Legacy cache, formerly known as The Olympics come to Hadleigh
Located in the Essex countryside on land owned by the Salvation Army, Hadleigh Farm is a 550-acre site that features beautiful grassland and woodland. It also includes the surrounding countryside of Hadleigh Castle Country Park.
Hadleigh Farm offers some fantastic terrain for mountain biking, with gradients measuring 70 metres from top to bottom.
The design and build
Construction work began on the London 2012 Mountain Bike course in July 2010 and was completed on time and within budget in March 2011. In total, 500 tonnes of rock and 3,500 tonnes of crushed stone were used in its creation.
The five kilometre circuit is situated on open hillside – a new concept for Mountain Bike events, which are typically held in forested areas.
The course has been specially designed to provide a physical and technical challenge for the world’s leading riders, with plenty of demanding climbs and descents. Specific features include Snake Hill, The Rock Garden and Deane’s Drop.
Mountain Bike competitions at the Olympic Games take place over rough and hilly countryside. All riders start together and must complete a set number of laps of the course, with races lasting a minimum of 1hour 30mins and maximum of 1hour 45mins for both men and women. All competitors start together and the first rider to cross the finish line wins the gold.
Bicycles used in Mountain Bike events are built for speed, durability and comfort – no easy task given the variety of terrain. They need to be quick and light enough to aid climbing through uneven terrain, but sturdy and stable enough to handle descents at extreme speeds.
Feed and technical stations are set at designated parts of the course where athletes can make repairs to their bikes and take on much-needed energy.
After the Games
At the end of July 2012, Essex County Council received planning permission from Castle Point Borough Council, confirming a legacy for the area from the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Hadleigh Farm and Country Park Olympic Legacy Project will retain and adapt the Olympic Mountain Bike course for use by the public, as well as expand and enhance Hadleigh Country Park, providing opportunities for people to more fully access, enjoy and appreciate the area’s natural historic environment. The plans also include a Visitors Centre, Café, bike hire shop and network of multi-user walking and cycling tracks.
Men's event 12th August 2012
Jaroslav Kulhavy of the Czech Republic won the men's cross-country mountain bike, beating Nino Schurter of Switzerland in a sprint finish. The two leaders were inseparable through the last circuit before Kulhavy pulled away on the final climb. Marco Aurelio Fontana of Italy finished in the bronze medal position.
Defending champion Julien Absalon of France, the 2004 and 2008 gold medallist, failed to finish after falling down the field following a puncture.
Great Britain's Liam Killeen was taken to hospital with what was later confirmed as a broken left ankle after crashing on boulders.
Women's event 11th August 2012
France's Julie Bresset won her country's 10th gold medal of the London 2012 Olympics after sealing victory in the women's mountain biking. Bresset cruised to victory with a sensational ride finishing ahead of Sabine Spitz of Germany and Georgia Gould of the United States.
Britain's Annie Last led for much of the first lap at Hadleigh Farm in Essex, before fading and eventually finishing eighth.
Jaroslav Kulhavy
Julie Bresset
You are looking for a small black pot.
Note: the paths around here can be very muddy and quite steep. There can also be the added problem of cyclists, so WATCH OUT.
This should ONLY be approached from the country park SOUTH-WEST of the cache, not from the north and not from the castle direction - see the map in the gallery. Specifically, you need to get onto the Blue Walk near the cache. At the corner closest to GZ (waypoint 1), take the little track up the hill. Waypoint 2 gives suggested spot to leave this track and work your way through less dense undergrowth across and down to the cache. If you reach the burnt tree, STOP - this is where the Olympic (black rated) bike track comes down very abruptly for a jump called the Leap of Faith!
