This route must be one of the most complicated to describe yet in reality there is only one area where you can get it badly wrong  and this occurs at about two thirds distance. The start/registration/finish area is at The Fox and Hounds Public House in Ainthorpe Village. The pub. itself is situated at the top of the village at 704077. This is an inn which has always actively sponsored and supported the event. The route sets off along the road before going across Ainthorpe Rigg.
It leaves the road at 706073 then follows a wide path to the Cross Dyke area where the path follows a well established footpath in a SW direction above Danby Rigg passing the trig point at 708059. 
You now pick up the Jack Sledge Road (Path) at 705052 [CP1] .  Once over the highest point you begin to descend towards Botton in a SW direction. You leave this path however at 701047 at the point where you have reached the beginning of a very steep descent. Instead you continue South on a permitted footpath until you come to the stream crossing at 702040. Here you meet the path heading NW from Wolf Pit.
Continue in a southerly direction turning south westerly as you descend slightly, crossing Old Hannah’s Nick. Stay reasonably high now so that you meet the contouring path at about 330metres. This section follows a line to the SE. of the scars that run along the edge of the most precipitous points i.e. 698036 to 695035. 
At this latter point there is another permitted path which continues south above the 350 metre contour until a point opposite the woods at Danby Head. Here the path falls away swinging SW until you cross a ravine at 692024 [CP2].

Climb out of the ravine and head in a NW direction at approximately the level of 350 metre contour line passing about 100metres to the NE of the two springs at 686025 and 684027. Follow a definite footpath to a point where you are directly west of Honey Bee Nest. At this point you head NE towards St. Helena to the top of a stream gulley at 684034. In 2003 descend the stream gulley to St. Helena then follow  the tarmac road.

(The 2000/2  route did not descend the gulley to St Helena. Instead it followed a taped track to the left which eventually descended back down to the tarmac road after approx 700 metres but it is too overgrown to use this year).

In 2003 follow this road north to a point where you cross the minor road above Stormy Hall on the Quaker’s Way. This path continues in a northerly direction. 

There will now be an extra manned checkpoint between checkpoints 2 and 3, approx 300 metres in from the Stormy Hall road.

You now follow this general line until you are directly opposite West Cliff Farm at 687051. Carry on contouring through the bracken, in a northerly direction to Crag House Farm.

(The 2000/2 route ascended gently towards the Castleton Rigg road from  a point opposite Plum Tree Farm at 687054. Here there is a path junction as it crosses a stream, where you continued to ascend to the road. You reached the road side where there was a marker stone indicating Stormy Hall is one mile. This route was used because certain runners were short cutting the corner and crossing the fields and jeopardizing the future of the race. The route then followed the road verge in a NW direction. The road itself is out of bounds! At 684059 (old CP3) you met a path which descended in a small gulley towards Crag House Farm. This route was approx 200m longer with approx. 120ft more climb).

For 2003 there will be a new checkpoint [CP3] at the gate to Crag House Farm. Go through the farm and continue to follow this road across the valley in an NNE direction. Keep heading east past the end of Toft’s Lane. You will pass the Church and the cemetery . You need the footpath that proceeds towards the moor to the east of the stone wall going through between Plum Tree House and North End Farm ( 703064). Once on this path follow the wall edge in a north easterly direction. This will cause you to ascend back onto the top of Ainthorpe Rigg meeting the path on which you started some 200 metres before the road that returns to The Fox and Hounds Pub. After the race you can tuck into Bob Lillie's famous Pie & Peas.....