HHH 2020 VR Series HH/Lindfield 10k
Overview
The route takes you from a start at the Joan Nightingale House Sign on Bolnore Road behind Beech Hurst, then onto Muster Green (south side), South Road, Sheppeys and Bolding Way to Rocky Lane; crossing at the Wivelsfield Road roundabout then up a footpath onto Colwell Road and the PRH, crossing Franklynn Road and descending via Frankton Avenue / Northlands Wood / Gravelye onto Lewes Road; across Lindfield Common, Backwoods Lane, a "there & back" along Blackthorns, West Common and up to the pelican crossing on Oathall Road then turn right to finish with one lap of the cricket pitch in Clair Park.
The route is designed to be as simple as possible to get into your head before you start. We want you to get your time recorded on Strava accurately, so take a good look at the segment and these instructions whilst you’re planning. Give particular attention to the way in which the route crosses Lindfield Common. Follow the Strava advice on recording your run, start your watch before the start line and complete the lap around Clair Park.
SAFETY AND SOCIAL DISTANCING. Your safety and that of others is your number 1 priority. There are footpaths all the way, which we suggest you use where parked cars and social distancing allow you to do so. Exercise common sense in regard to all matters of safety.
The main hazards are parked cars and dropped kerbs and there are 3 main roads to cross which are all at roundabouts – Rocky Lane / Wivelsfield Road; Franklynn Road / Frankton Avenue; and at the bottom of Oathall Road to take you from the left footpath to the right. Please take particular care at these places.
START
The official start is on Bolnore Road by the sign for Joan Nightingale House. Jog up to a small junction to Saddlers Way about 50m further up from here – start your watch and start running so you’re going well before you pass the JN House sign. Run on the right past the junction with Wealden Way, which then positions you well to TURN RIGHT at the two roundabouts into Muster Green. Spare a thought for history here as you start bombing along on the right hand side footpath towards South Road. You’re off and running. Instructions are set out for you in 3 sections
Section 1: Muster Green to PRH
Head eastwards along Muster Green, as it becomes South Road, past Victoria Park on your right and just after the pelican crossing:
TURN RIGHT into Haywards Road
Beware: The pavements might be busy here as there’s social distancing for shoppers at Iceland – (who invented BoGoF just in case that hasn’t turned up in your quiz yet). Parked cars from now until you reach the junction of Sheppys with Vale Road.
Continue for around 150m and then:
TURN RIGHT into Park Road at the end WIGGLE LEFT and RIGHT into Sunnywood Drive.
This is a nice down and then slightly up road, where at one point there’s a tree in the middle. Admire it briefly as you hurtle past – a London Plane, platanus x acerfolia. Keep going until you reach the end of Sunnywood Drive at the junction with Ashenground Road where you look both ways before you:
GO RIGHT and then LEFT into Sheppeys – pictured here.
Things are going well as it’s a nice bit of gentle downhill. But as runners we all know what goes down…. goes up. At the end of Sheppeys:
CROSS OVER when safe to do so and TURN RIGHT up a short hill and get onto the left side of the road, which positions you well to:
TURN LEFT up Bolding Way
This is what your coach describes as a nice hill, because you’re well warmed up now, it’s great to feel the power in your legs and the hill isn’t too long. Smiley face.
Just as the hill levels out at the top, look for a 90 degree:
RIGHT TURN for a 20m run up towards Rocky Lane. *Caution here: if you go straight on in Bolding Way into Holmbush Close it’s a dead end. * Look for a footpath where you
TURN LEFT on a cycle / pedestrian pathway to the roundabout which is the junction with Wivelsfield Road (B2112).
CROSS OVER at the dropped kerb and traffic island and take the tarmac FOOTPATH marked for cyclists and pedestrians with a blue sign ON THE LEFT which goes up between two grassy banks onto Colwell Road. Pictured here.
** An experienced runner went wrong here on the test run – so don’t let it happen to you! The footpath is between Wivelsfield Road and Kennard Lane.
Run on the right where there’s a path all the way to the end of Colwell Road (Beware : parked cars; and there’s a road junction after about 150m where as runners you follow a pedestrian made track in the grass which then leads you back onto the footpath. At the junction with Lewes Road:
BEAR RIGHT and keep on the pavement on the right, past the bus shelter until after about 150m:
STOP at the roundabout (pictured here) by the pedestrian dropped kerb where you’re going to TURN LEFT.
