A RUNNING CHALLENGE
Thanks to Tempo Events, from whom I stole the name (although their's was a much longer and challenging race. A shame they don't do it anymore)
To do this you have to love the hills, I mean really LOVE the hills.
It is nearly as difficult to describe as it is to run but here goes.
Start at the junction of Armscote Road and Front Street. Head up Front Street to the shop and carry on up Grump Street to the gate at the bottom of Humpty Dumpty.Turn right and go up Big Foot to Pig Lane.
Turn left down Pig lane and run all the way down to Harolds Farm Road. Turn right and head towards Southfields Farm.
Turn right opposite Southfields Farm. Follow the path to the trees. Bear left along the trees until reaching a gate. Turn right into the nature reserve and follow the path. Through a gate and up the hill eventually reaching the gates of Foxcote House.... still enjoying the hills?
Turn left along the road until you reach Redlands Barn. Turn left through the kissing gate and the path actually bears left across the slope not straight down the slope. Follow the path to the gate leading into the woods.
Follow the markers in the woods, thanks to the Cotswolds Wardens for all their work in maintaining these paths and gates. Exit the woods across the ridge and furrow field heading for the right hand corner where the path meets Harolds Farm Road.
Turn immediately right up Compton Scorpion Hill. Enjoy it as there's only one more hill after this.
At the top of the hill turn right and head to Foxcote House main gate. Opposite the gates head down the hill and retrace your steps through the nature reserve and back to Harolds Farm Road.
Turn left and head back towards Ilmington. At the next Junction, turn left back up Pig Lane. We've saved the best til last. The last hill and it's a killer. Retrace your steps all the way up Pig lane, returning back down Big Foot and down to the end of Front Street.
WELL DONE.
1500ft of ascent in approx 8 miles.
The best thing is - YOU NEVER HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN.
UPDATE
Having done the route recently here are a couple of thoughts.
If unsure maybe start with one hill and build up to doing all four.
Walk the hills and run the flats and down hills and gradually start running a little more of the up hill each time.
There are plenty of opportunities to turn back to Ilmington if the route gets too much.
My running watch said it was 1300ft of ascent......