Gillingham Trotters Running Club

LEG 11 VENN CHAPEL TO CONEY'S CASTLE

6.2 MILES

AN UNDULATING STAGE UNTIL THE STING IN THE TAIL. THE LAST MILE HAS THE LAMBERT'S CASTLE AND
CONEY'S CASTLE HILL CLIMBS. THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE OF ROAD TO START AND ABOUT HALF A MILE MORE AT THE END. MOSTLY TRACKS AND CROSS COUNTRY . AFTER TWO MILES THE RIDGEWAY IS JOINED BY THE LIBERTY TRAIL, WHOSE YELLOW ARROWS ON A GREEN BACKGROUND IMPROVE THE MARKING FOR THE REST OF THE COURSE. 

1 Runners will arrive at Venn Chapel along the road from the south. They will only be in sight briefly as they descend Blackdown Hill to reach the road just south of the chapel. The new runner heads west from the junction on the road signed 'Thorncombe'. 

2 After half a mile the road crosses a river in Synderford village. After climbing out of the valley for another quarter of a mile, turn left into another lane signed 'Saddle Street'.

3 At the lane's end, go through the farmyard. Leave by a metal gate, 

then go through the right-hand gate onto a track, which curves right up the hill. Go through the metal gate ahead and turn left immediately up the hill next to the hedge ignoring the track across the field. Go through a gate in the hedge on the left, next to an oak tree. Continue on the same line on the other side of the hedge. Go through a gate and keep to the right-hand hedge as it turns right. Go to a stile and continue across the next field to emerge into a road.

4 Turn left and after 50 yards turn right off the road over a stile to run down the right hand side of a field. The 'Liberty Trail' markings start here. At the bottom of this long field turn left on to a farm road.

5 Just past the farm house take the middle path, going slightly right. When you reach a gate, ignore it but take the one on your right. Follow the left-hand hedge to the end of the field. Turn right and go down to a stile into a conifer wood. Emerging, run round the right-hand side of the field to the far corner and go through a farmyard. Turn right into a lane and immediately left down the left-hand hedge. Cross the stream by a wooden bridge. Go up the track through the gate and slant right across the field. Go through another gate and skirt round to the right to avoid the rough ground. Run up the hedge that appears on your left, to a stile with Devon markings.

6 Turn left on to a lane. Keep straight on at the junction in 200 yards; but just after this fork right on to the higher of the 2 roads. This deteriorates and curves right then left uphill to emerge on to a busy road (caution is required here!) after a quarter of a mile. Cross carefully into the minor road opposite passing a phone box. After 30 yards, turn right into Lambert's Castle. Keep right for the best line on the climb which curves left to a gate.

7 From the gate, climb slightly right then run the long axis of the fort. The summit is a large open area without waymarking. 

Drift across to the left edge of the hill to leave by a broad green track which descends to a road. Go ahead up the steeply climbing road with a pylon to the left. Once over the brow, you can see the changeover in front of the trees.