Location.....The village of Ballynonty is just 10.5 kms / 6.5 miles from the M8 motorway...
See map & photos below.....From the motorway, take exit 6....drive 800m to the T-junction in Horse & Jockey where you turn left...You are now on the old Cork-Dublin road. Drive up this road for 1.9 kms / 1.2 miles and take a right onto the L4101 (signposted for Killenaule which is just to the south of Ballynonty). Keep driving straight for 7.8 kms / 4.9 miles and you'll end up in Ballynonty.
 |
| Left at the T-junction in Horse & Jockey |
 |
| Right at the next junction which is signposted for Killenaule |
Closer look at Ballynonty....See map & photos below...As you approach from the direction of the Horse & Jockey, you'll pass the finish line of the race just before you come to a crossroads in the village. Drive straight through and 140m on the left, you'll see the local community centre which is in an ordinary residential house. This is the race HQ.
 |
| View of the crossroads as you arrive from the direction of Horse & Jockey. Drive straight through. |
 |
| Ballynonty Community Centre is 140m from the crossroads in the village |
Course Map.......
Profile....
Course description.......The race starts about 0.8 miles from the village of Ballynonty. Most runners use this as part of their warm up for the race. The photo below shows the start area. The road is flat and not actually uphill. Considering the numbers that usually take part in this race, no time is lost at the start line.
The road for the first 0.7 miles is reasonably level until you approach New Birmingham. There is a gradual climb about 600m long here. Coming so early in the race, it's not a major issue even though it's the toughest part of the course.
You pass the 1 mile mark going uphill. The photo below shows the view from the next junction as you come up the hill and then turn left. As the photo shows, you have a rapid descent almost straight away from the junction...
Downhill view...
The road levels off close to the 2 mile mark when yo start passing some bog cuttings...
View at the road junction at 2.8 miles...still flat and straight....
There are a few small pulls along this section but they tend to be pretty short. In the whole, it's mostly a very fast section.
You pass the 5 mile mark as you approach Littleton...
At around 5.4 miles on the edge of Littleton, you take a left and head south...
Almost straight away, you are leaving Littleton behind as you head back out into the countryside as you pass Ballybeg Castle around 5.6 miles...
The road continues much the same as before...level and straight. At about 6.2 miles, you join the road from Horse & Jocket to Ballynonty...
Note! This is probably the busiest road on the course and the road is not closed to traffic. It usually isn't that heavy but you should be aware of passing traffic and stay to the side of the road.
The road along this stretch is different in that the road now has a number of short pulls. At around the 7.5 mile mark, the gradient increases slightly.
They hardly merit the description of hills as they are so short. The photo below show one just as you enter the outskirts of Ballynonty. It's perhaps 100m or so in length and the rise in elevation is perhaps only a few metres. Really nothing that anyone would consider serious.
The finish line is about 50m before the crossroads...
Overall........A reasonably fast 10 mile course. It certainly wouldn't be considered slower than the likes of say Dungarvan or Ballycotton. The most significant hill comes early on and there is plenty of flat and fast running for the rest of the race.
Organised by Ballynonty AC, it could probably be best described as a 'back to basics no frills race'. i.e. Accurate course with a very modest entry fee.
