This description is a modified version of one sent to me by Dave Robson. It describes the route taken in 2003.

The start of the race was in the lane beside the Pump House Restaurant. The race then goes along the lane towards the A177, turns left and past the entrance to Houghall College. Just before the A177 enters a cutting, the race takes an often muddy footpath left into the woods. The footpath wanders along the outside edge of the woods, and then at a junction the race bears right up a horrible hill (the ravine). At the top, turn left along a lane and go past the VC's house. This is Hollingside Lane. Then, when you can really smell the sewage works on the right and when the lane turns in that direction, turn left back down into woods down a muddy bank that has some uneven steps.

At the bottom, there is a junction where one path goes left through the woods and another path goes straight on. At this junction, the women's race goes straight on whereas the men's race goes left to do another loop: along the path to the bottom of the horrible hill, go up it a second time, past the VC's house again, and down the muddy bank again.

The return route from the junction goes straight on along a path towards Houghall Farm. Halfway along this path, a rather large tree has fallen across the path: so the path goes down some steps just before the tree which you have to duck under, and then it goes up some steps. At the end of the path, there is a stile just before a junction where tarmac-ed lanes go left, right and straight on. At this junction, go straight on, along the lane to finish at the Pump House.