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Home , Cot Valley, Poldhu, Porthleven, Portreath, Rinsey, Zennor Head

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 to Porthtowan nominally via the . 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 , Cape 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 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 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

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 Head take the short cut which was the route in previous years. Don't cut the headland. Correct Route: X Incorrect Route: X

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 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

You are almost at the end. Well done! 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 - 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: 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 PORTHLEVEN TO - 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 . 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 . Please, no crew to visit a narrow gravel path with boulders to Mousehole due to the narrow roads and late night noise issues. climb around together with runable sections. From Mousehole, you are back on a gravel / dirt track which is generally runable. This all changes when you reach . Here From to Land’s End is you meet the first properly technical section and the need to climb similar but far more exposed. If there is a over and around some large lumps of granite. These sections are westerly storm coming in, a common all relatively short with runable sections in between but expect your issue on the Arc, then you will feel the full pace to drop. force of it from this point onwards. The coast path runs very close to the cliff At St Loy, you will drop briefly onto the beach and have some very edge in numerous places so please take large boulders to hop across. Stay high on the beach so you can care, especially if the weather is bad. easily spot the signed exit. Route finding can be interesting here too.

Next up is , a small hamlet. Again, please no crew visits to When you get to Land’s End, prepare Penberth due to narrow roads and late night noise issues. yourself for the next section to St Ives, the toughest section of the course. Make As you approach The Minack, take care with your navigation as sure you have put on extra layers of there are multiple paths and it is easy to miss some of the turnings clothes and have more available and in the dark. You approach The Minack from the bottom of the cliff have plenty of food and water with you. It before turning sharply inland and going directly up the cliff on large is going to be brutal.. granite steps. Your legs will love you for this. The Minack is a good place to meet your crew as there is a large car park and is also the halfway point of the run. Stats 14 min/mile Black pace: 15.3 miles 8 min/km 19 min/mile 24.6 kilometres Gold pace: 2900 feet 12 min/km 21 min/mile 900 m Silver pace: 13 min/km

400 ft

300 ft Land's End Potential Crew Parking 200 ft Minack Lamorna Mousehole 100 ft Penzance Route Finding Care Needed 0 ft 40 Miles 50 Miles 400 ft Stats

16 min/mile Zennor Black pace: 300 ft 10 min/km Pendeen Cot Valley

23.4 miles Land's End 22 min/mile 200 ft 37.6 kilometres Gold pace: 14 min/km 100 ft

4900 feet St Ives 22 min/mile 1500 m Silver pace: 14 min/km 0 ft 60 Miles 70 Miles

Pendeen is decision time. The next section to St Ives is Potential Crew Parking the hardest of the Arc. It is 13 miles long, wild and rugged and there is no road access on any part of it. It is possible to meet crew at the half way point at Zennor but there is a Route Finding Care Needed half mile walk from the road to the coast path for your crew. Elite runners may make three miles an hour along this section but two miles an hour is more realistic.

Expect to be hit by the full force of the wind / rain / hail / LAND'S END TO ST IVES - CP4 sleet / snow and not to be able to find any shelter at all for the majority of this section. Traverse this section with It’s dark, you have been up for hours, your legs feel like lead other runners if at all possible for your own safety. and the weather is probably terrible. Now it's time to do the hard bit. It is however, an absolutely stunning section of the coast path and if you get to see the sunrise here, it can be It starts off relatively easily. Leave Land’s End and head fantastically beautiful. towards the First and Last House by keeping relatively close to the cliff edge. Turn sharp right at the building and then The path is gravel / rock / mud and in sections will look follow the coast path around the top of the cliff until you like a rockery with plenty of water features. This can reach the Coast Guard Lookout as you approach make finding the correct route difficult as the path is Cove. Go right up to the lookout before turning right again basically indicated by the more worn rock. Go off route onto a paved path. This is a common area to go wrong. and you can end up in bog that you can lose legs in. You will also hit a short section of large boulders that require At the far side of Sennen keep low and take the coast path significant scrambling to get over. at the back of the car park. Do not take any paths that go uphill. The path improves as you get closer to St Ives and you can start running sections again. A tarmac path will take Continue on a mixture of path types including sand. You will you into St Ives, the main road to Porthmeor beach and a gradually slow as the path gets harder and you are back to lot of bemused locals. Don’t get lost as you head towards climbing over boulders. Drop down into Cot Valley, turn the harbour, you don’t need to go onto the headland but sharp right and follow the tarmac road inland up the hill can cut across by the shortest route. before doubling back sharp left onto the coast path and an up hill track. An easyish path then takes you to Cape Get to St Ives and the worst is over, however you don’t Cornwall, another good spot to meet crew. just need to get to St Ives. You need to get to St Ives inside of the cut off and the St Ives cut off is very tight. Sunrise Time: 07:59 Cape Cornwall to Pendeen is runable but there are a lot of Make it and you can relax just a little bit and give yourself path options and it is easy to make a mistake here. a longer recovery at the checkpoint as the remaining cut offs are more lenient. Stats 13 min/mile ST IVES TO PORTHTOWAN Black pace: 21.7 miles 8 min/km 16 min/mile Most people who make it within the cut off to St 35.0 kilometres Gold pace: Ives make it to the finish as it is possible to walk 3600 feet 9 min/km 23 min/mile the last 22 miles and be within the time cut off. 1100 m Silver pace: The worst of the route is now over but this still 14 min/km Sunset Time: 17:11 doesn’t mean that there aren’t difficulties and chances to go wrong.

