East Cramlington Nature Park
Directions
The race is is run at East Cramlington Nature Park, which is on the eastern side of Cramlington, just off the A189 - not at Cramlington itself. To get there:
- Get north of Newcastle on the A1;
- Turn east onto the A19, at the Seaton Burn roundabout, north of Wideopen;
- Turn left onto the A189 at the second major junction after this roundabout, which is another roundabout;
- Take the first left, signposted, I think, "East Cramlington Trading Estate";
- Turn left at the T-junction that the slip road ends up at;
- Take the next left, which is the B1326;
- After the housing, which is East Cramlington village, as you come into open countryside, the entrance to East Cramlington Nature Park is on your left, and marshalls will direct you along park roads to where you should park.
Venue map. Note: the major road shown in the middle of this map is the A189, coming north off the A19. This is not obvious at all.
The venue
East Cramlington Nature Park. Acres of parking space at the Nature Park.
For 2010: the organisers are intoducing a one-way system within the country park. Full details, as well as driving directions in this Word Document. They've also helpfully supplied a detailed map, with yet more directions here (pdf). They say:
To assist with traffic flow we have been asked by Northumberland County Council to introduce a one-way system within the country park. Access to the country park will be via the normal entrance at East Cramlington. The exit will be at the north end of the Nature Reserve onto the A192 road. On exiting the Nature Reserve drivers will need to turn left onto the A192 and travel 1300 metres to Laverock Hall roundabout. At the roundabout turn left and take the first slip road back onto the A189.
The course
Three 2 mile laps of an undulating, rather than hilly, course along grassy paths alongside coniferous plantations.