Section 2: Northlands Wood / Gravelye to Backwoods Lane
With the entrance to the PRH behind you and using the pedestrian dropped kerb and traffic island:
CROSS Franklynn Road when it’s safe to do so, and immediately head down Frankton Avenue towards Northlands Wood and Gravelye Lane. There’s a footpath all the way down here and we suggest you use it, but beware: traffic turning from side roads into the main road and also from the main road (behind you) at junctions especially Westlands Road, which is the busiest one on this stretch.
Great stuff – you have a nice run down to the Lewes Road in Lindfield, so relax your shoulders, keep your weight forward so that your footfalls are under your centre of gravity, and feel the wind in your hair. This is partly the speed you’re running and partly because if the wind is from the North it’s going to ruffle your hairdo. At the bottom of Gravelye:
TURN LEFT into Lewes Road.
Beware: traffic coming from the right has just entered the 30mph speed limit so may be travelling quite fast. Follow the footpath on the left of Lewes Road, past the first entrance to the Common at West View, then:
TURN LEFT next to a green metal gate, (the vehicle barrier, pictured here just before Old School Court) and aim towards the first bench that you see on the corner by the footpath on the right.
When you reach this bench (pic here), with playground on your right, aim for the tall oak, which leads to the gap in the railings onto Backwoods Lane (satmap below).
*Note * Please look to keep as close to this line as you can, and only stray away from it for social distancing reasons *
When you reach Backwoods Lane:
STOP and CROSS when its safe to do so and
TURN LEFT onto the footpath on the right hand side of Backwoods Lane.
Section 3: Backwoods Lane to finish in Clair Park
Stay on the right hand footpath along Backwoods Lane and continue as it turns right into Appledore Gardens. Your leg muscles have just done a surprising amount of hard work on the grass heading up the Common, and your brain has used up a whole load of oxygen trying to work out why the red dotted line which is so clear on the map doesn’t seem to have been sprayed on the grass. So you can let go now, shorten your stride to quicken your cadence before lengthening it slightly and maintaining the leg speed – you know where you’re going now.
Beware: there’s a lot of cars parked on the pavements coming up.
The road now descends and bears to the right and in a flash you’ll be zipping past Oathall College on your left before going slightly uphill and:
TURN RIGHT into Blackthorns. Your coach is reminding you of this from Tuesday training. And has borrowed this section from the VR 5k in a desperate attempt to get to 10k and finish in a safe place which isn’t the top of a mountain. Run the whole of Blackthorns to the roundabout at the end. Run around the roundabout and head back where you came from and:
TURN RIGHT onto Appledore Gardens again and:
CROSS the road at a dropped kerb near the mini roundabout to turn left onto West Common where you join the left side footpath.
Beware: traffic on this roundabout and on Appledore Gardens.
You’re now trying to keep your running form along West Common, perhaps noticing a slight kick from the downhill. You’re on the home stretch - and mindful too of a bit of uphill on Oathall Road to come, so:
Beware: traffic is behind you and this pavement is narrow in places, especially at the traffic lights. Common sense about safety and social distancing here please. Remember you’re not just any runner, you’re a considerate and well trained Beetroot. Double smiley face.
As you approach the big roundabout, cross over the junction with Greenways then look around and behind you before reaching the pedestrian dropped kerb at the roundabout where you:
TURN TO THE RIGHT TO CROSS OVER the roundabout junction with Oathall Road and:
CONTINUE STRAIGHT ON up Oathall Road. Dig deep here. This hill is a bit vicious but remind yourself that you only have to go as far as the turning into Clair Park so:
TURN RIGHT onto the footpath at the pelican crossing. Head straight on along the footpath towards the pavilion where you’re going to run one glory lap around the cricket field so:
TURN RIGHT after the pavilion, continuing on the footpath until you reach the cricket nets, TURN RIGHT onto the grass and keep to the outside edge of the flat part of cricket field. The finish line is the blue sign saying Clair Park on your left just over half way round (pictured here), but keep going until you get to the pavilion, to make sure your time is recorded.
And breathe…..
Congratulations you’ve just completed the HHH VR Lindfield 10k!