400 ft Coming out of St Ives, road shoes are again an option as most of the route around to Hayle is on 300 ft St Ives Porthtowan

tarmac. There are sections on dirt / gravel paths Portreath 200 ft Godrevy

but these are in the main flat and runable if you Dunes of Doom have any energy left in your legs. You could still 100 ft hit a few patches of mud coming out of Hayle 0 ft Bay where off road shoes would be better but 80 Miles 90 Miles 100 Miles there isn’t much.

After running through Hayle you leave the tarmac behind and enter the Dunes of Doom. This section has been so named by past Arc participants due to how easy it is to get lost in a maze of identical looking sand and gravel paths. The entire area is very popular with walkers and The coast takes the steep uphill switch back road the paths go everywhere. A few years back, the out of Portreath. Follow it to the car park at the coast path here was marked with big slate top before turning left onto a gravel path. markers and these help, however on some at the far end, the marker arrows don’t point in the The final leg to Porthtowan is more of the same, correct direction. Do not go onto the beach at any generally runable but with some large down and stage. ups to add interest. Sally’s Bottom which includes a large number of steps is particularly memorable The path through the dunes is generally runable on tired legs. but there are sections of soft sand which will fill your shoes. If you changed to road shoes at St When you drop into Porthtowan it is time to leave Ives, change back at Godrevy at the end of the the coast path and simply follow the main road dunes so you can get rid of the sand as well. inland. The final section will be signed so your route finding difficulties are over but the work for Have a look at the seals at Godrevy (zawn with your legs is not. The final climb to the finish line is signs, barriers and people gawping around the the tallest continuous climb on the entire route. It top) and then continue to Portreath on a wouldn’t be a MudCrew event otherwise! generally flat, runable gravel path. That is apart Potential Crew Parking from a few big down and ups to slow you down. Congratulations! You have just completed the Raidlight Arc of Attrition. Route Finding Care Needed FOLLOW THE ACORNS

Acorns can be stuck to lamp posts and other street furniture or engraved onto slate so keep an eye out for them.

The South West Coast Path is marked with acorns. Find and follow those, keep the sea on your left and for the vast majority of the time, this is all the route finding you need to do. Unfortunately, in some places signage is missing, stolen or was never there in the first place. You therefore need to keep track of where On marker posts, there is almost always a dividing line between you are and where you are going. arrows indicating the Coast Path and arrows indicating other footpaths. On the above marker post, the Coast Path is straight A map and compass and the knowledge of how to ahead and the footpath to the right should be ignored. use them is important and remember that electronic GPS trackers can and do fail. Lots of people get lost on the Arc including locals and those who have run the route many times before. When it is dark and the hail stones are coming in sideways, going wrong is And remember, this easy and you can lose a lot of time and energy is what the acorns getting back on course. look like at night! APPROXIMATE TIMINGS FOR DIFFERENT FINISH TIMES

