The opening and closing kilometre of the route is across the farm fields at Woolmer's Farm, a mix of grass fields and farm track. The vast majority of the route is on the tarmac of the Tarka Trail and is a lovely smooth and very flat surface. This is an out back run with the picturesque river Taw forming the backdrop to the run.
At 3km you will pass an Old Station, now a busy cafe at Fremington Quay and you will go through a short 76m long tunnel as you come towards the second station at Instow, where you will come to the second drinks station on this route, 7km in to the route. The next drinks station comes at Bideford Station 12km complete with station buildings and carriages. Langcross Tunnel is the next landmark on the route at 14km, a 76m long tunnel which marks a local high point on the route.


This section of the route is lovely and shaded and has great views as the route crosses back and forth over the river. There is now a gentle downhill towards the fourth drinks station at the route at Torrington Station which has a short heritage line. Keep going for another 500m or so and you will reach the turn point and start your return journey back towards the finish line, passing four drinks stations as you go.


As you can see, the elevation profile is super flat with just 83m elevation change across the Marathon