Wicklow Way Relay

Runners will arrive at the car-park at the beginning of the leg on a broad track from the forest underneath the JB Malone memorial stone, The leg can be divided into three stages as follows

This is 1.2km in length along the main Sally Gap road, with views of Lough Tay in the valley below to the runners right. After about 1 kilometre on the road, runners will pass by two large gate pillars on the right (the "Pier Gates") framing a road dropping sharply to the lake below, Continuing on past these pillars the WW swings around to the left and some 300 metres past the pillars , runners turn right onto a WW sign-posted track, for the second stage of the leg

This stage is some 4.5 km in length, on a broad track undulating through forest and open moorland, with all junctions clearly marked with WW posts. After 1km runners veer right and come to a forestry hut on their left . 100 metres beyond the hut, runners will first see the Roundwood Reservoir several miles away in a broad valley below them to their left. Some 700 metres on from the hut pass through a farm gate. Runners then tackle a long forested stretch which ends in a down-hill loop to the left. Through a second gate, followed by a straight stretch out to a tarmac road. At the road once turn right, the one noticeable absence of a WW sign-post.

This is about 2km in length: runners will first travel about 500 metres to a road junction (left) but keep going straight on as sign-posted. The rest of the stage proceeds downhill through attractive beech woods, crosses a bridge on the Avonmore River and arrives at Oldbridge crossroad (stage end)

Runners start the next leg travelling straight on up-hill, following the WW sign-posting.

BD