Cadgwith Lizard PointMullion P.leven (CP1)Praa SandsMarazion Penzance(CP2)MouseholePenberth L. End (CP3)Sennen Cape CornwallPendeen Zennor St Ives (CP4)Hayle Godrevy Portreath Finish Miles 7 11 17 25 29 36 40 42 49 55 57 62 66 73 79 86 90 97 101 21 hours 13:04 13:38 14:34 15:42 16:43 17:47 18:22 18:56 20:30 21:59 22:30 23:38 00:30 02:26 03:58 05:18 06:30 07:53 09:00 22 hours 13:07 13:43 14:42 15:52 16:57 18:04 18:41 19:16 20:55 22:27 23:00 00:11 01:06 03:08 04:44 06:08 07:22 08:49 10:00 23 hours 13:10 13:47 14:49 16:03 17:10 18:21 18:59 19:36 21:19 22:56 23:30 00:45 01:42 03:49 05:30 06:57 08:15 09:46 11:00 24 hours 13:14 13:52 14:57 16:13 17:24 18:37 19:17 19:56 21:43 23:24 00:00 01:18 02:18 04:30 06:15 07:47 09:08 10:43 12:00 25 hours 13:17 13:57 15:04 16:24 17:37 18:54 19:35 20:15 22:08 23:53 00:30 01:51 02:53 05:12 07:01 08:36 10:01 11:40 13:00 26 hours 13:20 14:01 15:11 16:34 17:51 19:10 19:53 20:35 22:32 00:21 01:00 02:24 03:29 05:53 07:47 09:26 10:54 12:37 14:00 27 hours 13:23 14:06 15:19 16:45 18:04 19:27 20:12 20:55 22:56 00:50 01:30 02:58 04:05 06:34 08:32 10:15 11:47 13:33 15:00 28 hours 13:26 14:11 15:26 16:56 18:18 19:43 20:30 21:15 23:21 01:18 02:00 03:31 04:41 07:15 09:18 11:04 12:40 14:30 16:00 29 hours 13:29 14:15 15:33 17:06 18:31 20:00 20:48 21:35 23:45 01:47 02:30 04:04 05:16 07:57 10:04 11:54 13:32 15:27 17:00 30 hours 13:32 14:20 15:41 17:17 18:45 20:17 21:06 21:55 00:09 02:15 03:00 04:37 05:52 08:38 10:49 12:43 14:25 16:24 18:00 31 hours 13:35 14:25 15:48 17:27 18:58 20:33 21:25 22:14 00:34 02:44 03:30 05:11 06:28 09:19 11:35 13:33 15:18 17:21 19:00 32 hours 13:38 14:30 15:56 17:38 19:12 20:50 21:43 22:34 00:58 03:12 04:00 05:44 07:04 10:01 12:21 14:22 16:11 18:17 20:00 33 hours 13:41 14:34 16:03 17:48 19:25 21:06 22:01 22:54 01:22 03:41 04:30 06:17 07:39 10:42 13:06 15:12 17:04 19:14 21:00 34 hours 13:44 14:39 16:10 17:59 19:39 21:23 22:19 23:14 01:47 04:09 05:00 06:51 08:15 11:23 13:52 16:01 17:57 20:11 22:00 35 hours 13:48 14:44 16:18 18:10 19:52 21:39 22:37 23:34 02:11 04:38 05:30 07:24 08:51 12:04 14:38 16:51 18:50 21:08 23:00 36 hours 13:51 14:48 16:25 18:20 20:06 21:56 22:56 23:54 02:35 05:06 06:00 07:57 09:27 12:46 15:23 17:40 19:42 22:05 00:00 Cut off 19:30 23:45 05:30 09:00 14:00 19:00 00:00

This table is based on the average times of runners from the 2020 Arc and shows expected times along the course for different finish times. Most runners make an approximately flat line across the Lizard PointMullion P.leven (CP1)Praa SandsMarazion Penzan (CP2)MouseholePenberth L. End (CP3)Sennen Cape CornwallPendeen Zennor St Ives (CP4)Hayle Godrevy Portreath Finish Miles table as shown on the graph to the right. This graph show the times of selected runners from 2020. 21 hours 22 hours Note the rise in the lines of the slower runners around St Ives as they race the cut off. 23 hours 24 hours 25 hours 26 hours The best use of the table is for crew to make an approximate estimate of the time a runner will arrive at 27 hours 28 hours the next meeting point. For example, if a runner arrives at Sennen at 3:30am on Saturday morning, 29 hours 30 hours then they are likely to arrive at Cape Cornwall at 5:11am. 31 hours 32 hours 33 hours 34 hours All figures are best effort only and may be out by a considerable margin depending on the route 35 hours 36 hours conditions on the day. Cut off You do not need to meet at all Postcodes are given for each parking spot but these are all approximate and some these points. CREW MEETING POINTS are quite a bit out. Better are the what3words.com locations. It is recommend that crew download the what3words app onto their phones as this allows the links to work Click maps for directions. offline. You will be in many areas with poor phone coverage so this helps a lot.

