Midsummer Munro
'The hardest half'
Midsummer Munro'The hardest half' |
|
Parking is available directly adjacent to the start of the run, in Ryker's car park. Limited toilet facilities are available.
From the start, you run up (120m) the imposing Burfoot slope of Box Hill. Run past the grave of de La Billiere, buried head downwards, and then turn right to descend (120m) to the footbridge at the foot of Boxhill. Turn left and cross the stepping stones, before running back up the way you came down. At the top, turn right and run on gently rising paths to the lookout at the top of Box Hill. Turn around the triangulation pillar and go back down the track to a well-hidden sharp turn on your left. Descend down the south face of the North Downs on a narrow path. through a gate and over a stile on your left. 15m after the stile, turn sharp left and go up the rutted shady track to the Smith and Western pub. Drinks station at the top. Turn left at the road and cross the road, taking care, and plunge into the woods, dogleg right, and then run straight for a mile until you emerge over a stile to Juniper Top and fabulous open views. Descend until you find the marshal, then re-ascend and, trending right, run along the side of the hill on the wide and pleasant track. then turn right at the 'forest crossroads' and descend the track along Juniper Bottom to the water station in the car park. Cross the road with care, before climbing the stairs - many stairs. Marshals will guide your through a dogleg left in the woods, before you trot off along White Hill, take a turn right at the end and make a cripply descent to a drinks station. Congratulations, you are half way round. Turn around, and do it all again, but this time in reverse!
Go back up to the open area of White Hill, find the dog leg (marshalled), and then run down to the huge flight of stairs down the side of the hill. Crossing the road (look out for yourself!) you will proceed up Juniper Bottom, a rustic and uneven track which steepens towards the top, over about 1.5km. Turning sharp left, you will run along Juniper Top, over the electric fence (don't worry, there is a gate), down the hill to the marshal, (taking in the very pleasant views), and back into the woods, towards what is now the Smith and Western Bar and Grill, and what used to be The Pilgrim's Rest. There will be water at this point. Crossing the road (look out for yourself!), you will again descend all of the altitude you have previously gained, and at the bottom (now on the south side of the North Downs), you will climb back up to the top of Box Hill on very narrow paths. At the top of Box Hill you will be rewarded with excellent views of Dorking, but now you have to lose all that height again, descending to the footbridge over the River Mole, running to the stepping stones (more water) and back up Box Hill ('the hardest run you've ever done') - keep left! At the top, the marshall will direct you to your left, where you will pass the grave of an eccentric gentleman of Dorking buried head downwards, before emerging on to the flanks of Box Hill, with gloriously open views, for the long run down to the bottom of the Zig Zag Road, and the finish between two obvious trees...
R=Ryka's (parking, toilets, burgers, bikers), D=drink stations, S/F=start, finish, SS=stepping stones
 |
 |
Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey.
Contour map and section courtesy of John
.
Although there will be marshals on the course, runners are responsible for completing the course correctly.
Organised by Robert McCaffrey
1 East Street, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 1BB, UK
Tel (+44) 1372 743837 Fax (+44) 1372 743838
mm@propubs.com