left along catchwater to reach road (7) - THIS IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM LAST YEAR

Left on the road briefly, then straight up Pule Hill (8); good path gently downhill above edge and quarries

At (9) a path comes up an incline to the left, but instead head right (east) on another of those tussocky trods (something of a local speciality). Eventually re-join the main track near the start

Same as outwards route along track, across the road(10). FROM HERE TO THE FINISH IS COMPLETELY NEW. Follow outwards route up to the catchwater. At the junction (11) follow flags down and leftwards on occasional sheeptrods becoming more tussocky lower down.

Cross stream in the bottom of Butterly Clough and go up to cross a fence (care with the stile) and reach a stone wall. Follow walls to join a good path which zig-zags down to cross the Butterley Clough stream at a footbridge. Short sharp uphill to cross a stile and follow a narrow path along a fence and over another stile to reach the cricket ground and finish.