Rose of the Shires

54 miles of beautiful Northamptonshire country trails, roads and towpath. The route is approximately 72% trail and 28% on road.   The Race start and finish is hosted by the Brixworth Country Park with plenty of room for parking, and only 20 minutes drive from the M1 Motorway. The race is a single loop making for easy planning and logistics. The route takes in the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside with two country parks, Salcey Forest, the Grand Union Canal and 21 pretty villages and towns following parts of the Nene Way, the Midshires Way and the Northampton Round. There are 6 checkpoints at 6 to 8 mile intervals with support from the local running community. The event is fully tracked and interactive so friends and family will be able to follow your progress from the comfort of their armchairs – and also you can make sure that you are following the route! For anyone wanting to stay overnight, Northampton offers a wealth of hotels to suit all budgets. We are proud to be an Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc index race.