City of Bath Athletic Club

Cotswold Way Relay



Stage 4 Route


Stage

Start Point

End Point

Distance

Ascent

Start Time

4

Seven Springs

Royal William, Cranham Corner

12.5 miles

372 metres

10:30 hrs

Start Point

We start on what the map shows as the yellow minor road heading off to the North just left of the A435, direction Cheltenham.
Please be sure to arrive a reasonable period of time before the start for registration, preparation and briefing. The race will start without you.

Finish Point

The finish is where, soon after your entry into Pope's Wood, join the downhill track and finish where it enters the Car Park of the Royal William pub. Note that this requires a quick departure form the marked route as you turn sharply left onto the tarmac towards the finish.

Parking

This stage has the most generous parking facilities of the whole route at the start, and genuine restrictions at the finish. If there is to be any car dropping, you are begged to leave cars at the start.

The best facility for parking is the huge open tarmac free car park 100 metres to the North East of Seven Springs. Please, please, use this space.

Parking at the Royal William is really sensitive and it is definitely not a location to leave cars other than as a passing drop. If your car is there for more than a few minutes, then go into the Bar and buy a drink or lunch (lunch is particularly good here) to return the favour to the landlord.

Former Years' Results

2004 Results

2005 Results

Forum

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Race Profile

A cracking stage, and a great example of Cotswold running.

Race Route

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Description

Section 1

Head out from Seven Springs on the lane just West off the A435, and where it bends left by the building, carry on straight on the path. Follow the left edge of the first field and onto the Common. At all times the route stays close to the edge of the escarpment on the high ground - no cutting across. Pass the Devil's Chimney, and drop onto the road above the quarry. Turn left. After 250m on the road, bear right on the track and maintain this to the road opposite the college. Right turn. Stride out for the 1 mile road section.

Section 2

Just as the road starts to descend, look for the steps on the left (do not use the obvious double gates but go 25 metres further). Through the plantation, into the beeches, maintaining a right bias, emerging at a gate into the car park, then exiting via a gate onto the hill-fort. DO NOT SHORT-CUT - Go right to the far tip before doubling back to the left, where a wooden post in the ground bears number 5, along the walled-edge and back through woodland. Leaving the woods, bear right and cross the busy A436 by the Air Balloon Inn. Keep to the right hand side of the A417, after 250m by the phone box, turn off right. Follow the path progressively bearing right, into the woodland (still bearing right) out almost to Birdlip Peak where you sharply double back on the left.

Section 3

Taking this marked trail that returns South marginally short of the Peak, you are lead back eventually to cross directly over the road, and leap downhill via the switchback, then left at the bottom for lengthy progress on the clear undulating track through Witcombe Wood. After 2 to 3 miles, the track turns to road, which you exit left after 250m along the bottom of Cooper's Hill. Enjoy getting to the top via the stile to the right and up through the wood.

Section 4

At the top, look right, and take the rightmost path option, through the woods. Cross the small open space, then bear left along the top of the wood, eventually climbing through the wood. There is one path junction not clearly marked: bear right, following the arrows with the white dot. Enjoy the descent along the wall to join the road at Cranham Corner. Cross the A46, then turning right into the woods. Cross the small road, continuing through the woods, and at the next small tarmac section turn off the route sharp left downhill to the Royal William. Drink and rest.