COVERACK LIZARD POINT 0 Miles 10 Miles TR12 6TF TR12 7NT ///reset.headstone.sheet ///bleat.start.fuzz

Please arrive a good while before National Trust car park. the coaches. Additional small car park 50m below main car park.

KENNACK SANDS Kynance Cove 5 Miles 12 Miles TR12 7LT TR12 7PJ ///column.office.prompts ///provoking.gasp.vine

https://what3words.com/

CADGWITH COVE 7 Miles 17 Miles TR12 7JZ TR12 7ER ///streaking.rummage.prices ///flitting.stable.sample

Footpath to cove at bottom of car park. You do not need to meet at all CREW MEETING POINTS these points. Click maps for directions.

POLDHU COVE 19 Miles 29 Miles TR12 7JB TR20 9TG ///goodnight.suppers.somebody ///topic.flux.bluffing

CHURCH COVE 20 Miles 33 Miles TR12 7QE TR20 9NE ///thrusters.asteroid.jelly ///slider.unscrew.snowballs

Small car park.

(Points for pronouncing name https://what3words.com/ correctly...)

PORTHLEVEN - CP 1 25 Miles MARAZION TR13 9NZ 36 Miles ///hurray.same.pythons TR17 0EG New checkpoint for 2021 at the ///magically.supplied.galaxies Football Club. No crew inside of checkpoint. Lots of car parks in this area.

Crew parking in public car parks opposite football club (not in the football club) or near to harbour. You do not need to meet at all CREW MEETING POINTS these points. Click maps for directions.

PENZANCE - CP 2 MINACK THEATRE 40 Miles 51 Miles TR18 4LY TR19 6JU follow signs when close ///poorly.acted.misfits ///musician.economics.foggy

Lots of car parking along the front. Popular meeting point for crew.

No crew in checkpoint at Rugby Club.

NEWLYN PORTHGWARRA 41 Miles 52 Miles TR18 5JR TR19 6JP ///breed.tiptoes.bandwagon ///colleague.limitless.resemble

MOUSEHOLE No crew to visit Mousehole due to narrow roads and noise issues.

LAMORNA LAND'S END - CP3 45 Miles 55 Miles TR19 6XQ TR19 7AA ///checked.emphasis.foggy ///pound.utensil.value

No crew in checkpoint PENBERTH No crew to visit Penberth due to narrow roads and noise issues. You do not need to meet at all CREW MEETING POINTS these points. Click maps for directions.

SENNEN COVE PENDEEN 57 Miles 65 Miles TR19 7DF TR19 7ED ///fattening.rotations.launcher ///weekend.above.instilled Last easy access point before St Don't use the car park at the top of Ives. Very crowded as car park the hill unless you want a long shown is small. Additional parking walk. Two car parks along the front. on road to lighthouse but take care not to cause an obstruction.

CAPE CORNWALL ZENNOR 61 Miles 72 Miles TR19 7NN TR26 3BY ///countries.dizzy.money ///yours.goats.statement Car park is half a mile from the coast path. Crew should dress up warm if they walk to the coast path as it is a cold place to wait.

LEVANT ST IVES - CP 4 64 Miles 79 Miles TR19 7SX TR26 2BH ///relaxed.crackled.snoozing ///repaid.addicted.dugouts Lots of car parking in St Ives. Link takes you to the railway station car park which is large and close to the checkpoint. No crew in checkpoint. You do not need to meet at all CREW MEETING POINTS these points. Click maps for directions.

CARBIS BAY 80 Miles 88 Miles TR26 2NN TR27 5BT ///mailbox.afternoon.beefed ///globe.hamsters.confetti Hotel car park (pay)

LELANT SALTINGS GODREVY 82 Miles 89 Miles TR27 6HB TR27 5ED ///hotspot.camped.excusing ///paramedic.seriously.bravery Two large National Trust car parks. If you arrive early, go and visit the seals.

HAYLE HELL'S MOUTH 84 Miles 92 Miles TR27 5AS TR27 5EG ///gadgets.engineers.grid ///whistle.hidden.insurance Lots of car parking options. You do not need to meet at all CREW MEETING POINTS these points. Click maps for directions.

BASSET'S COVE 94 Miles TR14 0HE ///fatter.panicking.food

PORTREATH 96 Miles TR16 4NN ///scribble.scrapping.spine

FINISH - ECO PARK 100 Miles PORTHTOWAN TR4 8HL 99 Miles ///flattens.snoring.sprain TR4 8UD ///outlooks.rucksack.shiver Walk to the Unicorn Pub from the car park.