Route Description
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THE RAIDLIGHT ARC OF ATTRITION The UK's toughest winter 100mile ultra footrace ROUTE DESCRIPTION IMPORTANT - There have been some route changes. All returning Arc runners and locals need to read pages 2, 3 and 4 as a minimum. The Arc is a self navigated run along the Cornish coast path. You are expected to find your own way around with minimal signage supplied by MudCrew. Getting lost is common and one of the contributing reasons why on average less than 50% of entrants complete the course. This guide gives you an idea as to what to expect on the course but is no substitute for the route finding and map reading skills you will need to get around. Version 1.2 ROUTE RESTRICTIONS The Arc of Attrition runs for 100 miles from Coverack to Porthtowan nominally via the South West Coast Path. DIVERSIONS FROM THE COAST PATH Due to the increased number of runners in the race, the increased stature of the race and a few issues in the past, Correct Route: there are now a few new restrictions on the exact route Incorrect Route: X runners are to take. Please read carefully. Runners are expected to the follow the route specified in X this guide and supplied as a GPX file on the Arc website. X We understand and expect that many of you will get lost and X X not follow the route exactly. This is fine as long as you do not gain advantage. To be clear, if you take a short cut or an easier route you may attract a time penalty and potentially X X X face a disqualification. If you find yourself off route, either retrace your steps or take a route back onto the official route which doesn’t give you an overall advantage. The route is the South West Coast Path as marked by official signs and waymarkers on the route, apart from short sections at Kynance Cove, Cape Cornwall and St Ives. Kynance Cove Correct Route: Details to the right. Incorrect Route: X Go inland to the east of the car park on the wide The coast path as marked on OS maps differs slightly from track to bypass the beach entirely. that signposted in a few places but not in any significant Cape Cornwall way. There will be no penalty if you follow the route shown on the OS map rather than the official Arc route. It is not necessary to visit the Cape Cornwall monument however you must take the steps to Correct Route: the west of the car park. Incorrect Route: X X Click on maps to view on OpenStreetMap X St Ives Head / The Island X You do not need to follow the coast path around the headland at St Ives. Instead cut directly from Porthmeor Beach to the main harbour. At the south end of the harbour you will be met by Arc Angels who will take you to the checkpoint. Checkpoint 4 SHORT CUTS AND ALTERNATIVE ROUTES TO AVOID Correct Route: Incorrect Route: X X X X X X Poldhu Cot Valley Take the coast path to the north Change from 2019 / 2020 Correct Route: west of Poldhu Cove. Do cut Incorrect Route: X the corner by taking the road. New for 2021, follow the coast path up X the road before doubling back. Do not Zennor Head take the short cut which was the route in previous years. Don't cut the headland. Correct Route: X Incorrect Route: X Hayle Keep to the coast path Correct Route: Incorrect Route: X when coming into Hayle. It is marked but X is easy to miss. Don't Coverack run down the road. X It is not necessary to go to Dolor Point, the headland at Coverack. The footpath repairs just south of Coverack are now complete so the Correct Route: Incorrect Route: X diversion up the hill inland which was Rinsey part of the 2019 route should not be used. No cheeky corner cut. SHORT CUTS AND ALTERNATIVE ROUTES TO AVOID X Click on maps to view on OpenStreetMap X X Correct Route: Incorrect Route: X X Correct Route: Incorrect Route: X Dunes of Doom / Hayle X Keep to the coast path at the start of the X Dunes of Doom. The short cut will also X fill your shoes with sand which nobody Correct Route: wants. Incorrect Route: X Portreath You are almost at the end. Well done! Godrevy Avoid the short cut. As you exit the Dunes of Doom, and reach the first car park, turn left on the boardwalk and don't go up the tarmac road. Do not go through the second or third car parks to reach the seal cove. Follow the coast path around the headland. Make sure to look for seals in the cove! ROUTE DESCRIPTION COVERACK TO PORTHLEVEN - CP1 At the start of the run you will have fresh legs and daylight, Conditions you will be running with others so you won’t need to worry too much about route finding and you will be going easy as Every year that the Arc has been run, the weather and ground conditions have been you know you have a long way to go. If the weather is kind, different. There could be epic snow, storms, rain or wind or maybe a bit of all of them. this section shows off the Cornish coast line to its best. There may even be some sunshine. Temperatures can range from mild to well below Enjoy this section, enjoy watching the sun set to the west. It freezing. Expect the worst and you won’t be disappointed and make sure that you have can be absolutely beautiful. the kit to cover all eventualities. Then again, the rain maybe be coming down sideways making it slightly less fun. The first section of the race is typical Cornish coast path. Generally pretty runable with gravel track or hard packed dirt path underfoot with rocky boulders to occasionally climb over in places. The paths are often narrow with gorse or similar to tug at your clothes. Trail shoes are essential. If it has been dry but has rained recently, the top surface can end up being very slippery. If it has been raining for weeks, not an uncommon situation in January, the path can in places turn into a complete mud bath with the section after Kynance Cove being particularly boggy. You will get wet feet. Loe Bar is a section of sand which will try and get into your shoes. You can empty them when you get off the beach or a mile later when you get to the checkpoint at Porthleven. You will be met at the harbour side in Porthleven by Arc Angels who will take you to the checkpoint. All runners must Potential Crew Parking visit this and all the other checkpoints but you do not need to stop. 400 ft Stats 10 min/mile 300 ft Black pace: 24.6 miles 6 min/km 12 min/mile 200 ft Coverack 39.6 kilometres Gold pace: Lizard 4300 feet 7 min/km 100 ft Porthleven 14 min/mile 1300 m Silver pace: 8 min/km 0 ft 0 Miles 10 Miles 20 Miles Just as important as the weather on the day of the race is the weather in the couple of weeks leading up to the event. If it is generally dry then the coast path on the south coast will be in good condition making progress relatively easy. Some rain in the last few days before the run will turn the dirt surface into a layer of slippery mud which will sap your energy whilst you try and stay upright. If there is a lot of rain in the build up, the south coast path can turn very boggy in places making your shoes heavy and progress slow. The north coast by comparison is a lot more rocky and rainfall affects it less. Stats 11 min/mile Black pace: 14.9 miles 6 min/km 14 min/mile 24.0 kilometres Gold pace: 2300 feet 8 min/km 16 min/mile 700 m Silver pace: Potential Crew Parking 10 min/km Route Finding Care Needed 400 ft 300 ft 200 ft Marazion PORTHLEVEN TO PENZANCE - CP2 100 ft Porthleven Penzance This section is very much split into two. The first longer section from 0 ft Porthleven to Marazion is significantly lumpy with narrow footpaths 30 Miles of gravel or packed dirt or more likely mud. The second section from Marazion to Penzance is flat in comparison and on tarmac pavement. Many runners choose to swap from trail shoes to road Sunset Time: 17:11 shoes at Marazion as they are more suitable. Route finding is generally easy but care must be taken to follow the coast path south of Rinsey as the left turn there can easily be missed. If you end up on a boulder filled beach a mile before you reach the road at Marazion then you have gone wrong. Turning back is the best solution as it is difficult to escape from due to vertical unstable cliffs. Finally, at the far side of Marazion, keep to the south of the railway line. When you reach Penzance, you will be met on the coast path by the Arc Angels to take you to the checkpoint in the Rugby Club. PENZANCE TO LAND'S END - CP3 Out of Penzance and the tarmac continues until the other side of Mousehole. If you are in road shoes, meet your crew and change The path from The Minack continues as back to trail shoes in or around Newlyn.