Extreme mud warning and closed footpath for Run SouthNorth Great!

If you are planning to attempt Run SouthNorth Great! on Saturday 21st March. Firstly, are you really sure you want to? This is your extreme mud warning, there is extremely muddy and wet sections throughout. Secondly, I recently walked it in 6h42m and was knee deep in wet mud in the first field near St Catherine’s Lighthouse (resulting in trashing my feet, a lot of walking pain, blisters and trench foot). I think the worse may be avoided by going along the coast instead of diagonally up and across field (or could be along the top of the field, I wasn’t prepared to retry at the time). There is unavoidable ankle deep mud for most of Whitwell to bottom of Bagwich Lane. Also the initial up through Parkhurst Forest to the Signalman is an uphill ankle deep mudfest slog! Then the final long stretch out of Parkhurst Forest is another WTF flat mudfest! It’s not over yet, after a refreshing bit of Noke Common Road, Pallance Gate to Pallance Lane is a wet shoe wash followed by more mud! Good luck! Remember everyone run/walks at their own risk!!

https://wightpaths.co.uk/
is a great tool, especially with path closures turned on!

CLOSED FOOTPATH!
GL17 from Roud Road to GL18 is CLOSED!! Luckily I know the land owner and we have permission to detour and cross their land to rejoin GL18 to Beacon Alley. Head up the road a bit more and then in towards the farmhouses and go in front (your right) of main farmhouse and up through the gap to the field and along to your right (see photos).