It was a cloudy day, hardly any wind and temperature got up to about 10 degrees, so we rapidly got rid of jackets, hats and gloves. There aren't many flat sections on the route, but the hills aren't very steep or very high. This was the first one, Broombriggs
Then it was down the other side and into Beacon Hill park where there are various wooden sculptures
and a bit of a climb up to the top.
Then another downhill into woods and on the first checkpoint with people (and food and drink !)
Onward through more fields and woods to Mount Bernard Abbey
and yet more food and drink - the checkpoints got better and better all day.
About 3 miles after this there was major change in the route and at these points the organisers had put up some helpful signs. I had tried to figure it out beforehand from the route description but I knew I hadn't got it quite right. By this point we were catching the walkers who had set off an hour earlier than the runners and I always feel a bit more confident that walkers don't make as many navigational errors as runners and this helped to keep us on track. We crossed a very busy road which was very well marshalled. The next few miles were all new to us and there were some pretty sections
More attractive countryside over the next few miles
Into Newton Linford
and into Bradgate Park
where there were deer which I had never seen on previous times we have done this event (this was our third time)
and back from the next hill
And into the last checkpoint at the Visitor's Car Park
There was another new section soon after this, which was fine, but it did get a little muddy at one point
