Grand Western Canal - Ultra / Adventure racing

TheVicar

22/02/2012 at 15:33

hi all,

Not sure if this is the best place to post this. However has anybody ever ran the distance of the grand western canal? From Tiverton to Taunton? I am very new to the whole ultra thing (Not sure it can actually be classed as an ultra but I think its a little longer than 26.2 miles) and just looking around my local area for a challenge so to speak and this kind of screamed out at me.

In the future it would be nice to run the whole length but was wondering what the access is like and how much does it keep to the canal, is their much road running etc. Any more info appreciated?

seren nos

pirate

22/02/2012 at 16:23

ran from tiverton up about 8 miles towards the motorway and it was all on the canal as I can rememeber and lovely to run along........i then had to turn back though

now you have mentioned it i actually fancy the run

TheVicar

22/02/2012 at 16:28

Ive just read that. Apparantly it stops after 11.5 miles then you have to do a bit of off roading. I was wondering how much. I cant be bothered to do any map reading. i was just hoping for a nice canal towpath jog

seren nos

pirate

22/02/2012 at 17:21

having a read the canal seems to be dry in somerset but they have got a path......not sure how easy it is to follow.....

runnersbeen

23/02/2012 at 10:55

I have run the length of the canal and it is just over 11.5 you have to cross over the road near the end to get to the last bit but its still a path. It just comes to a stop at the 11.5. I was quite dissapointed actually, not sure what I was expecting at the end but it was just a dam of mud. Good luck, the most boring route in the world.

TheVicar

23/02/2012 at 11:10

But after the end of the path it does connect up between Tiverton and Taunton. Yeah it probably is boring but its very very flat

runnersbeen

23/02/2012 at 11:19

Yep it is def flat. No idea what happens after the mud dam as did not go any further. I could not actually see that there was any path that went any further.

I find dead flat quite hard, I prefer some undulation and a field to pop into for a wee if necessary. LOL.

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