3.1 miles
This Start is at: Ordnance Survey reference SU 146 583
Route - (Select Satellite view)
Car Parking. There is plenty of room for parking along the sides of the road down which the previous stage comes. It is a cul de sac.
Start by running north westerly along the (minor) road. Just before Lower Farm, on the left, is a sign for pedestrians, however if there ever was a route through here, it is now overgrown. Go through the gate just before this sign and run along the avenue of trees bordered by a fence on the right. Continue in the same direction for 150 metres. Go through the gate. 30 metres further on at the corner of the estate of buildings go through another gate. Continue straight on. You should see a fence and a ditch on the left until you reach a wooded area where there is a stile into the wood on the left marked WHT. Cross here and follow the footpath through the wood to another stile.
The first stile into the woods is quite easily missed if runners have not recc'ed the route.
There is a sign on a path marked The White House
on the wall to the right of the track
that runners should take - but it is not very visible - follow this lane to a stile, cross it
and follow the fence across the field.
Don't worry if you miss this sign - the track is to the right of September Cottage, a sign which is easily read.
Halfway across this field you will see a stream, keep to the right of it and follow the track. At the end there is a sign marked WHT and Manningford Church. Cross the road here and continue along the track into a field. Keep to the left of the fence and at the corner turn left, keeping the trees on your right. Very soon you will come to a stile, cross this, go through the trees to another stile and a field just in front of you. To your left there is a big tree, but in front of you at the opposite corner of the field is another very tall tree. Aim towards this. Before you reach it there is a fence in front of you and another to your left. At the junction of these fences there is a stile. Cross it and, keeping the fence to your right, run towards the trees. Bear left and continue until you reach a gate (with a stile) and a signpost (with many of its letters missing).
Go through the gate into Wick Lane. Before you get to the tarmac, there is a footpath to take
just to the left of the gravel private parking area.
The footpath goes through a gate signed Barset Farms, Private Property.
Public Footpath only. No bicycles.
Then go through to the tarmac track past the farm buildings
(Manor House & Manor Farm).
At the end bear right briefly and then left along the grass track which soon bears a little to
the right where it is signposted 'footpath'.
After another 150 metres cross a concrete bridge which crosses a stream.
There is a junction of three tracks here.
Continue up the right hand track which is grassy and to the right of a fish farm. It is signposted.
To your right is a wood called Squire's Copse.
Soon you will reach another bridge near St James' Church. Continue through the churchyard until you come to a road. (This is called 'Quiet Lane'). Follow the road until you reach 'Broad Street'.
Obey the marshal's instructions.
Follow the track from this farm (Falkner's Farm) for a kilometre. You will see that the track takes a right turn here, don't follow it but bear slightly left, that is take the left fork, along a grassy lane (muddy in January and still quite muddy in May!) for another kilometre.
When you reach the village (Charlton St Peter) continue straight ahead up the farm track to a stile. Run up the slope to another stile.
In May, the last field before the pub car park had an electric fence in it to control the lambs, but it is easy to step over before running up the slope.
The finish of this stage is at the car park for the Charlton Cat.
List of all the stages of this Relay Race